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Minority rule

  • 30/05/2008

the common wisdom of electoral democracy might call for politicians, specialising in arithmetic, who can identify the biggest number. But the post-modern understanding of electoral politics may demand integrating a small number of voters whose limit to power is tending towards infinity! Let us look at how a few road dividers on a stretch of 19 km in Delhi have completely divided the urban classes (see page: 32-38).

A quick look at the English media will certainly make you feel the capital's Bus Rapid Transit system (brt, an abuse by now) to segregate traffic, and create smoother movement for public transport, as planned by the Delhi government, is but a rogue attempt to throw citizens into suffocating traffic jams. And no questions, please, on the hundreds of traffic snarl-ups all over the city. Without attributing any value, we can understand this imperative. This section of the media is addressing a simple arithmetic of circulation, their target group. Nobody ever elects a privately owned newspaper to look after the greater common good, and like any other product, the English language media designs and packages content for its consumers, and possible consumers, comprising the very goods and services they advertise. Hence, mounting a campaign that addresses the ego of private car owners

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