In political history there was a revolution with the right of adult franchise being given to common people. Rousseau and other philosophers were no doubt primarily responsible for this; but the traders and industrialists also had a great role in this. Factories were being set up; food grains production had shot up. The avenues of unlimited profiteers were opened for traders by selling their products in the neighboring countries. But entry in the other countries was banned for the traders. The soldiers of kings were guarding the boundaries of the countries. This vigil was an obstacle in the profiteer by traders.
In such atmosphere, the book “social contract” came and it generated a new viewpoint; a new philosophy expounded “a King is born, but not necessarily in the home of a king”. This gave the dream to the courtiers that even their children could become kings. This also gave the dream to the traders that anyone ready to give them transit to other nations could also be appointed as a king. He can be voted victorious in the election and it can be propagated that the person victorious in the elections is the most popular one, a real spokesman of the people’s interests and he is a born king... This strange mixture of revolution and conspiracy put an end to monarchy. Then mixing up of the traders of two countries became easier. And electoral democracy was in the air and firmly grounded on soil.
And a way was carved out through which a son of soil could become sun of soil that is
king of soil. Political power was now free from the curse of dynasty. Those people traders became free who could contest the elections themselves or alternatively could control the reins of power by sponsoring others to contest the election. This happened in the second half of eighteen century.
After two hundred years, almost similar thing happened once again. The so-called World
Trade Organization is in fact a repeat of whatever had happened earlier. In this system not only the trader but the rich consumers were also in unison. This trade treaty not only demanded that there should be free flow of trade but also said that if a foreign company wants to sale its car in Rs. 4 lacks in India and Indian consumer is ready to buy that, then the govt. of India has no right to make the car still more costly and the govt. caved in before this (un) holy alliance of traders and consumers thus a large chunk of sovereignty of nation states was transferred to the world wide organizations like- WTO and others (IMF and World Bank etc.),
World Trade Organization is a transnational body of traders before which the national
governments are helpless. With this started a new process of world market, global economy, global consumption and global income. With this a new power packed group came called multinational companies, which have appropriated the custody of economic policies of country governments. But this sight of hand was duly taken care of. It was kept mind by rich people that there should be no misgivings among people about Governance. And they must feel that their elected representatives are governing them as earlier and they only are the lawmakers and policy makers and not the MNCs. This gave the MNCs and TNCs a great safety routes. When the credit for employment generation is the issue they can take all the credit, but when the issue is about consequent unemployment; they can easily shift the blame on the political leaders. People would keep fighting against their own leaders in the backdrop of economic crisis and will keep the political powers shifting among the parties as a way of ventilating their anger. And the real beneficiaries, the MNCs and TNCs along with the global trader and global consumer would be a distant and silent spectator. While fully enjoying the poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, sickness and malnutrition of the majority of the people, these high and up people are fully careful that just as there is now a universal unity among the traders and consumers there should be no such parallel unity among the poor people of world cutting across the national boundaries, but if there be such a global party or union among the oppressed and downtrodden – it would become impossible for the leaders of these poor masses to dance to the tune of these global traders and consumer i.e., MNCs and TNCs. They are afraid that if before the world Trade Organization there be a party of the poor all over world, it would not be possible to turn the local leaders into puppets by virtue of money and the reckless profiteering would be impossible. The universal traders will have to compensate to the losses of the poor that so they will have to pay something like global tax. And most of all the global traders will also be under the rule of law.
The equal distribution of currency created against mechanical labor
The national companies are on the same turn of as the multinational companies, so it is
now imperative for the national companies to maintain high quality and low cost of goods and services. This can be done only with the help of automation, maximum automation. May be the required machinery will have to be imported. As a result of automation and very large production made by machines, the total GDP has been rising but the currency notes being printed by the same mechanical labor and automation is being deposited in the banks instead of being distributed among the citizens. Now the bank under the pressure of this mounting piles of notes are lowering the interest rates, rather they have put it under free fall and they are regularly urging upon the people to take loans and set up industries, but the people are hesitant to do so as everything right from the needle to an airplane is being made by MNCs. Thus a man with small capital is always in the danger of going bankrupt. They feel that their factory may or may not sell but they are sure to sink in the loans. As the result since there are no seekers for loans, the interest rates are crashing down.
In the light of above analysis, it is clear that mankind has reached in an age where 80% of
GDP comes from machines and manual share in GDP has came down to 20%. It means that even if most of the people are rendered unemployed or do not prefer to work; the current level of production can be maintained.
Since most of the GDP is linked to mechanical production the nations are getting richer and richer but the national citizenry is getting poorer; and poorer. On one hand, the go owns are bursting with food grains; on the other hand, many people are committing suicides due to poverty and hunger.
Proposal of Votership
In such a critical condition a proposal called Votership has been moved by some sensitive MPs in the Lok Sabha as a petition of the Bharat Gandhi & others. Through this proposal a demand is being aired that instead of waiting for the creation of jobs for all the people in traditional sense, the money should be provided directly to the people. In these changed days the definition of work should also change, it has been clarified in this proposal that now since most of the jobs are preserved for machines, the workers are hard pressed against each other. Due to stiff competition they are being forced to work at any wage. They are getting blackmailed; when in dire need people tend to lose their foresight. Whatever a worker gets after backbreaking labor is like the husk being thrown before an ox. While the wheat being produced by this mechanized economy remain the preserve of the rich. Now, some way must be devised so as to make the workers, a sharer of the wheat also.
