ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights how the self from the premodern contributed to the functioning of modern institutions like democracy in India. It begins by discussing Javeed Alam on the relation between democracy and non-literates in India, before moving on to theoretically capture premodern society and its people. The success of democracy in India by premodern people could be one reason for his feeling disturbed. The people who are 'deepening democracy' in India are those from premodern institutions handling modern institutions like democracy. Though fascinating, this is incompatible, paradoxical and deeply disturbing for Alam. The other issue that has a bearing on Alam is his ambivalence that the successful contribution of Indian voters has to do with the larger issue of Marxism. Fundamentally, there are two notions of time in operation: a transitory notion of time and an absolute notion of time. While Marx seems to operate with the first version, Gandhi deploys the second.
