The unfailing wailing after an election: The winner played vote bank politics.
There must be much truth to the above sentiment, but that would not be the whole truth. This is not because there is any other kind of politics but because the same politics is played in different ways by different people. The losers too would have played vote bank politics, just not as well as the winners!
Poor people are offered money for their vote. The rich and the powerful are offered gilt-edged securities to be cashed in multiples later.
Politicians promise a whole lot to win votes. This is what democracy is – promise and don’t perform. But, even to promise there must be some backing, some angel, say, industrialists, financiers, gold traders, bond holders. It is they who bankroll the candidates and the latter have to oblige them after getting elected. What is so creditable about the election game is the supporters are playing a win-win game, by supporting all sides. Sure, the amount may differ marginally but money gushes through MIRVs (Multiple Independently targetable Reentry Vehicle) into the hands of the poor.
Every winner pays out for himself and for the losers too, to the angels. The most recent evidence: Pranabda’s volte-face in the recently passed budget. Those who provide funds for vote bank politics want their pound of flesh. This is what Pranabda offered, retreating fast on higher levies on the rich.
Look at what is happening to Hollande, the French President. The mouthpiece of global finance The Economist called him a dangerous man even before the run-off election. Within 24 hours of his victory the bond eagles were down upon him, to eat him alive. He has promised too much to the poor. It does not matter that he may truly have no intention of keeping his promises. He is safe, after all, for six years. Yet, the rating agencies threatened France.
This is the angelic vote bank politics, on the side of the banks that play the game.
Raghuram Ekambaram
There must be much truth to the above sentiment, but that would not be the whole truth. This is not because there is any other kind of politics but because the same politics is played in different ways by different people. The losers too would have played vote bank politics, just not as well as the winners!
Poor people are offered money for their vote. The rich and the powerful are offered gilt-edged securities to be cashed in multiples later.
Politicians promise a whole lot to win votes. This is what democracy is – promise and don’t perform. But, even to promise there must be some backing, some angel, say, industrialists, financiers, gold traders, bond holders. It is they who bankroll the candidates and the latter have to oblige them after getting elected. What is so creditable about the election game is the supporters are playing a win-win game, by supporting all sides. Sure, the amount may differ marginally but money gushes through MIRVs (Multiple Independently targetable Reentry Vehicle) into the hands of the poor.
Every winner pays out for himself and for the losers too, to the angels. The most recent evidence: Pranabda’s volte-face in the recently passed budget. Those who provide funds for vote bank politics want their pound of flesh. This is what Pranabda offered, retreating fast on higher levies on the rich.
Look at what is happening to Hollande, the French President. The mouthpiece of global finance The Economist called him a dangerous man even before the run-off election. Within 24 hours of his victory the bond eagles were down upon him, to eat him alive. He has promised too much to the poor. It does not matter that he may truly have no intention of keeping his promises. He is safe, after all, for six years. Yet, the rating agencies threatened France.
This is the angelic vote bank politics, on the side of the banks that play the game.
Raghuram Ekambaram
2 comments:
Raghuram, in the last MCD elections, I know a person who accepted a big bribe from a candidate (who won eventually) in order to get votes from a particular colonly where the bribe-receiver has a clout by way of his being their boss! The poor people voted according to what they were told by their boss- that they would get water only because of this candidate and so on.
This game of politics is miserable. I know the boss in question does nothing but swindle the people. I know it. I know it. I know it.
And i feel sorry for being an Indian because of people like him. He bosses over me too.
Raghuram, in the last MCD elections, I know a person who accepted a big bribe from a candidate (who won eventually) in order to get votes from a particular colonly where the bribe-receiver has a clout by way of his being their boss! The poor people voted according to what they were told by their boss- that they would get water only because of this candidate and so on.
This game of politics is miserable. I know the boss in question does nothing but swindle the people. I know it. I know it. I know it.
And i feel sorry for being an Indian because of people like him. He bosses over me too.
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