Published: 12:18 AM, 28 September 2026
Saving Democratic Cultures Can Improve Lives and Livelihoods
Modern Democratic Culture at present has become a much debatable issue. This is no doubt deeply relevant around the globe. Despite all the odds, the scenarios in and around the South Asian Subcontinent sparks a major issue.
Now let me touch upon the reasons behind the importance of democratic culture around the globe plus around the South Asian Subcontinent.
There might be various importance of modern democratic culture around the globe and also in the South Asian Sub-Continent. Among all the ways and means some of the common ones are stated as follow:
Before delving into details about my concept, let me analyse the importance of democratic culture around us. We must understand what democratic culture is all about. It is a way towards forming the vital social function where citizens evaluate values like equality, tolerance and respect upon each citizen of the globe. It sounds appreciable that all democratic institutions should remain stable, with the objective to ensure calm and amiable disposition.
Now arriving at the key issues, let me state some of the common ones as such,
Sustenance of democratic institutions-In this process, laws and democratic systems fail miserably thereby citizens and leaders develop pejorative impressions upon our democratic culture.
Encouragement of people’s participation-Sound democratic culture encourages and motivates civilized citizens to participate in democratic process.
Protection of minority communities in a modern and upgraded society-Minority communities in a modern and upgraded society of the globe are always given special privilege to participate in various development projects. In this regard, discriminatory mental makeup should be avoided forever.
Prevention of abuse of power-In any major democracy of the globe, the power vested upon the rulers should properly and meticulously utilized in such a manner which gives us a glaring signal that citizens of any major democratic setup across the globe should ensure powers which are vested upon them should be carefully utilized for the betterment of democracy of the nation. The more there is no abuse of power, then the more the developmental process will rise up to skyrocketing levels.
Now let me evaluate in details, about various ways by which modern democratic culture is properly and meticulously utilised for a country's development. These are stated as such,
7 core values of democratic process,
Freedom-Citizens of modern democratic setup have the full democratic rights and values to ensure proper development of the nation from multiple ways.
Equality-It is already well known to us that the entire citizens of the globe should be accorded equality of rights and status under various tenets of law. Through the uniformity of law sound democracies should be accorded equal opportunities of law so that they are able to take part in all developmental activities to ensure proper and sound governance of a developing nation.
Justice-There should be equitable justice among all sections of societies. Through the mode of equitable justice every citizen of the globe is ensured equal justice irrespective of the citizens of diverse religions and languages.
Respect-Equality of respect should be accorded to each citizen of the globe. This will ensure proper and sound democratic functioning.
Equal participation by the citizens of the globe-In a progressive democratic setup, it is well known to us that our governance should have total uniformity of the entire procedures. This is no doubt a positive signal for a progressive democracy. Especially in nations under the South Asian Sub-Continent, the citizens always crave for equal participation among all.
Political accountability-Citizens of the globe, especially the citizens of the South Asian Subcontinent always expect or desire that the representatives of the people should always be accountable towards the needs of the citizens.
Ensuring proper rule of law-In any major democratic functioning there should be proper rule of law. This is no doubt a signal to motivate proper and methodical functioning of the governance.
Writing about interpretation of democratic culture is not an easy task for this writer. Not only in and around the South Asian Subcontinent, it should be our honoured task to ensure equal opportunities are meted out to people of all sections of societies.
Now coming to other issues, we have to emphasize upon other areas like participation of citizens, rule of law, protecting human rights, free and fair elections, political tolerance and multiparty systems which end with democratic governance. Apart from pertinent issues, it should be earnest endeavour to covet that representatives of the people should be deeply concerned about the needs of the citizens.
What do the citizens of any major democracy need at the current juncture? There might be various issues laying in front of us,
Civil Liberties
Universal Suffrage
Rule of Law
Right to Privacy
Political participation
Adherence to law
Fiscal Contribution
Transparent institutions
Economic opportunity
The writings on modern democratic culture by various writers in the field. The names of works and writers are stated as follow:
The United States and first modernity democracy
The first era of modern thought
Aristotelian and Confucian Insights
The idea of democracy in modern era
Apart from the names of the book, the authors are quite reputed. They are Romila Thapar, V.D. Mahajan, N.D. Kapur, Bipan Chandra, Sumit Sarkar etcetera. Each has contributed remarkably in their respective research works.
Despite the contribution by the above authors, there are more scopes by other authors in the field as well as by the research works by other specialists. The more we probe deeply in our field the more we generate new ideas in our field. But whatever rosy pictures are put up in front of my readers, the democratic culture should be held with a firm anchorage in our mind. To be more elaborately speaking my perception goes by. Is that all sections of the societies should be accorded equal privilege so that the art of discriminatory mentality should be eroded forever. Some sections of the society might be aggrieved upon me, but rationalistically speaking real truth should be spelt out. Otherwise, how can we speak for development and progress? This applies for both India and Bangladesh, which might be treated like adding positive colours to our lifecycle. Bangladesh has emerged once again through a new dawn abiding by the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Bangladeshi people are now very much hopeful about a beautiful future with due honour paid to democratic exercises.
Sujayendra Das is a columnist based
in Calcutta, India.
