In 1947, there were approximately 568 princely families controlling our destinies. They, along with a few thousand zamindars and other members of the minor royalty, formed an elite corp, completely insulated from the rest of India. Going by their incomes and lifestyles, they may as well have been from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse as far as the rest of India was concerned. By and large, these families had no abiding interest in the progress, development or betterment of their fiefdoms and peoples and sought only to perpetuate their power, which was the source of their incomes and therefore lifestyles. The faceless masses, with their aspirations, dreams and nightmares, may as well have been from some other planet in the vicinity of Betelgeuse as far as this bunch was concerned.
In 2009, there are approximately 543 princely families controlling our destinies. They, along with a few thousand MLAs, MLCs, Corporators and other members of the minor royalty, form an elite corp, completely insulated from the rest of India. Going by their incomes and lifestyles, they may as well be from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse as far as the rest of India is concerned. By and large, these families have no abiding interest in the progress, development or betterment of their fiefdoms and peoples and seek only to perpetuate their power, which is the source of their incomes and therefore lifestyles. The faceless masses, with their aspirations, dreams and nightmares, may as well be from some other small planet in the vicinity of Betelgeuse as far as this bunch is concerned.
We sure have come a long way!
The Quirky Indian 
October 28, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Hmm.. But still QI, I think we are way better off today. At least we can change our state rulers every five years
(if he doesn’t give us free liquor during election time 🙂
October 28, 2009 at 1:38 pm
I agree Rakesh. I also prefer being optimistic, specially when free liquor is involved 🙂
October 28, 2009 at 1:46 pm
We can change our rulers but do the rulers change?
October 28, 2009 at 3:59 pm
What I meant was that though it is very bad, it is actually a lot better than Kings and princes. The rulers might not change but at least the fear of not being voted again does limit their fantasies a bit.
October 29, 2009 at 4:05 pm
It sounds good for the ego doesnt it Rakesh ?
October 30, 2009 at 12:26 pm
he he… cynical !!!
October 28, 2009 at 12:58 pm
oh my god!
October 28, 2009 at 1:36 pm
I had chosen a similar sounding blog title for my post published a few minutes ago (Changed it to – Bad? Yes. Worse than yesterday? No.)
I agree with you QI. I was watching on Nat Geo, how it’s the NGOs who do anything that can be related to progress here… far from getting any support, in fact they often face hurdles. The government has no interest in people’s welfare, they live in their own world.. err planet, near Betelguese. 😦
October 28, 2009 at 1:38 pm
(568 – 543)/568 * 100 = 4.4%
Yeah, you’re right! We surely have made a lot of progress! I’d *never* thought about it!
Okay on a more serious note, it is a bit harsh to say that our country has not progressed. In matters of governance, yes, we have not accomplished anything. In fact quite paradoxically, most of the current crop of ‘successful’ politicians do have familial ties with ‘new’ feudal lords that had taken over at the time of independence. But on personal front, many more (proportion-wise as compared to at the time of independence) of us do have opportunities to actually enjoy from simplest to most expensive luxuries in life, provided one works hard enough and has a bit of luck. And I think this personal front is what matters the most!
When I’d asked you a few questions a couple of posts back, I was trying to precisely answer this paradox of how despite gaining ‘independence’ we’re still ruled by feudal lords, just that we have the luxury of ‘electing’ them!
Also, it has become politically incorrect to point out that even when our freedom was ‘clinched’, the true nature of rulers never really changed! It was just perceived to be better!
The issue is not that our condition in a relative sense hasn’t changed, but why. Why despite promises and our expectations of their being fulfilled, things have remained essentially the same?
As you would realize and agree, trying to find real answers such that we could have practical solutions to these problems is what’s much more difficult than simply pointing them out. And that is where we are failing! We all are complaining, but not really thinking how these problems have their roots in human psyche! How years of repression and poverty, makes any average person lust for power and money. How we as peoples have been attaching too much importance to perceived superiority. How we all bow down before authority with utmost respect without pausing even once to think if that respect is even deserved! We are slaves to ‘image’ as against any real substance. This creates in everyone, a desire to subjugate others, exploit them, and ‘feel’ superior to them.
The phenomenon is not restricted just to politicians. These traits can be seen in every walk of life, in persons across all social strata.
What kind of administrator would an ‘average Indian’ become?
In think, exactly the kind we currently have in legislatures! I think that is the problem! 😦
October 28, 2009 at 4:36 pm
KP, I’ve to write a whole post in response to this comment…. Coming up shortly.
