The Ideological Vote and Politics

The Ideological Vote and Politics

By: Amit Bhushan Date: 17th July 2014

Loosing the ideological dominance on literature and news, thanks to social media can cause political upheaval. This is one bitter lesson for the party hitherto in power which neglected a new source of creativity, social interactions and that supported the society to build/shape views & ideas. The traditional sources like print, radio and television were its continued focus, however that these sources are fast loosing their importance with public and the leaders continued to engage with this old school alone. As a result it failed to effectively counter change of ideological views that supported its idea of governance and began to be stumped at the political debates. Once the weak knee is exposed in such debates then the rest was done by political pundits in the poll arena who immediately shift political moorings in India with ease. The party lost ground level supporters who were earlier a source of considerable strength, once it became clear that they can no longer contain questions from public which were propagated by the social media and that spread like a virus amongst people.

In such a situation, the party would have been better off by multiplying the medium of expression multifold and dominating such mediums to the extent possible. This could have been done by having sites in multiple languages and by socially cohesive groups capture ideas that could gel with people & leadership and try to meet these demands through various programs. However continuance with only a few leading social media sites (which were publicized by the mass media) and their prominence was allowed to flourish leading to dominance of select views only due to faulty policy. Even the current dispensation’s reliance on tools of select foreign players may not be the best suited model for the people. As a diverse country where people having different views, we need flourishing of all such views across all mediums of communications. Of course the leadership will emerge when they assimilate all such views into a program that is acceptable to a majority. That people from national parties maintain and dominate such tools due to the advantage of cross-budding or cross-pollination of ideas from one community to another is an acceptable outcome. The regional political opportunism in such a scenario may also flourish but will lack takers from business sponsors who now have national stakes and narrow mindedness having less support from public especially the tech savvy, bi-/multi-lingual public who would continue to have access to literature from multiple sources.

It is imperative that the political leaders/party devise plans to create and popularize their respective net-based communication channels to address different communities and gather ideas and themes that dominate these communities so that their program is a reflection of a majority of the people in the country. This may include their own search engines, social media sites and bulletin boards, interactive and email sites, news sites etc. so that they are in touch with the buzz amongst people of different communities. Ability to reach out and engage with ground level people who will soon be able to access these from mobiles, wi fi zones; will help the parties develop and maintain contact and get feedback about their programs as well as netas and even any activity of ground level workers. Identifying what may work for them and pursue programs will be the task of leadership which they will be able to do basis hard data rather than intuition. This will support a place to build image for ground level netas such as municipal councilors or gram panchayat so that the public is aware of their activities, views and ambitions. The feedback on netas direct from public could be a ground for promoting/rejecting netas and thus progress the party. This will also help enrich the nation further with diverse set of ideas flourishing.

The pay off for the leader will be basically from the credibility gain which supports the leadership to flourish. The pay off for the operators of such media would be from advertising support and other revenue generating services and use of the medium can be encouraged. The content could be other pay off point for the netas which are more marketable and the content can be fed to other media channels as well. The scenario may be a bit challenging initially but is a potentially likely scenario and direction for transformation that may be adopted by netas and parties in the challenging times. The model is likely to be adopted by other countries as well since it may only involve an initial product acquisition while the maintenance cost continues to fall as they internalize the products and develop a supportive ecosystem domestically. The political activity of the parties and leaders will need to be opened up and involve much greater people interface than past so that the leaders can convince public of there relevance, otherwise they be ready for further political upheavals in the time to come.

 

[Swaswati Borpuzari]

The ideological vote in politics is a complex and often pivotal factor that shapes the outcomes of elections and the direction of governance. An ideological voter is one who aligns their choices with a set of coherent beliefs or values, rather than reacting to short-term issues or personal circumstances. This type of voting behavior is particularly significant in democratic societies where multiple parties compete on platforms that distinctly represent a range of ideological spectrums, from conservative to progressive, and from libertarian to authoritarian. These voters tend to be more consistent in their support for specific parties or candidates, often prioritizing issues such as economic policies, social justice, foreign relations, and individual freedoms over immediate benefits or charismatic leaders. The steadfast nature of ideological voters can lead to stable political environments, but it can also result in polarization, as the electorate becomes increasingly divided along clear doctrinal lines. Politicians and parties must therefore carefully craft their messages to resonate with these core beliefs, often leading to a reinforcement of existing ideologies rather than a pragmatic approach to governance. Understanding and engaging with ideological voters is crucial for political success, as they can form the backbone of a party's support base, driving turnout and shaping party platforms. However, the challenge lies in balancing the demands of the ideologically driven electorate with the need to appeal to more moderate or issue-based voters, which is essential for building broad coalitions and achieving electoral victory.

