The Ambiguity of Accountability.

I support Dr Ramadoss on his stand concerning smoking. If a child has a cigarette, he is not accountable to his health. If an adult has a cigarette, how is the adult accountable? Suppose, a lung cancer patient, insists on smoking. Why should the child be asked to desist from smoking, if found to do so, and the lung cancer patient be dismissed as hard headed? In a democracy, there is ambiguity in accountability. This is the reason, that France, the nation which invented democracy, wants a uniform code of norms. Which to my mind, is very undemocratic. The undemocratic mode of this being can be found out if it exists in a nation like India. Should all Indians dress or talk like Maharashtrians or Madrasis? The esteemed communities mentioned will themselves balk at the mention of the idea. The uniqueness of the named communities will then vanish. They will have no identity. If the law makes an example of the wrongdoer, then to facilitate compliance with the law, adults will make an example of children. For mistakes in schoolwork, children may be beaten, as they are very commonly, or used to be, very commonly. Hypothetically, in a democracy, the creed of "an eye for an eye" should work admirably. If a human being is responsible for his own life, and if he takes another persons life, then how should a responsible person pay in kind? In a fine and functioning democracy, the awareness of crime should exist, but crime should not exist. Everyone who holds himself accountable in a democracy, should have no complaints as to the consequences of his actions, and everyone should be accountable to himself for the consequences of his actions. I see people 'wanting to have the cake, and eat it too'. A lady, for example, may want to be treated as a first class citizen, even if it be at the expense of another man being treated as a second class citizen. For an example, a lady may be very cordial and mindful towards her husband, but towards her manservant, she may be less so, and expect the manservant to be more respectful and cordial towards her, in turn. I believe, a fundamental basis of function should exist, separate from the existence of communities, and modes of existence. Perhaps, we may not go as far as France, in forging a national identity, but we may have a fundamental code of behavior and existence, which is fundamental and common to all the peoples of India.