October 28, 2009 at 3:55 pm
We sure have come a long way! The only difference being, we get to decide which bunch of princely families get to rule us for the next five years!
October 29, 2009 at 7:11 pm
The problem being, we are forced to choose which nincompoop is likely to do less harm than the other. The general public unfortunately still have no say in who gets a ticket to stand for election. So mostly it a case of voting for the lesser evil.
October 28, 2009 at 4:51 pm
What a post! I almost agree with you.. wel, almost! 🙂
October 28, 2009 at 7:45 pm
You know what I feel?
I feel that despite all odds we still have made some progress and that can not be denied!
October 28, 2009 at 8:06 pm
[…] actually started out as a comment on QI’s post as a reply to Ketan’s comment. Especially, this part of the comment: “…How years of repression […]
October 28, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Well, at least we have a say in who those 543 princely family members are! 🙂
On a serious note though, getting rid of monarchy, and embracing democracy is a giant progressive leap that our leaders (Nehru et al) took in 1947.
Sure, elitism and illiberal democracy are issues need to be tackled, but skepticism is not going to help.
October 29, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Totally totally agree with you. Is sad but true.
October 29, 2009 at 7:16 pm
QI, You have made such a valid point. The minute our netas achieve some degree of sucess, they shut themselves in their ivory towers, away from the janta who voted for them and then devote themselves alternately to shamelessly filling up their coffers and shamelessly promoting their family members.
October 29, 2009 at 7:47 pm
I don’t know whether we can come to conclusion ever on it; who was/is better off and vice versa.
October 30, 2009 at 9:33 am
Hi QI 🙂
According my calculations, the “princely families” will be out of the game on the year 3373.
For the other “corps”, you will have to wait a bit longer.
Keep walking (with your favorite drink), still a long way…
😉
October 30, 2009 at 10:05 am
Yes! 🙂
November 2, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Don’t make fun of my family 😛 Though with time and generation after generation of lazy people we seemed to have made this comfortable transition from “elite corp” to the Middle Class. Mind you I myself played a major role in this!
November 3, 2009 at 5:06 pm
@Rakesh: You’re right, we go to the polls every 5 years; what seems to be the trend is that we will have a choice between Politician 1’s daughter and Politician 2’s niece. And this will hold true for more and more constituencies. So tell me, are we truly better off? I think Bones has also made a very relevant comment.
@Bones: Great comment.
@IHM: Believe me, I try hard to look at positives, to feel optimistic. But the negatives are growing.
@Ketan: I am having fulltoo admiring for your mathematical skills! 🙂
But a 4.4% reduction in the number of our ruling families is not progress, surely? All it means is that power is now concentrated in the hands of fewer families! Worth thinking about?
While I agree with your statement that we are governed by feudal lords, we just have the luxury of ‘electing’ them, I disagree with your assessment of the ‘true nature’ of rulers specifically with respect to our leaders at the time of independence. I have explained my point of view in my response to your comments in the Requiem post.
We can all try and chip in by being a part of the electoral process – that is the biggest tool of change that has been given to us. However, we ourselves have corrupted and blunted this great tool in the face of the most pernicious kind of identity politics. Another reason why I try to bring uncomfortable truths like these to the attention of people is that most of us seek to balance the negatives with the positives and what we have achieved (for example, your statement referring to rising standards of living), and probably forget that the kind of decay we witness today will not only affect us politically, but will also hollow us out economically. One can only hope that raising these issues will make people reflect, but I realise that I am being too ambitious here. And so we can continue pointing out the few good things we have achieved as a people every time someone brings up the other side of the story!
We have the power to change things, but as you very insightfully said, we We are slaves to ‘image’ – and that, my friend, is the damage that the politics of identity/image has done to us.
@Smitha: But that’s not much of a choice, is it? And it’s a very unhealthy trend that we have quietly accepted!
@Sakhi: I’m glad – it’s significant, even if it is ‘almost’! 🙂
@Smita: I agree, we have made progress. I do not deny that. But on many fronts we have regressed beyond belief, and it is my opinion that the rot in this country, unless checked, is quickly going to spread to all the ‘progress’ we have made and bring it down. It’s a very real threat.
November 3, 2009 at 5:19 pm
@Vishal: Actually, I think optimism is not going to help…..because to be on the road to recovery one needs to acknowledge the presence of the disease/infection, accept the fact that the treatment will be unpleasant, expensive and will require some discipline.
Most ‘non-sceptics’ refuse to believe anything is seriously wrong, and assume that the few good things more than make up for the many more that are wrong.
