What is to be done? 'Elected' authoritarian regimes replace 'kings' as rulers

By Sheshu Babu
"People have always been and they always will be stupid victims of deceit and self- deception in politics", wrote VI Lenin in "State and Revolution", a treatise leader of the Russian Revolution wrote in 1917. With the spread of authoritarian tendencies of rulers almost in every part of the world, a revision of Lenin's approach may give some idea of how to deal with the situation. 

Now that 'kings' have been replaced by 'elected' authoritarian political leaders, the struggle for liberation has to be adapted to the changing political scenario. Since both have a common characteristic -- concentration of power -- that poses a grave danger to peoples fundamental rights, need for mobilization is very essential.

Tyranny using technology

Progress in science has done more harm than good to the lower sections of society. It has helped governments to tighten grip on those who are critical by sureillance using the most modern instruments.
Analysing  aspects of technology driven society and control by the government, John W Whitehead recently wrote in a paper: "This is technological tyranny and iron-fisted control delivered by way of the surveillance state, corporate giants such as Google and Facebook, and government spy agencies such as The National Security Agency."
He adds: "We are living in a virtual world carefully crafted to resemble a representative government, while in reality, we are little more than slaves in thrall to an authoritarian regime, with its constant surveillance, manufactured media spectacles, secret courts, inverted justice, and violent repression of dissent".

Therefore, with almost every means of fast communication network, the regimes have plenty of opportunities to influence minds of common people by spreading fake news, rumours, fears, hatred, etc.

What to do

With hindrances at every step, it may not be easy for social activists, civil rights groups or leftists to go to the masses and explain the dangers that are likely to destroy livelihood and welfare.
Hence, all the forces should unite and start educating the poorest of the poor by going to the slums, factories, fields and workplaces like construction sites, door-to-door campaigns involving domestic labor and women.

The three steps

Mass education is the first step towards the realization of the gravity of situation. Then, the energy of these people should be organized in a systematic way so that their power threatens the mighty power of rulers. This second step involves painstaking efforts of the activists and determines the course of agitation.
Mere intellectual discussions, speeches and lectures in seminars might have little effect and, on the other hand, suppression may even increase. If forces are divided, it makes easy for the rulers to stop opposing forces from mobilisation .
At present, the dissenting voices are, mostly, splintered. There is very little effort to form a large unified group. Hence, the need of the hour is to sink all the differences between various groups and work for the welfare of the people.
Then only BR Ambedkar's commandments  can be achieved.