Beyond A Billion Ballots

Book excerpt: Beyond a Billion Ballots is an insightful advocacy of a range of political reforms aimed at making India a resurgent republic. In the process, the book reviews various challenges faced by democracy the world over, focussing on issues pertaining to the lack of robust development of its institutions, particularly the political parties. Holding the ‘crisis of purpose' in party politics responsible for the weak organisational health of parties, the author unfolds a link between activism bereft of ideology, representation sans results and democracy without deliverables. Written more from a practitioner's viewpoint, the book builds a strong case for liberating political parties from the trap of populist politics through a set of key systemic changes in India's democratic infrastructure.