The concept of the ‘common good’ is fundamental to democratic governance, as it embodies a commitment to prioritize the well-being of society as a whole over individual or sectarian interests.
‘Common good’ signifies an ideal whereby governance structures aim to ensure justice, equity, and fairness, supporting a harmonious, prosperous, and inclusive society. In the context of India, a nation with a rich cultural diversity and a constitutional commitment to democracy, upholding the common good is both a challenging and essential endeavour.
The ‘common good ‘refers to the set of conditions that allow members of a community to reach their full potential and lead a fulfilling life. It is rooted in moral and political philosophy, emphasizing that society should be organized in a way that benefits all its members rather than just a privileged few. The concept of the ‘common good’ emphasises principles like equality, justice, freedom, and solidarity.
The Indian Constitution, as the supreme law of the land, encapsulates the idea of the ‘common good’ within its Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy, and Fundamental Duties. The Constitution envisions a society based on justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity, aiming to secure a life of dignity for all citizens. Through its provisions, the Constitution establishes a framework for governance that emphasizes the ‘common good ‘by safeguarding individual rights and promoting social welfare.
It mandates that the ownership and control of the material resources of the community are so distributed as best to subserve the ‘common good’.
It would mean that while distributing the material resources of the community there must be an object which is achieved, such that there would be no concentration of wealth and means of production in the hands of a few.
Therefore, there cannot be a transfer of material resources to a set of private persons. The State’s distribution of material resources of the community must be for ‘common good’ and not result in concentration of wealth.
But these constitutional guarantees have been suppressed and superseded by Corruption which undermines the common good by diverting resources away from public welfare and into private hands. The major issue is the accountability of elected representatives.
The weak accountability mechanisms have contributed to corruption, allowing vested interests to influence decision-making and policy implementation. The existing social inequality and India’s caste-based and socio-economic divisions have led to discrimination and exclusion, especially against marginalized groups such as Dalits, Adivasis, and religious minorities. These groups often struggle to access basic amenities, education, and employment, impeding the ‘common good’ by creating a divided society where not all individuals have equal opportunities to thrive.
The economic policies have caused economic disparities. Economic inequality continues to grow in India, with a significant portion of wealth concentrated in the hands of a few. This weakens the ‘common good’, as the policies that favour the affluent economically deepen social divisions and perpetuate poverty.
The most pressing is the environmental degradation in the name of development. Issues like pollution, deforestation, and climate change affect the most vulnerable sections of society disproportionately thus endangering environmental sustainability for present and future generations. The rise in political polarization and identity-based politics is the last straw to damage the ‘common good’ by prioritising narrow interests.
The community, which should benefit most, in the use or distribution of the material resources of the state, is of course, that community that is immediate and proximate and most affected by or dependent on such material resources, be it land, waterfronts, mines, or forests etc. This is where the Indian government’s policies have faulted, resulting in turning communities which are otherwise peaceful into violent and giving birth to terrorism and allied harmful activities.
Whether it’s in the remote North Eastern regions of the country, or in the tiny coastal State of Goa, people generally are peaceful and have always lived a life of tranquillity and content in their own ways for centuries and for generations. The predominant trait in these communities is self-content, and peaceful coexistence, with what they have and what nature has gifted them. It is only when the Government, by exercise of its power, decides to exploit, these material resources of the community, in a way that does not benefit the community, causes disturbance in their peaceful existence or disturbs the demographic and community equations, the future of the next generation is threatened by environmental degradation, in the expression of anger and frustration, violence erupts out of their desperation.
Unfortunately, in a democracy like India, once elected, the elected representatives consider themselves to be wiser and superior. If they happen to be in the ruling faction, they often assume that their interests are national interests. Therefore, they don’t follow the basic principle of democracy in the exploitation of material resources, like consultation, consideration and accommodation of the local and proximately affected communities or interests, in the use or misuse of these material(natural) resources, resulting in oppositions, and descensions forgetting that Consensus is the rule and the essence of democracy, everything, every action, every policy has to be for the good of the people and not for individuals.
If government policies and actions are for the good of the people, why not consult the people and even convince the people? The high-handed attitude and the presumption that the ruling is always right, just because they have the power, will ultimately result in the ruining of the democracy and the country.
Democracy is not meant to be so, every process of utilisation of material resources, must necessarily augur in peace and prosperity to the people. Failure to achieve such peace and tranquillity of existence to the local community where the material resources exists, is a failure of governance and therefore what is needed is, a re-examination of policies and retracing of community harmful actions of the government.
(The writer is a professor of law & an education
consultant)