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By Sidheswar Jena, PhD Scholar – Law

Happiness is more than material comfort or free government schemes. It is about dignity, freedom, and the ability to question those in power. In India today, the big question is: are Indians truly happy, or are they surviving in silence under polarisation, freebies, and crony capitalism?

Polarisation and Division

India’s diversity has always been its strength, but politics has turned it into division. Religion and identity are now tools to win votes. Instead of solving unemployment or poverty, leaders invest in polarisation. This weakens democracy, because a divided society rarely questions its rulers.

Institutions Under Pressure

Strong democracies depend on independent institutions. In India, however, many appear subdued. The Supreme Court recently struck down the Electoral Bonds scheme, noting how it created opaque political funding. Yet, years of such practices have already damaged public trust. When institutions hesitate to act, citizens lose faith in democracy itself.

Crony Capitalism

India’s wealth is increasingly concentrated in a few corporate houses. According to Oxfam, the top 10% hold 77% of national wealth. Key infrastructure—from airports to power—has shifted into private monopolies. This is not inclusive development but crony capitalism, where politics and business serve each other while ordinary citizens are left behind.

Citizens Silenced

In every society, change begins with citizens. But in India, ordinary voices are weakening.

Demonetisation (2016): RBI data later confirmed 99.3% of banned notes returned to banks, undermining its black-money goal, while millions of small traders suffered.

GST (2017): Promoted as reform, it crushed small businesses with compliance burdens. India’s unorganised sector—once employing nearly 90% of workers—has shrunk drastically.

When small businesses and independent workers are destroyed, society becomes dependent and silent.

The Freebie Economy

One of the most concerning changes is dependency on state handouts. Nearly 80 crore Indians—more than half the population—now rely on free ration under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. In the early 2010s, such schemes covered about 25 crore people. This rise shows how politics is moving people from empowerment to dependency. When survival depends on government schemes, questioning power becomes risky.

Contradictions in Governance

While billions are spent on publicity and political image-building, GST is still levied on educational materials, and history chapters are being deleted from school textbooks. These priorities do not strengthen citizens; they only strengthen political branding.

Conclusion

So, are Indians happy? On paper, many appear content—roads are built, ration is given, corporate wealth grows. But happiness also means freedom to speak, question, and dream. Today, silence seems louder than joy.

Democracy does not end in a single day. It weakens slowly—through polarisation, captured institutions, crony capitalism, and dependency on freebies. If India is to protect its future, it must give power back to citizens. Only when people can speak without fear will true happiness return..