In this petition after an all encompassing and detailed discussion, it is being proposed that the currency notes produced by the mechanical production, should be distributed equitably among the voters, while the wealth being produced by the workers may be distributed as per the capitalist economy’s demand. If the currency notes being produced by the mechanical labor, are distributed equitably the people will get their share in the collective property of the country and they will no more be ‘domestic labourers’ but would be ‘domestic member’ of one national family. This condition will be something like this that may be they do not get the husk but they will certainly get their share in the wheat. Amount of Gross Domestic Mechanical Production, Gross Domestic Interest Capital, Gross Domestic Inherited Capital, Gross Domestic Rent Capital have been construed as collective property (not private or public property) of voters in this petition. This has also been forecasted that since the national government have no say in the present global economy, the total employment in traditional sense would remain a dream for all the national governments. So this petition’s peculiar characteristics is this, that since traditional employment is impossible; this petition suggests a way to provide money as Votership to each and everyone as a birth right to live with dignity and social security.
Instead of identity cards, an ATM cards for the voters
It has not been provided in this petition that this work of giving share in the Gross Domestic Mechanical production and Gross Domestic Inherited wealth to all and sundry be handed over to the politicians or to the officials for distribution. This petition suggests that the Reserve Bank Of India should open account of all the voters of the Union and Bank should deposit half of the share in collective property of each voter (i.e., Rs 1750/-) each month in that account. It has been suggested that instead of identity cards; the voter should be given an ATM cash card. Through ATM cash card this account would not become a victim of corruption hence.
The petition also demands that every post-office be provided an ATM machine. A common voter may go there each month and may have his/her monthly share in the national income created through the collective property.
The Votership economy will also need a transnational organization, transnational government and also a transnational parliament and court. The expenses for this has also been provided for in this petition by asserting that the portion of GDP cash be carved out for this also, so one part of per capita production will go to the voter, other will go to the transnational organization and the third will go to the people representatives as a contribution from the each and every people.
A scientific system for political financing
Once this proposal is implemented, the people representater will not only get votes, but also notes in proportion of their vote share in total polling. As a result of this political financing, the people’s representatives will become responsible to the voting public.
The more responsible they become, the more money they will get. If a voter is given Rs 1750/- per month then as the political contribution a people’s representative would be getting Rs 1750 lacks if he gets 1000 votes and in case he gets 1 lack votes he will get Rs 17.5 cores. With this amount the people representatives can also give employment to 50 to 100 persons and can have their own secretariat. Once this scientific system of political financing is implemented the politicians will be free from the clutches of money donating wasted interests. Thus the democracy will also be free from the bondage of capitalists and politics will once again be wedded to honesty. The socially oriented persons will also be having enough money to sustain their lives and be free to serve the society free of any Hassles.
Once this birth right and economic freedom is granted to every Indian citizens, Indian’s voices could resonate among the people of all the under developed and developing countries. India would become their natural leader. There is a reason for this also, if this happens, the demand for similar economic birthright will be raised in other countries also. They will also get up and struggle for their economic freedom. Entire world will be grateful to the Indian parliament. Secondly, the money which was to be provided to the poor nations by rich nations under Millennium Development Goal (MDG), will also be coming, as they would no longer be able to take refuse behind the ruse that the politicians and bureaucrats of third world are corrupt and the money could not reach the grass root people, hence MDG is worthless. Since all the voters will be having their personal accounts, the developed nations would be capable of checking the truth by them. Once this scheme is implemented, the money that now comes as loans or borrowing will be coming as a tax. The government of India will also be free from debt trap.
Wealth without work
One of greatest argument against Votership is that, this proposes wealth without work and this would render the entire population lazy. In this proposal this argument has been refuted clearly. This says that the law of inheritance still gives a lot of wealth to lot of persons without any work. The parliament approves of this law. If through still another similar law Votership is implemented, it will be nothing new. Only there would be now one more source that will enable people to become wealthy without work. Only difference will be in the number. Earlier the number was lesser now it will be larger. The parliament which by approving the law of inheritance, gives some people millions and billions of rupees can not deny a paltry sum to a voter who is veritably a child of father of nation.
As far as increase in laziness is concerned, a clear view has been expressed in the proposal that if one has to choose between unemployment and laziness the laziness would be in the national interest. In the state of unemployment the mind as well as body of the person become inactive, while in laziness only hand remain inactive, not the mind (see the essay, “In praise of idleness by Bertrand Resell)
Some people deem it impossible and argue that where from the government would get that gigantic amount of money? Explaining this proposal says clearly that if this amount be too much for the government it can very well facilitate the opening of the personal accounts of all the voters will a lesser amount than Rs 1750, then the government can go to international agencies, developed countries, MNCs and show them this fact and can pressurize them to part with the money. Since this kind of world policies will be supported from a large part of world populace, the developed nations will have no way out but to honor their monetary commitment responsibilities. One should not think that now since the Votership proposal is being taken up by the parliament there is no need for any one else to try for this? In fact, if the various suggestion made in this proposal be acted upon and popular awakening, meetings, seminars and the sittings and processions as well as signature campaigns are taken up and also the economic empowerment of voters at the time of election is attempted, this task will be completed. It will be realized sooner than the later.
The book called ‘Votership’ is in fact a copy of the petition made to the Lok Sabha. Since the supporting members are lesser in numbers the proposal cannot take the shape of law at once. If the number of supporting members remains the same for a time, the proposal of the petition will wait for mass movements and mandates.
The principle petitioner and the writer of this proposal urges upon the readers that they should work for this wholeheartedly and free the billions of unemployed youths living under economic deprivation and save those who are every now and then being forced to commit suicide.
Bharat Gandhi, New Delhi Mobile:09818433422