Chairperson's Address at the
10th Indira Gandhi Conference 2010
Friday, 19th November 2010: Teen Murti House
 

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh ji,
Distinguished participants
Friends

A warm welcome to all of you.

Today we commemorate Indira Gandhi on her birth anniversary. She is celebrated for her unflinching courage, for her determined leadership and for her deep and genuine concern for the poor. Among Indira Gandhi’s many personal qualities was her wide range of interests – her great curiosity about people, places and, most of all, about ideas. She kept abreast of new thinking in diverse fields and interacted with many individuals around the world who were exploring new ways of tackling contemporary issues. The Indira Gandhi Conferences honour this aspect of her personality. They also serve the broader purpose of shaping public opinion and contributing to public policy. These conferences are not just about developing a visionary agenda, they are also about ways of giving it political and economic momentum.

This year’s theme of An Indian Social Democracy may not appear apt, at a time when social democracy is under stress in the very countries where it was born and where it flourished. Today those countries are all much wealthier than India, and skeptics might say that it is too soon for India to talk about social democracy. That misses the point. In country after country, where social democracy took root, it was once for them a dream for their tomorrow. It was built, brick by brick, over many generations, energized by economic growth. In turn, it stimulated and sustained economic growth – by opening up opportunities for human development, by building social cohesion and solidarity, and by providing the framework of an intellectual and political consensus. In those countries, social democracy not only proved to be good politics, it also turned out to be good economics. It brought the state, business and labour onto a common platform in pursuit of a shared vision – the vision of a more equal, more caring society.

The issue of fairness is important in any democratic society. The broad mass of people must believe in the fairness of the system, if it is to survive. At the very least, it must offer equality of opportunity to all through universal and better education, health care and skills. This is not a matter of choice. It is a known fact that unequal societies cannot achieve their full potential or even sustain a high level of growth indefinitely. In other words, islands of prosperity in a sea of deprivation can only give rise to storms of conflict and instability. The story of India's contrasts is well known: ability, aspiration and achievement coexist with injustice, inequity and inequality. We have more millionaires than ever before, alongside millions who struggle for two square meals a day.

We are right to celebrate our high rate of economic growth. We must do all that we can to sustain it. However, let us not forget that growth is not an end in itself. Much more important to my mind is what kind of society we aspire to be, and the values on which it should be built. Our economy may increasingly be dynamic, but our moral universe seems to be shrinking. Prosperity has increased but so has social conflict. Intolerance of various kinds is growing. Graft and greed are on the rise. The principles on which independent India was founded, for which a generation of great leaders fought and sacrificed their all, are in danger of being negated.

A coherent social democratic agenda is therefore essential. It must be based on rights and entitlements, not charity. The Right to Information, The Right to Work, the Right to Education, and the proposed Right to Food Security, represent a landmark shift in our approach to issues of welfare and human development. A new architecture of social provisioning is being put in place.

I am, of course, conscious of the gap between promise and delivery. The debate on social democracy in the West is often about 'big versus small government'. This is less relevant to India. What we need is more effective and efficient government. The Indian state, at its many levels, needs to augment its financial and managerial capacity to deliver public goods and services better. We need greater probity, more transparency, an open attitude and a willingness to try out fresh ideas.

No social democracy is possible without a thriving and dynamic business sector generating wealth. There is a new spirit of entrepreneurship, a new awakening of enterprise in India, it needs to be encouraged. But surely, it is in the interest of business to be a major partner in promoting social objectives and caring for the environment. Some corporate leaders stand out for their dedicated engagement in purposeful and meaningful philanthropy. It is my hope that the swelling ranks of India’s wealthy will be inspired to follow their example.

Civil society has been in the forefront of giving voice to the weak, organizing them collectively and mediating on their behalf. It is also able to provide models of service delivery that are, at times, more effective than those of the Government. Partnerships with NGOs can only enrich our social democracy.

India has long presented the paradox of a democracy, where the poor majority, despite its voting power, has not always commanded its due. The challenge before us is to transcend the divides in our society to ensure that this changes. Social democracy is not populism. It is not generosity. It is the justice that our Constitution promises. The backlog is huge. Without social democracy, Indian democracy could well be undermined.

Much of what I have said reflects Indira Gandhi’s own vision of An Indian Social Democracy. As I understand it, this had four essential pillars.

First, a belief that social democracy must not only be responsive and responsible, but also representative of the many diversities in society.

Second, a conviction that social democracy is unachievable unless economic growth empowers the disadvantaged, deprived, and discriminated against.

Third, a yearning for social democracy that pays the highest attention to the preservation of the environment and regeneration of natural resources.

And fourth, a passion for social democracy that provides for a nation-state as an instrument of change and protection of national sovereignty. These issues are central to the welfare and future of any society. Drawing inspiration from this vision we in India will continue to work towards a consensus for a social democracy that will ameliorate the lives of our people.

I now have great pleasure in requesting the Prime Minister to inaugurate the 10th Indira Gandhi Conference.