Freedom Without Responsibility, Spectators Without Skin in the Game
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We’re proud to be the world’s largest democracy, often reminding ourselves (and others) that our freedoms were hard-won and our elections are massive feats of logistics. But here’s a discomforting thought: have we turned democracy into a spectator sport, and freedom into an entitlement without responsibility?
Look around and you’ll see a pervasive culture of claiming without owning, where freedom is a right and responsibility is optional. This is a dangerous trend visible at both the citizen and state levels:
(A) At the Citizen Level
- Traffic is the poster child: Everyone wants the “freedom” to drive however they like, but no one takes responsibility for the rules. The result is clogged roads, accidents, and wasted hours.
- Taxes and Public Spaces: There’s an expectation of government benefits without the duty of contribution. Similarly, people demand clean parks and metros but litter, spit, or encroach without pause.
(B) At the State and Economic Level
- Businesses often seek policy freedom but skirt labor rights, environmental safeguards, or data privacy.
- Politicians frame freedom as an entitlement: free electricity, free water, and election freebies. But “responsibility” in terms of fiscal prudence, governance standards, or transparency is sidelined.
- Foreign Policy sometimes flexes “strategic autonomy” (the freedom to act independently), but internally, the responsibility to build consensus or strong institutions is patchy.
Democracy as Spectacle, Not Work
Democracy itself has become an arena we watch, not work. Elections play out like high-stakes matches—citizens cheer, boo, meme, and then retreat until the next round. Leaders are treated like celebrity players; policies like highlight reels.
Meanwhile, actual governance—the dull grind of institutions like the ward committee or the school board—attracts little participation.
The consequences are clear: when freedom is divorced from responsibility, governance becomes brittle. When democracy is reduced to spectacle, leaders learn to play only for optics, not outcomes. Citizens complain from the stands but rarely walk onto the field. Trust frays, institutions weaken, and cynicism (“sab chor hain”) replaces accountability. This is India’s soft underbelly.
The paradox is stark: too little freedom leads to authoritarian control; too much freedom without responsibility tips into chaos. India risks lurching between both. We inherited freedom as a birthright, but treat responsibility as an optional extra.
The real question is whether enough of us are ready to match freedom with duty, and democracy with participation. Until then, we’ll remain vibrant in noise but hollow at the core.
Possible Way Forward: From Spectator to Player
It’s easy to complain. The harder task is finding ways to break this cycle. Here are a few ideas worth chewing on for cultural change:
- Put Duties on the Table, Not Just Rights: The Fundamental Duties in the Constitution are practically invisible. What if schools, campaigns, and pop culture reminded us that rights and duties are a package deal?
- Think Local, Act Local: National politics is noisy, but local governance (ward committees, mohalla sabhas) is where responsibility bites. Small wins build the habit of participation.
- Reward Substance, Not Spectacle: Citizens and media can flip the script—track delivery like cricket stats, celebrating politicians who fix drains as much as those who drop zingers.
- Use Civic Tech, But Demand Response: Technology can simplify tracking budgets and reporting issues. But it only builds trust if governments actually respond; otherwise, tech is just another spectator screen.
- Start with Everyday Self-Regulation: Not glamorous, but transformative. Following traffic rules, paying taxes, not littering—these tiny acts of responsibility reduce chaos and free up institutions to do their jobs better.
The challenge is cultural: shifting from claiming without owning to claiming by owning. From watching the match to playing the innings . Because democracy isn’t a Netflix show—it’s a DIY project.
