Friday, June 26, 2015

Liberty would be an empty word till State define the 'VALUE' she is ready to bestow to citizens


The extreme relevance of ' valuing' the citizens by the State in true democracies !

( Or, Citizens' freedom and Liberty would be empty words unless State also define the degree of 'Value' she accord to citizens) 

This brief post intends to deal with the issue of the general lack of freedom,liberty and individual dignity of citizens in democratic and other political systems,chiefly due to the absence of a clear-definitions as to how, and at what degree citizens need to be 'valued'in the system. In other words, freedom and liberty will remain null and void, and only in the book, when there exist NO equally relevant and serious-laws and yard-sticks as to how to measure and deliver sense of individual dignity.

Take the matter of mutual respect and concern between any two individuals; let them be just friends, a couple or just lovers; an unadulterated and uninhibited 'valuing' each other only would such relations deep and truly working. When one 'value' the other, it will be in the form of according him unbound individual freedom, and sense of full, individual worth !

Or putting it differently, freedom and liberty of citizens will remain mere book-entries in nations where 
individual dignity does not stand properly and clearly understood, accepted and defined, and its centrality and relevance distinctly reiterated. Post enlightenment era had seen a more proclaimed entity and role of STATES than that of individual citizens ! In order to contain the inherent selfish and brutish nature of individual man, the role of the Police- State ( the Power-State ) had become more pronounced, distinct and visible.

If we proceed further without quoting Rousseau on this important subject, it would be gross injustice to the great-soul:

" but bodies politic, remaining thus in a state of nature among themselves, presently experienced the inconvenience which had obliged individuals to forsake it;for this state became still more fatal to these bodies than it had been to the individuals of whom they were composed....hence arose national wars,battles, murders and reprisals which shock nature and outrage Reason...the most distinguished men hence learned to consider cutting each other's throat a duty, at length men massacred their fellow-creatures by thousands...and committed murders in a single day's fighting, ..than were committed in the state of nature during whole ages over the whole earth.." ( His long essay ' on the origin of inequality' )

He meant that, when States gained ' single-individual like' entity in the aftermath of the origin of civil-society institutions, it was indeed a 'going-back' to the
 pre-civilization state of mankind. States were adamant in having 'rights' and 'self-interest' similar to that of individuals, a very disturbing development !

In the absence of strict understanding and legal-definitions about the difference between the rights of the state and that of the citizens, the rights of the State will always have upper-hand, especially due to the Power-factor she enjoys. In the recent state crack-down on NGOs in India and Pakistan, the above rift surfaced openly. Both countries arbitrarily ascertained their rights as above to the rights of the citizens. The allegation of the States was that, these foreign-fund receiving NGO's loyalties would be more towards their fund-providing nations than towards own country. While India's major target was an NGO called 'Green-Peace', an environment-protection initiative, Pakistan targeted 'Save the Children' initiative, who, according to govt.sources, was instrumental in leaking info. about Bin-Laden to USA. A certain Medical Doctor, who was associated with this NGO was the one who helped USA to track-down the most wanted international terrorist leader, whom USA shot and killed in an over-night secret operation last year.

Both the nations simply ignored that, they, at the State level, woo and welcome thousands of corporate entities with their huge-investments from the same foreign nations, for the native industry development ! They miserably ignored that, it was a similar incursion of foreign business entities that had entered our nations centuries ago, as a prelude to the European-colonization ! Here, the modern-day stark ascertainment of the rights and Freedom of the State over that of the single citizens is more-pronounced and obvious !

Delivery of Freedom is impossible without first defining and setting a certain VALUE standards to the targets of freedom

One can not let the other free unless he first genuinely 'value' him. Modern States miserably fail to genuinely 'value' the citizens, the absolute, legitimate end to the very existence of the state with regard to their un-inhibited rights, and his 'individual dignity' that the former is supposed to protect at all costs. Chief reason behind this great tragedy is that, any agency bestowed with some or other kind of POWER find it extremely difficult, to the level of impossibility, to 'value' the entities naturally beneath/under them ! This is a universal truth !

To 'value' each other, both parties in the deal must be 'equal'.
 Here, the massively  impersonal State, with her proverbial POWER factor, was never been a subject of serious re-thought about its need, ( of POWER ) danger, practical utility, and risks etc. in the modern-world ! Therefore, one party ( the State) was always overwhelmingly superior and above the latter, ( the people) hence, the natural condition for 'valuing each-other' was never met in the history of democracy in modern-world ! The citizens class, as always had been in history, remained proverbial 'state-subjects; in modern democratic society. Hence, the matter of his 'equality' always remained in paper only in every modern-democracy.

