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RIGHWING IDEOLOGY

The three strands of any Rightwing ideology in the West are: open society, free economy, and limited government. Not that Rightwing ideology is a well-defined system, with established dogmas and universal doctrines; there are numerous variations in the Rightwing or conservative theme; besides, conservative beliefs have grown over the centuries. Yet, in almost every variety of conservatism, the three strands of open society, free economy, and limited government are always present. And individual liberty is always a cornerstone of conservatism, though liberty is located in the concrete reality of society rather than in some abstraction.

It may be argued that conservatism is a quintessentially Western phenomenon, that it is the child of Anglo-Scottish Enlightenment, that it is relevant only in the Anglo-Saxon world or, at the most, in the Western civilization. While it is true that conservatism first took a concrete shape in the works of philosophers like Adam Smith, David Hume, and Edmund Burke—and has grown as a leading political philosophy primarily in the Anglo-Saxon world—our contention is that Rightwing ideology is possible in India. Of course, Indian conservatism has to be homegrown, arising from and in tune with the conventions and traditions of the country. It is possible because India is an ancient civilization; it can boast of a society that is sufficiently vibrant and resilient, readily absorbing Western values without losing its cultural moorings, as evident from the experience of the last two centuries.

A Rightwing or conservative ideology is not only possible but also necessary—necessary to tap the boundless potential of the people, necessary to liberate them from the clutches of a predatory and egregious political class, necessary for full emancipation of the economy; for Indian society is much healthier than the Indian state; and, one may add, the Indian people are much worthier than their politicians. The answer is conservatism.