 

[Dhruv Bindhani]

The Ideological Vote and Politics

By: Amit Bhushan Date: 17th July 2014

Loosing the ideological dominance on literature and news, thanks to social media can cause political upheaval. This is one bitter lesson for the party hitherto in power which neglected a new source of creativity, social interactions and that supported the society to build/shape views & ideas. The traditional sources like print, radio and television were its continued focus, however that these sources are fast loosing their importance with public and the leaders continued to engage with this old school alone. As a result it failed to effectively counter change of ideological views that supported its idea of governance and began to be stumped at the political debates. Once the weak knee is exposed in such debates then the rest was done by political pundits in the poll arena who immediately shift political moorings in India with ease. The party lost ground level supporters who were earlier a source of considerable strength, once it became clear that they can no longer contain questions from public which were propagated by the social media and that spread like a virus amongst people.

In such a situation, the party would have been better off by multiplying the medium of expression multifold and dominating such mediums to the extent possible. This could have been done by having sites in multiple languages and by socially cohesive groups capture ideas that could gel with people & leadership and try to meet these demands through various programs. However continuance with only a few leading social media sites (which were publicized by the mass media) and their prominence was allowed to flourish leading to dominance of select views only due to faulty policy. Even the current dispensation’s reliance on tools of select foreign players may not be the best suited model for the people. As a diverse country where people having different views, we need flourishing of all such views across all mediums of communications. Of course the leadership will emerge when they assimilate all such views into a program that is acceptable to a majority. That people from national parties maintain and dominate such tools due to the advantage of cross-budding or cross-pollination of ideas from one community to another is an acceptable outcome. The regional political opportunism in such a scenario may also flourish but will lack takers from business sponsors who now have national stakes and narrow mindedness having less support from public especially the tech savvy, bi-/multi-lingual public who would continue to have access to literature from multiple sources.

It is imperative that the political leaders/party devise plans to create and popularize their respective net-based communication channels to address different communities and gather ideas and themes that dominate these communities so that their program is a reflection of a majority of the people in the country. This may include their own search engines, social media sites and bulletin boards, interactive and email sites, news sites etc. so that they are in touch with the buzz amongst people of different communities. Ability to reach out and engage with ground level people who will soon be able to access these from mobiles, wi fi zones; will help the parties develop and maintain contact and get feedback about their programs as well as netas and even any activity of ground level workers. Identifying what may work for them and pursue programs will be the task of leadership which they will be able to do basis hard data rather than intuition. This will support a place to build image for ground level netas such as municipal councilors or gram panchayat so that the public is aware of their activities, views and ambitions. The feedback on netas direct from public could be a ground for promoting/rejecting netas and thus progress the party. This will also help enrich the nation further with diverse set of ideas flourishing.

The pay off for the leader will be basically from the credibility gain which supports the leadership to flourish. The pay off for the operators of such media would be from advertising support and other revenue generating services and use of the medium can be encouraged. The content could be other pay off point for the netas which are more marketable and the content can be fed to other media channels as well. The scenario may be a bit challenging initially but is a potentially likely scenario and direction for transformation that may be adopted by netas and parties in the challenging times. The model is likely to be adopted by other countries as well since it may only involve an initial product acquisition while the maintenance cost continues to fall as they internalize the products and develop a supportive ecosystem domestically. The political activity of the parties and leaders will need to be opened up and involve much greater people interface than past so that the leaders can convince public of there relevance, otherwise they be ready for further political upheavals in the time to come.

This political article is a masterclass in persuasive communication. The writer's writing style is remarkably incisive and authoritative, cutting through complex issues with clarity and conviction. There's a palpable sense of purpose in every sentence, driving the argument forward with intellectual rigor. The structure of the piece is strategically designed to build a compelling case, carefully introducing evidence and counterpoints in a way that maximizes their impact. Each section contributes meaningfully to the overall narrative, leading the reader towards a well-reasoned conclusion. Critically, the clarity with which the political landscape and proposed solutions are articulated is exemplary, leaving no ambiguity about the writer's stance or the implications of their analysis. This is not just reporting; it's a powerful and accessible contribution to public discourse.