by Ashok Jain
Foreword
Guest author Ashok Jain (brief profile here) has followed up on Jayram’s post by pointing out the crucial association between Democracy and Dharma.
While no system is perfect, democracy is better than the other forms of government which have been tried, such as autocracy, feudalism, communism, fascism, religious fanaticism et cetera. Democracy is ingrained in Indian political and religious thought from times immemorial, quite simply because it is ingrained in the concept of Dharma. Dharma provides a sense of fairness in society – as against blind adherence to rules and laws. Additional societal values infused by Dharma are equality, fraternity and justice for all.
The original culture of the Indian subcontinent was grounded in the tradition of Shramana (see here), as ingrained in Jainism and later in Buddhism. It may be difficult to say to what extent these traditions were incorporated into the Vedic principles. However, not all Shramanic principles were incorporated into what much later became the dominant culture of India. Some cultural practices – such as the caste system, Sati, and rigid hierarchical control of society – do not do justice to the principles of equality, fraternity and justice for all.
Here we see what may have been a dilemma faced by the main architect of the Indian constitution, Dr Ambedkar, to anchor and incorporate the main values and principles of our society. It seems to me that he did make a valiant attempt to incorporate, to the extent possible, the principles of Dharma and those of equality, fraternity and justice.
However, we find that no matter what form democracy takes in any country, anywhere in the world, it seems to have a built-in decay mechanism. It starts with high ideals and principles – and gradually declines therefrom. At present, one can see this clearly in the ongoing heated debates in the US over parts of the American Constitution and the role of the judiciary.
Eventually, over a period of time, democracy morphs into a state where cunning and unscrupulous groups learn to manipulate the system so that they can milk it dry. In other words, the ruling so-called ‘elite’ ignores the founding principles of the democracy – while citing endlessly only the rules and laws they put in place themselves over time to manipulate the society. Adharma overtakes Dharma – temporarily. That is when major or minor conflicts start in a society, and often also with other societies. The great epic Mahabharata is in its essence the story of the struggle between Dharma and Adharma.
Meanwhile, in other countries, we see the rise of white nationalism, fascism, totalitarianism, and other non-democratic principles, including Abrahamic religious strangleholds on many countries. There are never-ending power-grab attempts by small slivers of population, unable to win power based on the principle of ‘one person one vote’. They are relentless in their efforts to pass rules in their favour, so as to usurp more and more power over time. Such processes are totally undemocratic, and therefore Adharma.
The dilemma today is the incorporation of Dharma principles into contemporary democratic thought, and the continual refreshment of that practice, to make democracy work for all – and not for just a few.
Postscript: In the context of the two posts about Democracy, by Jayram and Ashok, the following comment on YouTube by an unknown commenter @metaphoric-j1c seems to be quite relevant:
Whatever happens no one can deny the upcoming changes in our lives worldwide. Artificiality has been an integral part of our lifestyle since Industrial Revolution. We can’t stop the inevitable changes which are coming in our day to day life. The most important thing is we have to try to become better human being for ourselves irrespective of political, cultural and ethnical entities.
seeker-of-root-causes 
Asok explores the deep connection between democratic principles and the concept of Dharma, pointing out that, although no governance system is flawless, democracy is a preferable alternative to autocracy, feudalism, and other forms of rule. He emphasizes that democracy is deeply rooted in Indian thought, with Dharma reflecting ideals of fairness, equality, fraternity, and justice—principles that align closely with Sanatan Dharma.
However, Ashok notes a troubling trend: democracies tend to degrade over time, often as self-serving elites manipulate the system, leading to a rise in Adharma—the antithesis of Dharma. This decline is reflected in global phenomena like nationalism and totalitarianism, which undermine democratic ideals.
Such tendencies raise critical questions about maintaining democratic integrity when ruling governments, driven by vote-bank majorities, pursue agendas rooted in undemocratic principles. These governments may even seek to alter constitutional provisions to align with their objectives, which Ashok identifies as a manifestation of Adharma.
Many of these problems need to be resolved if democracy is to fulfil everyone’s interests. The past Indian ruling regime’s constitutional amendments are a glaring example of how democracy’s actual goals are undermined.
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