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If you’re having breakfast, this may sound strange, but some people fast for their own physical and spiritual well-being. For others, fasting is still the ultimate expression of personal political protest. Sixteen years ago, Irom Sharmila claimed that she saw troops kill 10 people at a local bus stop in Manipur, India, and started a hunger strike to end India’s Armed Forces Special Powers Act. In the 1950s the Act gave Indian forces sweeping powers in conflict zones. Since 2000, Ms Sharmila has been hospitalised and force-fed throughout her fast. Having emerged as one of India’s foremost human rights activist, she decided to terminate her fast two days ago. But she has not given up her campaign. Instead, she will pour her considerable energy into mainstream politics: the aim is become chief minister in order to overturn the Act. Perhaps Bernard Shaw has a point: anyone can fast, he once suggested, “but only the wise knows when to break a fast.” But not everyone thinks she is wise. Many who supported her fast have no confidence in her democratic ideals. Even as India - the world’s largest democracy - is faced with its poorest communities asserting their human rights, there is something reassuring about an activist who has not given up on India’s democratic process. Frankly, we should all be cautious about our democracies. It’s really hard to think of a gold medal democracy. But as Churchill famously said democracy isn’t perfect but perhaps it’s the best we’ve got. Personally, I think God treats democracy like he treats people: we’re not perfect but he is happy to work with us, tidying up the imperfections to create a better world. Christians know God as sovereign, majestically governing human affairs, and yet amazingly, God blends this dominion in the tapestry of human choice. In Jewish antiquity, God identified Saul as their first king. But crucially, it was because the people insisted that this was their political preference. Admittedly this was not democracy as we know it today, but in Israel’s theocracy God governed with consent. Today democracies everywhere are going through serious convulsions. Perhaps Irom Sharmila’s choice is a reminder that it is still worth fighting for.