Majority Government: People’s Growth or Powerful’s Profit?

1. Introduction: The Power of Majority

A majority government holds enough seats in Parliament or the legislature to pass policies, budgets, and reforms without relying on fragile coalitions. This political strength creates the potential to transform societies — build stronger healthcare systems, expand education, and uplift the poor.

But majority power can also be used differently: to favor corporations, cut taxes for the wealthy, and boost stock markets.
👉 The core question: Whose growth is truly being funded?

2. Healthcare: Building Hospitals or Ignoring Patients?

What Majority Power Can Do

• Increase healthcare spending from ~2% of GDP (India’s current level) toward WHO’s 5–6% target.

• Modernize government hospitals, expand rural health centers, ensure free medicines.

• Fund training and recruitment of doctors, nurses, and paramedics.

The Reality

• Even under majority governments, public health budgets remain low.

• Private hospitals and pharmaceutical companies often receive more policy support.

• Citizens continue to bear high out-of-pocket expenses (India: ~55% of total health spending comes directly from households).

Case Example:
During COVID-19, governments with strong majorities had the authority to massively expand healthcare capacity. Yet, oxygen shortages and weak infrastructure exposed the gap between potential and delivery.

3. Education: Expanding Access or Favoring Private Growth?

What Majority Power Can Do

• Raise education spending to 6% of GDP (as UNESCO recommends).

• Strengthen government schools with better infrastructure and teacher training.

• Ensure affordable higher education and scholarships for marginalized communities.

The Reality

• Education spending has remained stuck at ~3% of GDP.

• Government schools continue to face teacher shortages and poor facilities.

• Meanwhile, private universities and coaching industries flourish — often backed by policies that make education more expensive for ordinary families.

Case Example:
The New Education Policy (NEP 2020) introduced reforms with big promises. But without sufficient budget allocation, implementation remains weak.

4. Stock Market Rallies: Stability Over Welfare

What Majority Power Can Do for Markets

• Provide stability that boosts investor confidence.

• Push reforms in banking, infrastructure, and energy sectors.

• Cut taxes to attract investment.

The Reality

• Stock markets surge after majority election wins (e.g., India 2019).

• Corporate tax cuts (like India’s 2019 cut from 30% to 22%) caused markets to rally.

• But these cuts reduced government revenue (~₹1.45 lakh crore loss), leaving less funding for social sectors like health and education.

Global Parallel:
In the U.S., the 2017 tax reform cut corporate taxes, boosting stock buybacks — but universal healthcare still stalled, and inequality deepened.

5. People vs. Powerful: The Trade-Off

• For the People: Majority power could build hospitals, fund schools, ensure equal opportunities, and reduce inequality.

• For the Powerful: It can also provide tax breaks, subsidies, and policies that favor corporations and the wealthy elite.

👉 Too often, short-term market rallies take priority over long-term investments in welfare.

Conclusion: The Real Question

A majority government is not just about seats. It is about choices.

• It can choose to build hospitals, strengthen healthcare, and expand education.

• Or it can choose to fuel stock rallies and favor the powerful.

✅ The activist question remains:
“Whose growth are they choosing to fund — the people’s or the powerful’s?”