Abstract

Manifestos are people’s voice and contributes to democratic governance and shape political development. They are important for democratic governance since they provide an organized forum for expressing common principles, desires, and future aspirations. They contribute to political evolution by providing explicit assertions of values and policy recommendations that can motivate social movements, influence political agendas, and steer public discourse. They strengthen the public voice by condensing broad issues into concrete goals, encouraging civic participation, and promoting responsibility. This paper presents an explanation of political manifestos and their importance in democratic societies. It also presents a brief historical context of manifestos in shaping political movements.

Keywords: Political Manifestos; Political Movements; Political Development; Electorate; Democratic Participation 

Introduction

Political manifestos outline the vision, ideology, values, and long-term goals of political parties. With the help of the political manifestos a political party publicly declares their intention to win the election. They are important in democratic societies because they set procedures for accountability, transparency, governance, expectations, and policy prioritization. They provide a foundation for public conversation and voter decision-making, along with having strategies for campaigns.

Manifestos had played an important role in building political movements in India, particularly throughout the nation’s struggle for independence and post-colonial reforms. There are some famous manifestos in shaping political movements during the pre-independence which are – Calling for boycott of British good, service and institution by Mahatma Gandhi; Anti-colonial vision for India by Hindustan Socialist Republican Association; Demanding self-governance by Indian National Congress, etc. During post-independence period, the famous manifestos were – Socio-economic development, agrarian reform, industrialization, and poverty alleviation through a mixed economy by Indian National Congress; Land reforms, workers’ rights, and a socialist economic structure by Communist Party of India (CPI); Articulating manifestos for the rights of Dalits and other oppressed Communities by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, etc.

Background

The background of a study based on manifestos can be very much designated to its role of in amplifying the voices of marginalized or underrepresented groups with examples that have advocated for social justice, human rights, and equality. There are numerous manifestos that have been issued by political parties and other entities pulling for social justice, human rights, and equality during the pre- and post-independence period. These manifestos have highlighted the country’s struggles against caste discrimination, inequalities between genders, land rights, and protecting the rights of marginalized communities. The manifestos are as follows:

During pre-independence period

• In 1930, Bhagat Singh’s Manifesto “Why I Am an Atheist” inspired youth to stand for justice and equality, emphasizing rational thinking over the doctrines of religion.
• Mahatma Gandhi’s Social Justice Manifesto emphasized self-reliance (Swadeshi), betterment of the poor, elimination of untouchability and equality of liberties.
• The Communist Party of India (CPI) issued manifestos in 1934 calling for the abolition of landlordism, colonial exploitation, and worker rights.
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s manifesto called for social justice, equality, and human rights for disadvantaged caste people.

During post-independence period

• The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) aimed to empower Dalits and other disadvantaged communities through representation in parliament, land reforms, quotas in education and employment, and the elimination of caste prejudice.
• The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) platform aimed to eliminate caste prejudice, provide reservation in school and jobs for backward people, and promote Tamil nationalism.
• The Naxalite agitation in West Bengal was a prominent post-independence agrarian rebellion that advocated for distribution of land and rights for marginalized farmers and labourers. Mr. Kanu Sanyal, one of the movement’s leaders, wrote the Naxalbari Manifesto.
• The National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), founded in 1954, has issued various manifestos pushing for women’s rights in post-independence India.

Discussion

Manifestos act as a bridge between political leadership and the electorate, influencing democratic participation and shaping political development. They help leaders and parties to communicate their ideological stance to the electorate. This is more than just campaign documents. They are vital instruments for influencing democratic participation, engaging different sections of a demographic group who might feel disconnected from the political system, holding leaders accountable to the electorate and guiding the political development of a nation. By connecting political leadership to the electorate, manifestos encourage an active and involved society, which is extremely important for the health and viability of democratic systems.

Manifestos and Political Transparency

Manifestos present the political agenda of parties or movements to the public, enabling transparency and accountability in political processes. In the recent 2024 elections in India, both the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by the BJP, and the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), an alliance of opposition parties, issued manifestos that aimed at attracting voters to win the election. The NDA alliance led by the BJP focused on the following points to win the election: emphasizing Mr. Narendra Modi’s leadership and highlighting the leadership crisis of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, national security, foreign policy, diplomatic successes, Hindutva ideology, Skill India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Swachh Bharat Mission, infrastructure development, emphasizing welfare schemes, projecting itself as the only party who is capable of securing India’s future etc.

The INDIA alliance made promises to win the election like minimum guaranteed income for low-income communities, price caps on essential commodities, subsidized healthcare, farm loan waivers for poor farmers to address agrarian distress, providing government jobs in key sectors, distribution of free laptops or smart phones to students, especially in rural and economically disadvantageous areas, interest-free student loans, passing women’s reservation bills, subsidized fertilizers and seeds, and the restoration of independence of key democratic institutions such as the judiciary, election commission, and media. Many of these proposals aimed to counter the BJP’s current welfare programs by providing more extensive or universal benefits in areas such as health, education, agriculture, and employment.

Both alliances target different segments of society, with the NDA emphasizing governance and infrastructure, while the INDIA alliance emphasizes welfare and social justice.

Manifestos and Political Literacy

Manifestos help in educating voters about party ideologies and policy intentions, informing voter choice and encouraging political participation. There are many regional and national-level parties that publish their manifestos before elections. Manifestos show the political party’s ideology, vision, roadmap, long-term goals, intention, and priorities towards society, backward communities, environment, infrastructure, health care, education, social welfare, etc. It has an impact on the consciousness of engaged voters as well as other groups in society that are uninterested in elections.

