In informal discussion when I was asking to my Indian colleague about the challenges of India to be an advanced country, he said convincingly, “Our challenge is over population. India has more than 1 billion populations and it is not quite easy to manage many people which have many aspirations, interests, and partly lives below poverty line”. He also mentioned several advanced countries such as Singaporeand European countries that have small population which is under 50 million. If such circumtances prevail, India is no longer to be advanced countries. Unfortunately, the reality couldn’t be avoided and the history couldn’t be reversed.
In different perspective, former Malaysia’s Prime Minister Mahathir Muhammad sees a great population as economic potential. He said Malaysia would not have difficulties to broad their economic market if it had a big population. A big population means a big market for domestic economy. They can produce many products and services by themselves and then deliver to their domestic market. Thus, the capital will be spinning only in domestic and will benefit for their economic development. Doctrine Swadhesi that was introduced by Mahatma Gandhi is relevant in this context.
Mahathir’s opinion of course is not totally true. It has many weaknesses and He’s also aware. In the global context it is impossible for one country to isolate itself. Now is borderless era. Advanced technology and rapid information has placed every country in world community that called “the global village”. Nevertheless his view has significant message that big population could be a potential power. It depends on how the government manages it. In other words, big population is India’s opportunity to be advance country. I cannot imagine if India can decrease their poverty rate, increase their income per capita, develop its public service (transportation, healthcare, and education), and commit to good governance. India undoubtedly will be a powerful country which has influences not only in South Asia but also in the world.
Beside population, India also has strong social capital as requirement to be advanced countries. Social capital has vital role in the country development as important as economic capital. I identify at least three social capitals. Firstly, a long great history own by Hindustan. History in some extent is not only talking about series of occurrence in the past but also containing moral story that could be inspiration for the next generation. India civilization that was established since the third century BCE at Maurya Empire until the independence era has many fruitful and rich stories about up and down the civilization. We can learn what conditions that make Hindustan civilizations went down and achieved greatness. We also take historical values why Akbar and Ashoka emperor was able to advance Hindustan civilization on culture, economic, architecture. They had laid down basic cultural values of Indian that still exist until recent times and have effects in daily life.
History noted, for instance, through pluralism policy taken by Akbar, harmony among Hindustan people that had vary in religious, tradition background could be created. Harmony or in development terms called as stability is basic requirement for development. It is impossible for a country to run its development well if the social life in riot and unstable. Harmony in this context also couldn’t be reached by repressive action as done by authoritarian regime in dictatorial countries. Harmony should come from community basis through its social institution. The task of government is only to facilitate in order to that values grow up properly in the society.
The second social capital own by India is a national identity. Several anthropology expert consider that national identity is an absurd concept that sometime used by politicians to legitimate their dictator power. This perspective reminds me to Nazi that utilized German (Aryan) identity as the chosen people to lead the world civilization. Behalf of Aryan identity, Nazi oppressed the people who didn’t obey its rule and attack the neighbor countries. Millions Jews people to be victim by craziness Nazi’s rule.
However, in some countries national identity could be uniting their power for their national development. Japan is at par excellent example of country which uses national identity as means to advance their countries. Through national identity Japan emphases their self that they can do what advanced counties do. They absorb the modernity values based on rationality; sciences and technology without leaving their identity behind. They dig traditional values as national identity to awake the people to compete with advanced countries. And less than one decade after defeated in World War II, Japan emerged as developed countries together with northern countries. India also can do what Japan did. India has rich traditions that contain high values that could be set up to be national identity.
The third social capital is long democratic tradition of India. In the past time that tradition showed through public audience such as Diwan –I-Aam held by Emperor Akbar as public consultation forum among the people and between people and government. Through the forum, the king tried to understand the problem of the people and then suggesting solutions. There are three characteristic of democratic traditions, i.e. deliberative tradition as the way to solve the problem and different political view. Second is freedom of the people to determine their best leader or representatives that handle in policy making. Third is protection of minority right from deceived power of majority. India democratic tradition has those characteristics although several violence incidents in the social politic life remain continued. India is one of the most populous democracies in the world. Democracy is one of basic fundamental for advancement of human life. It is not only about material necessity but also substantial necessity such as freedom of speech provided through democracy. Advancement without democracy is like trees without root. They are fragile and easy to collapse.
As citizen from Indonesia, which has a long-closed relation with India, I entrusted my belief to India. When there is a time to be powerful country, I belief India can contribute as much as possible for improvement of world community where is humanity and development are put together to be global agenda. The sign toward the destinations has emerged. India is not only incredible as its slogan of tourism, but also a credible country that could balance power of the world.
