Politics, Business and Bureaucracy – a Fatal Triangle
RESONANCE 2011, 75th Year Celebrations at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS)
Politics, Business and Bureaucracy – A Fatal Triangle - Rajesh Sridhar Politicians are a class of people who represent the citizens of a country. Their agenda is the agenda of the people they represent; rather that should be the case. They serve the people at the highest level. An able politician is one who understands what people want, one who is in tune with the cause and stands up for that cause and serves unconditionally. In ancient India, in the Vedic age, the Brahmans advised the Kshatriya Kings on how the state needed to be ruled. The advisor was called a ‘Rajarishi’. Although the king was the ruler, he ruled as per the Brahmans’ advices. One such advisor was Chanakya. Businessmen represent the class of people who provide employment to fellow citizens. Their motive is to make a good living for themselves and the society at large. They help facilitate trade between countries and ensure equitable justice to all employees at work. In ancient India, the Vaishya community represented this class of people. They were traders, inherently, generation after generation. Books like Arthashaastra describe how trade needs to be carried out, the economics involved and the business and the ethical aspects of it. Bureaucrats are those who facilitate the politicians in Governmental work. They are basically Government servants, and as the name suggests, facilitate the politicians in serving the people. The duty of the bureaucrats is to be receptive to both the citizens and the master and help the latter in the process. More than being receptive to the master, he is supposed to follow the orders and carry out the activities in the redressal system. In ancient India, the Brahmin advisors were shrewd and advised the kings on how the bureaucrats could best serve the people. This pattern helped conduct the administration smoothly to ensure equitable distribution of resources, welfare and justice to
Politics, Business and Bureaucracy – A Fatal Triangle - Rajesh Sridhar Politicians are a class of people who represent the citizens of a country. Their agenda is the agenda of the people they represent; rather that should be the case. They serve the people at the highest level. An able politician is one who understands what people want, one who is in tune with the cause and stands up for that cause and serves unconditionally. In ancient India, in the Vedic age, the Brahmans advised the Kshatriya Kings on how the state needed to be ruled. The advisor was called a ‘Rajarishi’. Although the king was the ruler, he ruled as per the Brahmans’ advices. One such advisor was Chanakya. Businessmen represent the class of people who provide employment to fellow citizens. Their motive is to make a good living for themselves and the society at large. They help facilitate trade between countries and ensure equitable justice to all employees at work. In ancient India, the Vaishya community represented this class of people. They were traders, inherently, generation after generation. Books like Arthashaastra describe how trade needs to be carried out, the economics involved and the business and the ethical aspects of it. Bureaucrats are those who facilitate the politicians in Governmental work. They are basically Government servants, and as the name suggests, facilitate the politicians in serving the people. The duty of the bureaucrats is to be receptive to both the citizens and the master and help the latter in the process. More than being receptive to the master, he is supposed to follow the orders and carry out the activities in the redressal system. In ancient India, the Brahmin advisors were shrewd and advised the kings on how the bureaucrats could best serve the people. This pattern helped conduct the administration smoothly to ensure equitable distribution of resources, welfare and justice to