Well-defined and widespread property rights are part of the democratic matrix

EDITORIAL: Social Contract The Times of India 19 Mar, 2007

Most Indians are disenfranchised in property terms. That means few Indians have a stake or sense of participation in the system. Part of the problem may be that Indian socialists and other champions of the aam aadmi haven't looked at property rights closely, since in their eyes property is an abomination. One-man one-vote is a necessary condition for empowerment of people but it may not be sufficient, if well-defined and widespread property rights aren't part of the democratic matrix as well.

In their absence protest movements and riots are likely to grow in India as they have in China. At Nandigram, villagers are resisting government acquisition of their property. In Chhattisgarh and other areas, Naxalites can draw on large armies of the dispossessed to wreak havoc. As pressure on land grows, this could be the trend of the future. But much of the violence could be forestalled if property rights were reinforced by sanctity of contract, and if the government were to facilitate private deals under which land and property change hands voluntarily.