Across the world we are witnessing a wave of discontent, protest and civil disobedience against State power. Whether a country is having a democratic or non-democratic system or its economy is developed or developing, it just doesn’t matter anymore because the issues remain the same—failure of State power or the government system to deliver. In this context, the question that we can perhaps ponder over is whether sovereignty alone is the answer to all our problems. What will be the significance of independence or freedom if the State is unable to govern or deliver the goods to people? This phenomenon can be seen here also, in our very own Nagaland, where we enjoy special status under Article 371 (A) of the constitution of India yet we have not been able to make best use of the given opportunities in the last fifty years. Everything seems to be unmoving. Protest against irregular power supply, pothole roads, teachers recruitment, contractors nonpayment of bills, just to name a very few in a long list of similar discontent spread across different sectors and involving a cross section of people. Earlier because of the closed system that existed, things were kept quiet or even suppressed. Today as a result of great strides made in information and communication technology, there is more openness and the space to express or vent grievances. There is more enlightenment among the masses and they have greater freedom and also the necessary means to speak out on issues. Suddenly the government or the state system is realizing that it can no longer remain oblivious to the role it has to perform or the expectations it has to meet. This is a wakeup call that the mandate to govern cannot be taken for granted anymore.
The discontent evident across the world is a clear message that citizens are losing confidence in our so called democratic institutions, insensitive political parties and the dysfunctional leadership. As a result disconnect between citizens and those who govern them, is becoming more pronounced and this is not a good sign for legitimacy and political order. Helped by a more freethinking, responsive and greater reach media, this has, on the one hand brought attention to the state’s failure, while creating scope for increasing civil disobedience and thereby anarchy. If such phenomenon goes unchecked, the global State order is in danger of being taken over by street democracy or what we call mobocracy i.e. rule and domination by the masses or political control by a mob. Isn’t this what we are witnessing, the degradation of our so called democracy where “there is no accepted leadership and disputes are often settled by brute force”. Nagaland is also going through this phase of mobocracy. All this is happening because our institution, government machinery and leadership, they have failed and therefore the State has lost legitimacy. There is the need for greater accountability and sincere honest effort must be made to improve our system where citizens remain happy and contended. If we can do this there is greater scope for stability and prosperity. And this is basically the end that we strive for.
