The Civic Imperative - the Dharma of Doing

The Civic Imperative

In any democratic society, the conversation often begins and ends with rights. We are well-versed in what we are owed, what we are entitled to, and what the state must provide. This focus is not only natural but necessary, especially for a nation that emerged from an oppressive colonial past. But in our vigorous pursuit of "what am I getting," we have neglected a more profound and perhaps more powerful question: "what should I be doing?"

This is not a criticism of rights, but a call to restore a vital balance. A flourishing democracy cannot stand on one pillar alone; it requires two. Alongside the pillar of rights stands the pillar of responsibility. This concept, known in ancient Indian tradition as dharma, is the key to strengthening our social fabric, mending our civic bonds, and moving from a society of passive claimants to one of active participants. This post explores a few powerful ideas that illuminate our shared civic imperative.

From Rights to Responsibilities: An Ancient Idea for a Modern Age

Long before modern constitutions, Indian philosophy offered a powerful framework for social cohesion: dharma. This concept is simultaneously the eternal order that governs the universe and the specific duty or law that governs one's life. Fulfilling one's dharma - whether social, political, or familial - is understood as the essential means by which an individual upholds the social order and the social contract. It is the recognition that our existence is interwoven with the well-being of the whole.

This ancient wisdom resonates powerfully with the modern discourse on citizenship. As Mahatma Gandhi observed, the two concepts of rights and duties are inseparable.

"The true sense of Rights is duty if we all discharge our duties rights will not be far to seek."

This balance is crucial because a rights-only focus can inadvertently provide a reason to distance oneself from collective problems. When societal issues like pollution, corruption, or apathy arise, it becomes easy to convince ourselves that “whatever the problem is, someone else is causing it,” and that we have no role to play in the solution. Reclaiming the idea of dharma urges us to see ourselves not as spectators but as stakeholders, bound by duty to the society that guarantees our rights. This ancient imperative for social cohesion didn't remain in the realm of philosophy; it found its voice in the very legal and moral framework of the modern Indian state.

The Constitution’s Moral Compass: Our Fundamental Duties

This ancient tradition of civic duty is not merely a philosophical relic; it is codified within the Constitution of India. Added in 1976, Article 51A lays out the Fundamental Duties, which serve as a "moral obligation upon the citizen" to uphold the spirit of democracy and patriotism. They are the constitutional expression of our shared responsibilities.

While the list includes eleven duties, a few examples illustrate their broad scope:

• To protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures.
• To promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India.
• To safeguard public property and to abjure violence.
• To strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavor and achievement.

Note the remarkable range of these duties - they scale from the personal commitment to excellence to the collective responsibility for our natural and social ecosystems, illustrating that civic virtue is practiced in all spheres of life. Critically, the Constitution frames these duties not as legal tripwires but as a pedagogical compass. While non-justiciable and thus unenforceable in a court of law, they serve as a "constant reminder to every citizen" to observe the basic norms of democratic conduct. Courts, in turn, use them as a guidepost, helping to determine the constitutionality of laws by weighing them against these foundational civic values. But how are these duties put into practice? The answer lies in understanding the very public world they are designed to build and protect, an idea powerfully articulated by the philosopher Hannah Arendt.

The Public Square: A Shared World We Must Actively Create

The philosopher Hannah Arendt offered a powerful vision of what it means to be a citizen. For Arendt, true politics is not about administration or the pursuit of private economic interests. It is "action" - citizens engaging in collective speech and deeds in a shared "public realm." It is in this public space, she argued, that we appear before one another as equals and build a common world together. She critiqued modern society for allowing this public realm to be eroded by a focus on private consumption, leading to alienation and a retreat from public life.

Arendt’s philosophy provides a compelling lens through which to view our own civic imperative. Our Fundamental Duties are the very "actions" that build and sustain our public realm. When we work to protect the environment, safeguard public property, or promote harmony, we are not just following a constitutional guideline; we are actively creating the shared world Arendt envisioned. These duties are therefore a direct bulwark against the political alienation Arendt feared, pulling citizens out of the isolated pursuit of private interests and into the shared, and sometimes difficult, work of building a common world. If these duties are the actions that build our shared world, it follows that our capacity to act is not uniform. This leads us to a crucial, final question: what is the responsibility of those with the greatest capacity to build?

The Duty of Privilege: Why More Is Expected From Some

While civic duty is universal, responsibility is not uniform. The concept of dharma finds its most potent modern expression in the "duty of privilege": the idea that those endowed with more resources, education, and social capital have a greater capacity, and therefore a greater duty, to contribute to the well-being of society.

The theoretical backbone for this idea lies in the intersectionality of privileges. Just as multiple factors of deprivation - caste, gender, or disability - can compound to create immense hardship, multiple privileges compound to create immense capacity. A person born into wealth, with access to elite education and influential networks, wields a power that is more than the sum of its parts. This enhanced capacity calls for a heightened sense of responsibility.

This is not a source of guilt but a call to conscious action grounded in an "ethics of care." The actions of the privileged, whether positive or negative, are amplified. The butterfly effect accurately captures how even their small, off-handed actions can "contribute to a chain of events that can culminate in horrendous tragedies." Conversely, their conscious engagement can build social capital and uplift vulnerable sections of society. This heightened duty is about using one's position not for entitlement, but to foster a more compassionate, empathetic, and just society for all.

An Invitation to Act

The civic imperative is a journey from the ancient idea of dharma to the modern, constitutional practice of active and responsible citizenship. It is the understanding that our individual actions are never inconsequential. Each of us is a thread in the "single tapestry" of our society, and our choices either strengthen or weaken the whole. A better society, just like a worse one, begins with our own actions.

This realization leaves us with a simple but profound challenge. Beyond asking what society owes us, what is the one duty - big or small - that we can consciously embrace to build a better shared world today?