The Failure of the Indian State

One fairly accurate method of judging the effectiveness of a state involves determining whether or not it can keep its public space free of garbage. If a government cannot even clean up its nation's garbage, it is a good indication of wider failure.

The random street in any Indian city- that doesn't possess an overly capable local administration- is lined with rubbish. The Mayor of Agra, Anjula Singh Mahaur, was criticized in the October 29 issue of Kolkata's The Telegraph for prancing on the catwalk with her celebrity friends as her promise to clean up her city's filth went unfulfilled. The article states that, "Tourist guides say the foreigners cover their noses when they see open drains and choked sewers" while visiting the city's most well-known monument, the Taj Mahal. But the aesthetic and aromatic standards of foreigners are not the point. The health of Agra's citizens, who are confronted by these unsanitary conditions year-round, should be the real concern of Mayor Mahaur.

Fareed Zakaria argued in his 2007 book, The Post American World, that India, as is the case with the United States, is a weak state, but a strong society. Bureaucratic inefficiency and political corruption have stunted India's ability to tackle the nation's many socio-economic troubles. India is, however, an ancient society, with a prolific history that has influenced our world. In addition, despite moments of tragic exception, India has been a place of tolerance for its many religions, tribes, and ethnicities.

I was asked by an NGO working with the health of pregnant women in rural Uttar Pradesh as to my opinion of India's democracy. I replied with tempered politeness, "It works, I guess." I then thought for a second knowing my audience expected more and added, "But it seems there is a scandal on television and in the papers every day." That answer was greeted with a roaring laugh of resignation. The most recent scandal involves former Jharkhand Chief Minister, Madhu Koda. Koda, who has been accused of money laundering an unconsciously vast sum, vows his innocence. But to believe him, you must accept the premise that thousands of people are in on a conspiracy to take down a former chief minister.

Setting aside politicians and garbage for the moment, the failure of the Indian state had disastrous results late last November. Mumbai, the country's largest city, fell victim to a terrorist attack as ten armed gunmen stormed its shores, frequented its populated areas, and killed indiscriminately on 26/11. The police acted ineptly, powerless to stop any of the devastation until the terrorists were too tired to continue killing. The Mumbai police could not keep its citizens safe. That is the ultimate test for any state and, when it mattered most, India's institutions failed. (International Edition)