Ashem Regina
By – Ashem Regina
Are Youths the Social Capital?
The ancient Greek philosopher Plato in his book ‘The Republic’ discusses various theories such as the theory of knowledge, the theory of soul, the theory of idea, the theory of education, the theory of communism, the theory of the philosopher king and others which all sum up to trying to analyse how to attain an ideal State or a just State. In analysing all these theories, Plato refers to many of Socrates’ political dicta, such as: ‘Knowledge is virtue or virtue is knowledge’, ‘An unexamined life is not worth living’, and ‘True wisdom is knowing that you know nothing’. According to the Oracle of Delphi, Socrates was considered the wisest man on earth, but he was charged with corrupting the minds of the youth. Back then in Athens, Socrates targeted the youths in the marketplaces and tried to question them about socio-political issues. Such interaction led to a better understanding of the current scenario, and this method of finding the truth is termed ‘elencus’ by Socrates and, in the words of Plato, ‘dialectics’. When given two options, either to accept that he had corrupted the minds of the youth or to drink hemlock (poison), Socrates chose to drink the hemlock, leading to his death. Till then, and even today, Socrates remained a sanctuary of integrity and honesty.
But why did Socrates target the Youths? It is because the youths are curious and open-minded, and they question traditional beliefs. Unlike many older citizens, they were less committed to established opinions and more willing to debate. This is a lesson we should never forget: young people are indeed an enthusiastic audience, and the proper inculcation of civic responsibilities and civic engagement is needed to shape tomorrow’s democracy.
Do we need to maintain the status quo or introduce reforms in the existing system?
In a democracy, the ballot is more powerful than any weapon. By exercising our right to vote, we shape our future. While exercising our Universal Adult Franchise enshrined under Article 326 of the Indian Constitution, we, particularly the youth, should be clear about what kind of agenda the candidate contesting the election has. Referring to this case, Max Weber, the German sociologist, in his book ‘Politics as a Vocation’, identifies two arenas in a person’s choosing of politics as a profession. First is living for politics (pursuing politics out of commitment to a cause & public service) and the second is living from politics (earning one’s livelihood through politics). Basically, politics is seen as a calling or vocation rather than a way to earn money for a person living for politics and politics is seen as a means to an end for a person living from politics.
But, what happens when all the contesting candidates belong to the arena of living from politics? To whom shall we cast our vote? This is when substantive reforms are needed, according to Senior Advocate Khaidem Mani, former Acting Chairperson of the Manipur Human Rights Commission. There are stricter rules and qualifications for becoming an administrator or opting for the judiciary. If we upgrade the essential qualifications/criteria for becoming a legislator, introduce some basic training, or require a few years of experience for legislators across various fields before allocating portfolios, then people living for politics might show up to contest elections. Nowadays, election money power is considered an important criterion to win an election, and because of this, many people in the arena of living for politics have turned down coming to the forefront of electoral politics.
A voice in the wilderness: Will it reach its destination?
In the words of Shashi Tharoor, ‘when the youths become better informed and more organised than the incumbents, they become a force that has to be negotiated with’. Indeed, his words became a reality, and the myth of our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invincibility was just broken by the youth’s demand after the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. This amplifies the power of our youth’s collective action, demand for accountability, encouragement for civic engagement and focus on educational reforms. It marked the symbol that we should not lose hope in the youth’s capabilities. In Manipur, various youth platforms are engaging in different fields, calling for civic responsibility from all citizens and the government in particular. To mention, the Manipur Youth League (MAYOL) has been spreading awareness programmes on the topic ‘POLITICS: VOTE FOR NATIONAL REGENERATION’ focusing on responsible voting practices, For Better Kangleipak has been undergoing various cleanliness drives in various places such as Yaralpat, Cheiraoching, Lamphelpat, Loktak Lake, Ima Keithel, among many others. Such action reminds us of the famous line of John F. Kennedy, ‘ask not what your country can do for you- ask what you can do for your country’. On the other hand, discursive spaces have been mushrooming up in recent times that allow youths, historians, diplomats, and independent researchers to freely exchange ideas for a better tomorrow.
‘I alone have limited power, but together we have the strength to uphold civic values and build a better democratic future’.
(The writer is a Junior Research Fellow of University Grants Commission currently pursuing Ph.D at the Department of Political Science, Manipur University and can be reached at [email protected])
