“There is no such thing as a free lunch,” a fundamental management principle that the irrational promise makers, blinded by lust for power, find challenging to comprehend.
The on-going debate on freebies has marked a divide across the political spectrum, with some patently on one side, and others unresolved, oscillating with calls for electorate demands. All find themselves involved in this discourse of branding freebies as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Ironically, there is no consensus on a clear definition of the contested term.
The term ‘freebie’ also sometimes referred as the ‘Revdi Culture’ is an election strategy in which the contesting parties tries to lure the voters in by offering them electoral promises like free electricity, free water, free transport, free meals etc. if they vote their electoral party to power. Freebie culture has reached such an alarming proportion that most of the election agenda of some political parties are, as well thought strategy, based only on offers of freebies, explicitly sending a message to voters that they shall get loads of freebies if the political party wins. This leads to various questions including whether such a strategy of offering freebies for manipulating voters’ minds and coming to power is ethical, legal, and permissible in a democracy?
It all started, in the 1960’s where the political parties in Southern India embarked on the freebie culture by offering free or heavily subsidized rice. Later the strategy was copied across the nation where it became acceptable to offer free education and healthcare, as these topics were even seen to be in tandem with Constitutional welfare objectives. Some parties even started offering a certain amount of free water and free electricity to the urban voters. One can understand the provision of uninterrupted electricity 24X7, but provision of a certain amount of free electricity is by no way in sync with Constitutional and Welfare objectives and is definitely a quid pro quo proposition. Distributing freebies has become an indispensable part of India’s electoral politics. Before every election, parties have made myriad promises of free water, electricity, gas cylinders etc. Such instances serve as a great reminder of how essential it is to draw differentiating lines between freebies and welfare schemes.
We can’t brush away legitimate welfare programs as freebies or accept public bribery cloaked as welfare measures. Distinguishing between freebies and essential services will require the proper context of time, place and the government’s fiscal space. The Directives Principles of State Policy in Part IV of the Indian Constitution says the state should promote the welfare of people Below the Poverty Line (BPL) or who cannot progress without support. Evidently, election manifestos of political parties often do not honour such distinctions. On what terms can free electricity, water, waiver of pending bills and loans, and other such doles be accounted for valid expenditure of taxpayers’ money? If nothing stops a political candidate from offering irrational freebies, the day is not far when some of them will offer the moon and the stars to influence the voters.
No doubt the issue is already leading to a mockery of our democracy and election process. Sensing the dangers and under the direction of the Supreme Court, the Election Commission invited suggestions from all recognized political parties to frame guidelines on freebies announced in the election manifesto, but without much outcome. In the beginning of 2022, the Supreme Court voiced its concern and sought responses from the Union Government and the Election Commission of India on the subject stating that this is a serious issue. This again did not lead to much result as the respondents consisted of the politicians themselves. The Union Government did express that such freebies were paving way for an “economic disaster.”
In Conclusion, the Political parties cannot be fully prohibited from making political promises. However, such promises, even though they may include some freebies, have to primarily be rational and in sync with Constitutional welfare objectives. Further, Political parties must be made to declare the source of funds for fulfilling the political promises of freebies so that the voters can make informed choice even if a free lunch is put on their table. Potential recipients of freebies, supporters, opposers and voters in general must be informed by the political parties that these freebies are not merit goods, gifts or subsidy schemes such as food grains offered through public distribution system. Political parties must inform if the funds for freebies are going to come from the public exchequer, and if that is the case it merely amounts to taking money from one pocket and putting into another pocket of the voter, or even worse – increasing the State’s expenditure for winning elections.
Most importantly, the rampant, unchecked freebie culture shakes the roof of the free and fair elections in a democracy like ours. There is an urgent need to frame rules governing the freebie culture before it explodes further and paves way for more dangerous economic and political turmoil. Otherwise, the free lunch may turn out to be the most expensive one!
Comments