A substantial number of Indians support undemocratic modes of rule, yet identify themselves as democrats, new numbers from a global survey show.
The report, “Democracy in India: A Citizens’ Perspective”, is part of a global survey on attitudes to democracy conducted in India by Lokniti at the Delhi-based Centre for the Study of Developing Societies in 2013, covering over 6,000 respondents in 22 States.
The sample was selected to be representative of gender, caste, religion and class. A similar survey was conducted in 2005.
As in the past, the proportion of respondents who said that they always preferred democracy to other kinds of government was under 50 per cent, with 43 per cent either indifferent or of no opinion, and 11 per cent — up from 6 per cent in 2005 — saying that under some circumstances, an authoritarian government was preferable to a democratic one.
The proportion of Indians who prefer democracy is significantly lower than in Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, but higher than in Pakistan. Support for authoritarianism was higher among richer, better educated people and those with a high media exposure.
‘Views complicated’ However, even among those who supported it, views about democracy were complicated, Sanjay Kumar, Director of CSDS, explained. Nearly 40 per cent of all people approved of the statement that India should get rid of Parliament and elections and have a strong leader decide things, while 35 per cent disagreed (the rest had no response).
Similarly, nearly 40 per cent of people agreed that experts should make decisions on behalf of the people rather than Parliament and elections, as opposed to 33 per cent who disagreed.
However more people disagreed with the Army taking over to govern the country (46 per cent) than agreed (30 per cent). In the end, just 23 per cent of people in all did not support rule by any undemocratic leader or institution.
Army continues to be the most trusted institution
In the report, ‘Democracy in India: A Citizens’ Perspective’ respondents gave the highest weightage to the freedom to participate in protests and demonstrations, followed by the provision of basic necessities like food, clothing and shelter.
As in 2005, political parties were the least trusted political institutions, and the police the least trusted unelected institution.
Trust in Parliament, while low, rose between 2005 and 2013, while the Army continued to be the most trusted institution.
The civil service was perceived as the most corrupt, more so than local, State and Central governments. In general, trust went up among the elites and upper classes, while trust levels declined among Muslims.
Muslims had the lowest trust in the police and the highest in the courts.
