BETTER GOVERNANCE

“What has been your greatest difficulty since Independence?” This was a question the French writer André Malraux once asked Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru replied: “Creating a just state by just means.”

Nehru held complete power in India. Yet even he felt helpless when it came to building a better system of governance. The reason is that good governance is not created by state power. It is brought about by those who work outside government for this purpose. The truth is, building a better system of government begins with building better people.

The way to do this is for some individuals to dedicate themselves purely to constructive efforts, shaping minds. Through speeches, writings, and all possible means, they must try to reach individuals one by one.

This work must continue quietly and peacefully over a long period. It is like nurturing a kind of constructive energy beneath the surface. When this intellectual energy matures within a significant number of individuals and brings about a transformation in their lives, it eventually leads to change in society. And once society is reformed, a reformed system of governance naturally follows.

Change at the individual level leads to change in society, and change in society leads to change in governance. This is because, in a democratic system, the government emerges from within society itself. Nurturing this constructive process is a deeply quiet task. It demands sustained effort, yet often receives little recognition. It is like being buried in the foundation so that the dome of the nation may stand tall. It is precisely the demanding nature of this work that makes people hesitant to commit themselves to it.