New Delhi, May 6 -- India's Supreme Court is raising fundamental questions about the rule of law in a democracy. In a true democracy, every human being, whether she or he has a crore or none, or a formal, higher, education or not, has an equal vote with all others, and all voices must be heard while framing laws. In a good democracy, tribals who own no property, or even primary school education, must get justice when their rights, and the natural environment on which they depend for their livelihoods, and their lives, is trampled upon by corporations to improve economic efficiencies, their profits, and the country's GDP. Their well-being suffers while GDP grows.

The Supreme Court has re-ignited a debate about capitalism versus socialism....