When Democracy Disappoints

Yesterday, the world’s largest democracy declared its election results. Narendra Modi won a thumping victory never before seen in the history of India. Democracy in India is still alive and kicking, so is nationalistic pride.

Democracy hasn’t failed, it’s winning. It’s giving the majority exactly what they want.

Growing up in India, nationalistic pride was once based on the idea that we won Independence from British rule and forged together one independent united nation of diverse languages, cultures, religions and ethnicities. Nationalistic pride looks very different today in India, now it means Hindu vs Muslim, Hindu vs Christian, Them vs Us, Us over Them. Minorities are now seen as the enemy; criticism is now seen as dissent and dissent is now seen as anti-nationalism. This ideology has been brewing in India for a long time, and has over the last 70 years raised it head now and again, but it took a new generation of millennial Indians witnessing decades of corruption, dissatisfaction and disillusionment to thwart the trend, buck the system and reach out for a Messiah to save them.

We can’t give all the credit to the Hindutva ideology for this saffron wave, the same thing after all happened with Trump in the USA. Whether you are a third world democracy, or a first world democracy, a Hindu majority nation or a Christian majority nation one thing is clear, people want a great leader! A strong one, a bold one, an outlier that holds nothing back, a radicalist that promises change and a new order to things. Revolution has taken many forms in the course of human history, violence and war being the most common one. One would hardly think of well-established democracy being the path to revolution, its usually the other way around.

Democracy hasn’t failed, it’s winning. It’s giving the majority exactly what they want. The minority? Well, they lose out, too bad. The question is, will the popular leader prove to be the saviour the people were hoping for? The people have reelected Modi, hoping to give him more time to fulfill all the promises he made, after all, radical change takes time.

Disillusionment also takes time to set in.

It’s hard to convince an Indian that the person they so passionately adore is not a perfect saint. People in the west are usually more cynical. I once told a friend, "no human is sinless or perfect, we are all sinful and can’t save ourselves." He didn’t believe that about his uncle. To him, his uncle was god. A few months later, he confessed to me that I was right, his uncle turned out to be just another flawed individual.

I am disappointed in India’s election result, I was hoping for a better leader, not a perfect one, but one that would look out for my community interests as well as that of others. I know that neither in India, Australia, America, New Zealand, Canada or anywhere else on earth will I ever find a leader that will not disappoint. The leader I want is strong but humble, rich but willing to give up all his riches for his people, kind and just, appealing to the masses and also the intellects, dignified but willing to wash the feet of his friends, incorruptible, a leader that can transform people and nations, a leader that can bring peace not just to countries but also to hearts. A leader that never lies and breaks promises, a leader that looks out for everyone and never makes any mistakes. We all need a leader like that, we need a saviour. The world is and always will be corrupt and crooked. My hope is not in earthly leaders. They will never satisfy or fulfill. My hope is in the perfect leader, his name is Jesus. I believe in his kingdom. I believe in his rule. I know that nothing on earth can thwart him, because he has already conquered the ultimate enemy death. Are you looking for a saviour? Are you disillusioned and let down by earthly politicians? Let me tell you about Jesus.