Swarajya, August 13, 1960
The welfare State is the postulate of the Constitution of the Union of India, not socialism. The difference between the two is the difference between a jacket and a strait-jacket. There are many ways of organizing and maintaining a welfare State other than the strait-jacket method known by the name of socialism.
Democracy can flourish only under certain circumstances. It requires conflict as well as social cohesion, called 'affection' by Aristotle. It requires conflict, for otherwise the Ins would never get out. It requires social cohesion, otherwise the Outs would be waging perpetual civil war as the Dravida Kazhagam in the South wants it. Social cohesion, Aristotle wrote, is more important than even justice. Developing classes and class jealousy for the purpose of votes is fatal to democracy.
The welfare State is the postulate of the Constitution of the Union of India, not socialism. The difference between the two is the difference between a jacket and a strait-jacket. The former is worn for comfort, the latter is intended to restrict the movements of a person suffering from a violent form of insanity. Much of the advertisement done on behalf of socialism, and a great deal of its vogue in under-developed countries is traceable to the confusion between socialism and the welfare State, people equating one with the other. There are many ways of organizing and maintaining a welfare State other than the strait- jacket method known by the name of socialism. The conservatives have done it in Britain and America had been at it too. Socialism gives too much power to the State which must be exercised through highly paid officials. The members of the bureaucracy at various levels become the masters of the economic life of the people. They hold together like a clique. Their contacts with those who for a profit produce and distribute, and do other services required for the life of the society, result in various forms of corruption, concealed monopolies and exploitation.
These are turned to good use for political power-purposes, so that the same group manages to remain in uninterrupted power although we are under a democracy.
Democracy can flourish only under certain circumstances. It requires conflict as well as social cohesion, called 'affection' by Aristotle. It requires conflict, for otherwise the Ins would never get out. It requires social cohesion, otherwise the Outs would be waging perpetual civil war as the Dravida Kazhagam in the South wants it. Social cohesion, Aristotle wrote, is more important than even justice. Developing classes and class jealousy for the purpose of votes is fatal to democracy.
