Saptapadi and Social Contract

In speech of the 14th April, PM Modi asked citizen to support on  seven things. He called it the Readapted saptpdai. Saptapadi is the most important rite of a Hindu marriage ceremony. The word, Saptapadi means Seven steps. It's basically the promised made by the Groom and Bride to each other to share food, love, Joy etc.

Now, let come to the Social Contract. The social contract, in political philosophy, an actual or hypothetical compact, or agreement, between the ruled and their rulers, defining the rights and duties of each. In primaeval times, according to the theory, individuals were born into an anarchic state of nature, which was happy or unhappy according to the particular version. They then, by exercising natural reason, formed a society (and government) by means of a contract among themselves. Today we all are social contract. We pay taxes, Follow rules, Feared from police etc. So we are entitled to get safety, security, Basic rights etc from the government.

Now, Let come back to "Readapted saptpdai", Here are seven support that PM sought from citizen:-

1. Care for elders - ✔
2. Stay within Laxman Rekha -✔
3. Use homemade masks - ✔
4. Follow precautions from  health department and download aarogya setu app- ✔
5. Extend help to the poor - ✖
6. Please don’t lay-off employees - ✖
7. Respect doctors & medical workers - ✔

There are striking similarities in the Saptapadi and Social Contract. Saptapadi is basically a promise (Not legally but morally) made by the Groom and Bride. These seven promises give legitimacy to their relation. After these seven promises,  Groom and Bride become Husband and Wife. Can the relation survive if only one party stick to promises another don’t? Of course not. It leads to divorce.

Likewise in Social Contract, Both Citizen and state have to perform their duties to keep the Social contract intact. A pandemic like the situation is testing time for this social contract. Government feeling the heat and it is shifting the responsibility on the society.

Look above at list of 7. We can surely take care of the Elders, Respect doctors etc. But how can society take responsibility to help the poor? Yes, PM Modi doesn't impose responsibility but makes a request. Even though it's not proper to do so as Society did remarkable job in last 21 days to help the poor. Many of them are tweeting that they are running out of money.

Now Let look at point 6, don't lay off Employee. A travel operator or the Hotel owner whose business is closed for the last 30 days and likely to remain close for the next 30 days. How can S/he afford to not to layoff his/her staff?

Now You may ask that what can government do? We are a poor nation and cannot afford the economic package like Germany and the USA.

This is bogus argument. We are a poor nation of rich people. Thomas Piketty in His study of the Indian income inequality, 1922-2015: From British Raj to Billionaire Raj? Proved this. Oxfam report also says that - The top 10% of the Indian population holds 77% of the total national wealth.   

You may ask why only rich people to pay and not middle and lower class as all are part of the same social contract? A person who asks this question must come from the Middle class. Generally, neither Lower nor upper-class people ask this as they are very well aware of the answer. Let me give an answer. In Social contract, the Government has the authority to decide what best for all members or Majority of members. Here is condition emerged which seek more tax on rich and so government should impose more. By the way, no one asks this question - When Government forcefully acquires the Poor farmer land for the Constructions of Road or railways. Have you ever hear that Government acquire a Villa of the Industrialist for the Metro rail line or Power transmission lines? NO !

The second option is government can try is to print money notes and distribute to people. The government should deposit Rs.5000 to each Indian account. 125 Aadhar card and so 125 crores *5000 = 6.25 lakh crore. This is just 6% of the GDP. But the repercussion of this policy is inflation. Middle and Rich's class are averse to inflation as inflation each their savings.

• Look at how this work. Printing of New 6.25 lakh crore notes will increase inflation by 10% ( Assume so).  This increase the price of the milk to Rs.32 from 30. But this helps a poor to purchase milk who today cannot afford. On the second hand, A rich who have  1000 crore rupee, His worth of wealth will reduce to Rs.900 crore when we adjust it to inflation price. 

Now let come back to the point of saptpadi. It's a well-propagated myth that Indian government cannot do more on the economic front. As I described above, Government can do but it lacks political will. The lobby of rich and vote bank of the middle class hovering over the government decision making.

Media is also a culprit. On 31st of March, The caravan did story. Hours before lockdown, Modi asked print-media owners, editors to refrain from negative COVID coverage. It seems that it is proving right. Rather than Making government accountable for the misery of the migrants, farmers and other weaker section for the economic mess, Media is busy to praise the government. In Such time, Media should talk about "Social Contract" but Media is busy in "Saptapadi".

PM Modi talked about "Saptapadi" and he will also keep talking about it. This is an easy way for the government to run away from responsibility by imposing repsoisbiliy on society. We as the citizen should keep talking about "Social contract". We as a citizen should raise the demand of Taxing rich or Printing money to the Government to revive the economy and give relief to the weaker section.