The impassioned discussions transformed into screaming matches which was initially set up through this ruse of constructive panel debates on news channels. Social media with its younger demographic was agog with election news and comments, which would have been strange to the political cognoscenti, who have seen their younger counterparts previously displaying a visible level of apathy towards politics. And lest we forget, western media outlets too were endorsing candidates or in the case of ‘The Economists, they were ‘unendorsing’.

While debates broadly varied from economic reforms to India’s secular ethos, one particular aspect of these debates stood out. The Modi detractors were donned sobriquets such as ‘Liberal Elite’ or ‘Leftist Loons’ and the ones who were more optimistic of an impending Narendra Modi led government were ushered euphemisms insinuating terms close to the ‘Far Right’.

Furthermore, David. B. Cohen, an avowed American conservative who previously served in the George.W.Bush administration penned down an article in the Hindu, drawing a comparison between Narendra Modi & Ronald Reagan, the late 40th president of the United States. The comparisons no doubt were based on solid grounds. Ronald Reagan, considered an icon of the Republican Party, displayed openness and an alacrity to free market reforms. Similar to what Prime Minister Modi espoused during his three term tenure at the helm in Gujarat. Cohen furthermore goes on to draw similarities in their humble beginnings and what he described as being rebuked by in his words a ‘left-leaning’ mainstream media. Pertinent as some of these points maybe, the bigger anomaly in these assessments of drawing a comparison with the American right, is the fallacy of equating the concept of a universal of ‘RIGHT’ and a universal ‘LEFT’ across the board. While Cohen’s article could still be seen as a fair comparison, post the election results, CNN, posted an article stating what the GOP (Republican party) could learn from Modi’s election. The two major flaws are, one this direct comparison of equating the Indian right with the American right and similarly the Indian left with the American left.
The other egregious overtone is viewing individuals through this prism of ‘Left Wing’ or ‘Right Wing’ simply by their voting preference in this election campaign. This is not to say that the political left or political right have ceased to exist, it is just that we can’t equate it using a facile reductionist theory as implied previously.

Firstly a simple examination of mainstream American politics will reveal that the GOP on social issues have been stuck in a time warp. The Republican Party has gone so far to the right, that their star President in Ronald Reagan, wouldn't get elected today if he contested in the GOP primaries; given he was rather moderate on social issues.

Furthermore the Republicans have proved to be an anachronism on progressive social issues. Most Republican senators, congressman & governors have taken public anti-abortion stands. They vehemently oppose same sex marriage; they publicly demur against environmental concerns and pass off global warming as a myth. And, of course, a personal favourite, which even the contemporary readers in India would be familiar with, is the archaic second amendment constitutional right which allows an individual in the US, the right to own and possess a firearm.

The mass school shootings, of course have stirred up the controversy of the gun law, but the right to bear arms, is something Republicans view as sacrosanct and any discussion against this is considered an infringement of their constitutional liberties.

Hence looking at the macro perspective, the real difference between the Democrats and the Republicans lie on social issues such as the ones mentioned above. Given that the United States’ powerhouse economy epitomizes a capitalist economy, one could argue that you would need to nitpick to find differences in economic policies between the two.

Yes, of course, there are debates between the size of governments (Republicans are patrons of smaller governments) and federal spending, cutting the deficit, balancing the budget and of course of the taxes, a favourite Republican battleground. Republicans preach slashing the tax rate at every opportunity while Democrats retort, it would be beneficial only to those belonging to the affluent few regarded as America’s wealthy or to quote another nomenclature, the top 1%.

Given the open and free market economic backdrop in the US, the American left is hardly a left on fiscal issues. The demarcation and alignment lies more on social issues. Americans would tend to identify themselves more as liberal or conservative based on ideological leanings and stances on progressive social issues.

Furthermore, the Cold War, and animosity towards the Soviet Union, ensured there weren’t too many on the other side of the Atlantic that were sympathetic towards a Marxist-socialist philosophy (perhaps McCarthyism wrongly made sure of it).

But in India, the traditional ‘left’ is very much ubiquitous at a national and state level, so much so that states have been governed by communist parties and many individuals and scholars who publicly align themselves with the ‘hammer & sickle’.

One could also argue that the congress' economic policy has gone so far to the left, epitomised in terms of a welfare state and in the form of doles handed out, that they can't see the balanced centre anymore. The BJP on the other hand, draws their distinction in this manner from a more market based economic philosophy.

Coming to the second point, I think it is asinine to adorn nomenclatures of ‘Right Wing’ or ‘Left Wing’ based on the voting preference in this election.

This election was unprecedented for several reasons, some political pundits noted that this was one of the first elections which was fought on 21st century issues of jobs, economy, and infrastructure as opposed to draconian 16th century grudges of caste based politics. After all, it is said in India, one doesn’t cast their vote but one votes their caste.

The electorate delivered a resounding mandate and one could infer that Indian voter was vying for an administration trying to restart a moribund economy, revitalizing growth and bringing about reforms that would create an attractive investment climate while eschewing and denouncing kleptocratic socialism of the past.

What is important to note is that pigeonholing voters as Left Wing or Right Wing is churlish and shows a lack of perspicacity. Realpolitik is an important concept; understanding a country’s current scenario.

Similarly in a 21st hyper-competitive country, state or city, can’t afford to adopt a closed, anti-market, excessive government controlled, anti-business environment which would stifle innovation, creativity, growth and weaken the private sector and as a result drain the coffers of the public sector.

Egalitarianism is a noble concept in its ideological sense, but a North Korean flawed sense of building an egalitarian society has led to a blanket homogenous level of poverty (How is that for egalitarianism?).

Hence a leftist sense of economic philosophy is equally counter-productive for a nation that wants to reach the highest echelons in the global standing.

It is only rational to espouse the best of both philosophies. Empathize and espouse the left for its social issues but marry the ‘right’ for its pragmatic fiscal issues.

As they say in the United States, Socially Democratic but Fiscally Conservative or as David B Cohen book title reads a 'left hearted right minded approach'. (IPA Service)