But I do hope you’re right. 🙂
@PS: Welcome to my blog and thanks for the comment!
@Dreamer: Thanks! There is very little difference between the old Maharajas who just wanted their opium, toy trains, Rolls Royces and harems and the new ones who just want their coke, private jets, Land Cruisers and harems!
@Vee: The fact that even after 60 years we can’t decide what to conclude is itself a cause for worry, is it not? 🙂
@Francois: 3373? Wow. Guess I’ll have to ‘walk’ a lot harder now! 😉
@Banno: Glad you agree! 🙂
@Textualoffender: Your highness, I apologise! Please join a political party and discard all scruples to ensure a rise in family fortunes again! 🙂
November 3, 2009 at 8:22 pm
@ QI,
That’s an erroneous interpretation of ‘optimism’. Acknowledgment of (ugly) realities is completely independent of one’s inclination towards optimism/pessimism.
From M-W: Optimism is an inclination to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or to anticipate the best possible outcome.
Optimism does not mean living in a fantasy world and do nothing to solve its problems. I think you are confusing optimism with what’s called “naive optimism” or “overoptimism”.
I am not a big optimist myself, but just thought I should clarify this…
November 4, 2009 at 9:06 am
we have new princes and kings ruling us these days. under the sham of democracy what runs in this country is all fake. all the parties are run like personal fiefdoms. the son, daughter, in laws, outlawas…everyone seems to have their own strongholds on the country.
November 4, 2009 at 1:07 pm
yup all that is true.
but considering ONLY the rulers would have any money at that point of time, we have a come a long way, innit?
ofcos it is a miracle where we are as a country inspite of these pathetic buncha losers!
cheers!
November 5, 2009 at 5:29 am
Nepotism worked then and it is working now. Different setups though.
But yes! we have come a long way. 🙂
November 7, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Oh surely there is a minuscule proportion of honest, dedicated politicians?
But the vast majority still runs the government like their family business. That’s one of the main reasons I’m not too keen on entering public service. I don’t want to be licking the shoes of ministers every day.
What you write is all very good. I agree completely. But how do we remedy it?
And optimism != Closing your eyes to reality. That’s naivete.
As I’ve always been saying, the maladies in the nation are not because that there are problems . We simply don’t care enough to stem the rot. No one gives a crap.
We may suppress our guilt by saying all sorts of things in our defence, but the brutal truth is that the more fortunate section of the citizens have “dumped” the nation. We have only ourselves to blame.
But the masses are clawing back… Mayawati, the Naxal violence, are all indications. It’ll be interesting how they clash with the elite– both the Politicians and the pseudo-patriotic section of India that inhabits the plush neighbourhoods of her cities.
November 8, 2009 at 2:19 am
What a fantastic post, Quirky. Makes one so depressed. As for progress, I firmly believe, anything good that happens in India happens by default! I mean, its not the result of anybody’s action, but definitely the outcome of everybody’s inaction. When they say, India is/will be a superpower, it is purely like a rolling trophy, that would arrive in our fold, by default. Pessimistic and unfair, maybe! But that’s the way I look at it.
November 8, 2009 at 9:02 pm
ROTFL at this one.. so true, and yet so sad…. but brilliant observation!
November 10, 2009 at 1:50 pm
At least the air was cleaner in those times, and the few who had cars also owned the roads, so no traffic jams or road rage.
November 10, 2009 at 3:23 pm
It is, indeed.
A bit off mark: I am currently reading Aatish Taseer’s ‘Stranger to History’.
There is one episode wherein Iranian Students took Iranian Ambassador as hostage at Iran Embassy in Delhi. The ambassador double crossed them with his sweet talk. Few years later when one of the student met him in Iran confronted him, ‘Why he lied and where was his integrity’? The ambassador replied, ‘Politics was and never will be about integrity.’
These and few other things mentioned/covered are very unsettling for me when it is revealed (political per se). And I feel we all are idiots.
November 12, 2009 at 2:30 am
Quirky Indian:
All these comments, and nobody made the remark about “Congress (or congress which is more all-embracing)” being the opposite of “progress”? Hmm.
November 13, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Hello Quirky Indian!
Thanks a lot for your replies to my comments on the two posts! There were a few things I had not thought from the perspective you presented, which helped. And of course, a few, where I would disagree. But more elaborate replies from me would have to wast for around two weeks. Hope, you don’t mind. 🙂
In the meantime, I would like your comments on a new post I have done:
Direct Democracy in India: a Possibility? (click)
Thanks!
Cheers!
February 1, 2010 at 9:17 pm
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