Democracy Derailed: The Way Forward for India @75

📖 Preface Summary – Democracy Derailed: The Way Forward for India @75 🇮🇳 A Bold Democratic Experiment The preface opens with reflections from British statesman Anthony Eden, who called India’s adoption of parliamentary democracy “the most exciting” experiment in governance. He admired India’s attempt to apply a centuries-old British system to a vast, diverse subcontinent—not as a mere imitation, but as a magnified and ambitious reinvention. 🗣️ Global Stakes of Indian Democracy Bernard Levin, decades later, warned that if Indian democracy were to collapse, it could signal the decline of democracy itself worldwide. His caution: even minor threats must be taken seriously, as tyranny often begins subtly. 🌈 Founders’ Vision of Unity in Diversity The preface revisits the inclusive ideals of Gandhi and Nehru, who envisioned a nation where all communities—Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Jain, Parsi—would live harmoniously. Nehru’s legacy is celebrated for emotionally integrating India’s diverse peoples and cultures, treating every monument, musical form, and literary tradition as part of a shared heritage.