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Politicians rarely admit failure. They redirect attention, reduce criticism and protect their image instead. The methods they use draw on psychology, exploiting universal and predictable patterns in human thinking.

Politicians in India, as in many other countries, often rely on universal psychological tactics to divert public attention from their failures in governance, or from issues that could damage them politically or reduce their popularity. These tactics draw their strength from four mental levers deeply rooted in how the human mind responds to fear, identity, repetition and emotion.

The Supreme Court’s order directing the Election Commission of India (EC) to publish detailed lists of 6.5 million (65 lakh) deleted voters in Bihar shows that the EC resisted transparency until compelled by the Court. A body constitutionally mandated to conduct free and fair elections should not need judicial intervention to carry out tasks that fall squarely within its mandate, including the protection of the integrity of the franchise.

We mark every August 15 with flag hoisting ceremonies, parades and speeches to remember the day India ceased to be under British colonial rule in 1947. These rituals have value, but the greater focus should be on the intended culmination of independence, which is a system of government that safeguards the dignity and autonomy of those it serves. It must be understood that democracy is inseparable from independence.

When the Supreme Court of India is considering whether all stray dogs should be removed from Delhi-NCR because some believe they are dangerous for children, there is a country where the picture is very different. In Armenia’s capital Yerevan, street dogs are known for their calm temperaments and easy rapport with people, as a result of a deliberate management policy and a social environment that treats dogs as part of the public space rather than a threat to be eliminated.