No socialism without Democracy & No democracy without Socialism

Democracy and Socialism are so interdependent that one cannot be there without the other.

Pyramidal, an undemocratic Societal structure !

This image fairly represent pyramidal structure of our society. Actually, this belongs to the pre-industrial society, the feudal one. But the same structure continues to be retained in the industrial society too, where the real democratic structure could be possible. In this pyramidal structure, the bottom layer will have no voice, no freedom, no liberation, untill and unless all the top layers are thrown off.

That is the case with all relatively upper layers too.

The upper most layers are cut off from the real life problems of the society.

No amount of effective communication is possible in the normal course.

Struggles like that of 'India Against Corruption' led by Team Anna is required for such communication in such pyramidal structures. The supremacy of Parliament is a myth used so far by the vested interest to bluff the people. What is supreme, even within the Indian democratic structure is the constitution and not Parliament.

But, Parliament is definitely having pre-eminent role in legislation, guiding the executive as also enabling the people to wield and exercise their authority as citizen through providing proper and timely information to their voters. All these responsibilities are ignored by the parliamentarians and hence the need for such struggles. Even during the struggle, the parliamentarians failed to hear the voice of the people. How many of the MPs, usually so fond of being with the people, did attend the celebration of the people whether in New Delhi or in their respective constituencies ? On the contrary they entered into a conflict with the people, trying, in vain, to establish their personal supremacy, through their flimsy arguments, in the name of defending the non-existent supremacy of parliament and democratic institutions.The prestige, authority, and eminent role of parliament and other democratic institutions were curtailed by the executive abetted by the parliamentarians who misused their authority for serving the interest of capital as against the people.

In fact the struggle waged by the people happened to be in real defence of the democratic institutions including parliament. Through assertion of the peoples' supremacy provided by the constitution, they defended the parliament and restored its authority to enact pro-people laws. Any sincere representative of the people shall be jubilant over the victory of the struggle that restored, enhanced and established their prestige and right for unrestricted legislation which was so far curtailed by the executive.

What could be the alternative ?

A reversal of the order of different levels ?

.....Could reversal of the layers of the structure solve the problems ?

A notion that is deep rooted among the society with changed aspiration for more freedom for all, as a reflection of the present societal structure, is that this pyramidal societal structure could be reversed. Most of the organisations aspiring for a democratic society, still, adhere to the pyramidal organisational structure for themselves. They are aspiring for a reversal of the roles of different levels of the hierarchy by taking up the role of the ruling class. Such a change of role will not end exploitation and class struggle. Reference is not to any of the revolutionary party of the proletariat that needs to have democratic centralism to face the extremely centralised, pyramidal, feudal war machinery of the capitalism. Reference is to all other organisations whether TUs, Mass organisations etc or NGOs of any sort which could be run democratically. Widespread practicing of democracy providing equal opportunities for all concerned alone will ensure expansion of democracy as also ushering in socialism. There can be no democratic expansion without socialism nor socialism achieved without democracy. Social organisations are yet to acquire a democratic and socialist culture.

IAC movement happened to be one contributing to democratic expansion. Yet, anti-democratic tendencies and behind the curtain conspiracies were witnessed during the Team Anna struggle too which exposed it to allegations of undemocratic acts and words. It was the reflection of the existing concept of pyramidal structure and the notion that the alternative is the inverted pyramidal structure. Such lack of democracy and transparency lead to playing into the hands of vested interests. At the same time, the Team Anna cannot be blamed for such lapses as they were, for the first time, facing the centralised machinery of the ruling class. People have to be vigilant over the forces that tried to take advantage of the noble struggle for their petty party interests.

It is clear that the inverted structure cannot stand even for a moment. The thin base cannot support the huge overhead.

..........Real Democratic Structure

The real possible alternative, that is the best that could be comprehended, is a horizontal structure. It is the real world replication. This is the real structure seen every where in the mother nature. The society has been such in the past. The structure of the society could be such in future. The means for communication is available today for effective interaction, consultation, policy making, act enactment, administration, management, operation, production, distribution, services, entertainment, education, culture and every thing else. The possibilities of the modern communication means were amply tested in the new struggle. Transition from the existing outdated structure has become possible as also imminent, with the coming into existence of the modern communication system.

Any delay in transition will be crucial for the society, because society could be thrown into chaos, anarchy, or even barbarian one, due to the class contradictions that are deepening.

Joseph Thomas
(Free Software Movement of India/DAKF/29-08-2011)