Manifestos and Policy Implementation

Manifestos serve as a blueprint for governance and policy implementation once a party or leader comes to power, shaping legislative priorities and institutional reforms. They are important documents that function as blueprints for governance and policy execution after a political party or leader takes power. They spell out the party’s vision, beliefs, and detailed policy ideas, acting as both a campaign tool and a framework for government. They are more than simply campaign tools; they act as road maps for transforming political promises into concrete policies. Their influence on governance and policymaking are – This is a set of promises or objectives that a party intends to achieve; Restructure and build new institutions to achieve manifesto aims; To formulate policy and implementation; To formulation of budgets and fiscal policies; Tax policies, subsidies, and financial incentives often emerge from manifesto commitments, etc.

Manifestos and Political Accountability

The promises outlined in manifestos hold political leaders accountable to the public, a tool for rewarding or penalizing parties based on their adherence to their manifestos. Manifestos express political parties’ goals, plans, and pledges to the public, making them an important element of the democratic process. This is a social contract between politicians and voters. They hold political leaders of the ruling party accountable, which is a significant democratic instrument. Political parties establish a good relationship with voters by clearly articulating their aims and holding themselves accountable for delivering on them. Consolidating rewards and penalties system based on manifesto adherence, such as through digital platforms, public monitoring, and voter involvement, improves accountability and guarantees that leaders answer to the people who elected them.

After a party is elected, public and different institutes, including the media, civil society organizations, rival parties, and voters, monitor and analyze how successfully the party follows through on its promises. Parliament could adopt procedures to punish political parties or their leaders for failing to meet certain campaign promises, such as sanctions or reduced party funding. The government should be forced to provide data related to the promises made in its manifesto, allowing media, researchers, and citizens to independently assess progress.

Several countries and organizations have effectively implemented procedures to follow manifesto commitments, making political leaders accountable to the people. In India, PRS Legislative Research, a non-profit organization, analyzes the performance of Members of Parliament (MPs) as well as political party promises at the national and state levels. During elections, PRS creates political party manifestos and assesses success on a variety of policy pledges in infrastructure, social welfare, and economic transformation.

Manifestos and its Criticisms

Criticism of manifestos that make unrealistic promises or use vague language to appease voters without commitment. Unrealistic promises or using vague language in manifestos can damage trust, accountability, and democratic processes by diverting attention away from attainable policy goals. Politicians might evade accountability by making vague or unclear commitments, which allow them to easily claim success or shift blame. If the promises are vague, voters are left without a clear criterion for measuring success or failure. Unrealistic promises may result in policy failures, causing economic and social instability. When elected officials try to implement impractical or unsustainable policies, it can result in financial problems, debt, and cuts to essential services.

There are many unrealistic promises and vague or ambiguous commitments made by political parties before elections to win the power, like – “Improve the Economy” – a common ambiguous promise because “improve” is not defined. There is no single indicator for GDP growth, unemployment rates, or inflation targets. While reducing poverty is a significant goal, manifestos often fail to specify how it will be accomplished or what amount of reduction is regarded as successful. The term “reform” or “improve” in healthcare can have varied meanings depending on the context. Without specifics regarding the types of improvements (e.g., more doctors, shorter wait times, or increased coverage), this claim is unclear. Manifestos commonly emphasize “job creation,” but lack specifics on the number of employments, sectors, and time frame. Promises to fight corruption typically lack specific methods for implementation.
Supporting small businesses is a popular pledge, but often unclear. While the goal of “strengthening democracy” is desirable, what specific actions will be taken are unclear.

The above-mentioned promises are common. However, it generally lacks specifics on the type of investment to be made. These broad promises appeal to a wide spectrum of voters and seem optimistic, but their lack of detail makes it difficult for voters to hold politicians accountable once elected. They frequently allow politicians to pretend to be “working on” certain issues without producing concrete achievements.

Manifestos and Political Emotions

Populist leaders use manifestos to fuel emotional appeals and undermine democratic principles. They portray themselves as defenders of the “true” people, identify an adversary (elites, immigrants, the media), make nationalist and identity-based appeals, and frequently seek to overthrow democratic institutions and norms. Their emotive appeals, particularly during times of crisis or perceived decline, have won them widespread support, but frequently at the expense of democratic procedures and civil liberties.

Honorable Prime Minister Mr. Modi has employed nationalist language centred on “Hindutva” (Hindu nationalism) to frame himself as the leader who will turn India a global power. He positions himself as a self-made man who understands common Indians’ hardships, in contrast to political elites from traditional families such as the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. He has also portrayed political opponents and critics as anti-national or disloyal to India.

Conclusion

In India, there is no single regulatory authority directly oversees or governs political party manifestos. However, the Election Commission of India (ECI) performs a vital role in ensuring that political parties follow ethical standards and guidelines when issuing their manifestos, particularly during the elections. There are the key ways the ECI influences or control manifestos. Firstly, the Election Commission of India ensures the Model Code of Conduct during elections, which includes guidelines that parties must follow while drafting and publishing manifestos. Secondly, in response to concerns over populist pledges in manifestos, Supreme Court of India declared in 2013 that the ECI should establish manifesto rules. Political parties must obey the Supreme Court of India’s instructions when publishing their manifestos before the election. Thirdly, the ECI ensures that manifestos are not used to buy votes or make fake promises, which is against the law.

In India, all national and state political parties make many promises in their election manifestos. After winning elections, some pledges are fully realized, some remain unfulfilled, and others are partially implemented. Here are some examples of manifesto promises made by important national and regional parties that were fulfilled, unfulfilled, or partially fulfilled after they took power.

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