In the absence of such a clear axiom, the rights and freedom of citizens will always be similar to 'animal-rights' in the modern world ! While the basic 'domesticated' status of animals will remain intact as an unchangeable fact and truth, the concept of rights will remain confined to certain narrow, technical aspects of freedom, like that around its daily quota of food, water and shelter, and perhaps a right to mate once annually ! 

The general realm of life and world will always remain an unwritten privilege and right of the State, as that had always been in human-history, wherein the citizens are the natural 'content-material' within the State! Despite the origin and spread of democratic ideas in the world, at least from the time of American Revolution, wherein the role of the State was clearly defined, and restricted solely to that of 'ensuring the rights and liberty' of individual citizens, especially from the onslaught of the State, this arrangement had sooner or later disintegrated, and fallen-back into the old status-quo !

Are frequent revolutions the only remedy to restore basic human-freedom and liberty ?

When the class of people exhaust all their bearing level of non-freedom, non-value and non-relevance in a country, up-rising and bloody revolutions are the only remedy of nature. But, unlike one or two philosophers and writers like John-Locke in America, and Rousseau and Voltaire in France who had reminded people of their right to freedom, dignity and liberty, modern world only had the great media institution to thwart every attempt of the States to suppress the freedom of man ! It was this very unique feature that qualified the modern world to call herself modern, free and open ! It was thought that, under their 24x7 watchful eyes, modern States would not be able to over-step their freedom  and power ever over that of the citizens' class. 

But alas...in the new power and economic equation, most of the media houses were bought-over and owned by the industry sector, whose interests stood more gainful in up-keeping the eights and power of the State than that of the people ! This singular feature of modern-world has dangerously altered the freedom and rights status of the citizens class, to the point of leaving our age, kind of 'orphaned'  for want of any protector or care-taker caring for the 'rights' and 'dignity' of man !

Therefore, though the Hashimpura ( about 40 citizens belonging to the minority community of Muslims were bundled-into a truck in 1987 in the Indian-State of Uttarpradesh, and were shot-dead by the Police under a fake-encounter incident. After long 27 years of court-trial, all the culprits Police constables and officers were acquitted of all charges, and let free !) like serious rights violations of citizens are 'ritually' reported in the media, such reports, due to their excessive number and frequency, have become part and parcel of both the modern-state governance routine, and also that in the memory field of the victims -the people. Due to this routine-nature of such events, every 'freedom and rights' institution too has lost its sense of revulsion, defense and resistance faculties towards such events ! Most of such freedom and rights institutions are now stand indirectly and covertly 'sponsored' by either industry or the State, so that no serious voice of dissent and protest from any corner ever crosses the limit, and erupt in the form of any serious revolution! 

The tendency that these govts have adopted towards NGOs has close similarity with what history's nasty totalitarian regimes like that of Stalin etc, had adopted towards writers, doctors and other men of mind, independence and freedom. We know that, to ensure absolute freedom of  the State, tyrants show the tendency of annihilating those who might incite people to seek freedom and rights ! State power and peoples rights had always been at opposite poles in history, like in the case of a physics/Chemistry theory !

Here in our constitution, while there exists a clear and distinct directive of 'Fraternity', ( that deals with individual dignity of man ) this clause has never received any central relevance and attention by any of the past govt. Instead of the vague stipulations for freedom, liberty and equality in the routine governance documents, plans and programmes, no firm and meaningful ordinance, act or parliamentary reference has yet be made on the above vital and central constitutional directive on Fraternity. This lack of relevance for the fraternity clause was what emboldened the govt.employees, politicians, and even the judiciary to treat ordinary citizens as the most irrelevant and disposable item in the country ! His irrelevance and helpless is the most evident fact in the governance, hence, no govt. agent ever care to treat him as the real master, and the very 'end' in country governance ! 

Can any govt.department claim that it accords adequate importance to the thousands of incoming applications, petitions, submitted official documents and routine governance related grievances that reach their offices every day ? Can any citizen vouch that he routinely get acknowledgements, replies and solutions to his governance related issues in time, ever from any govt.office ? Govt.offices are virtual black-holes
 as  far as citizens' routine grievances, multitudes of representations, complaints, submissions etc.are concerned; while in the political rhetoric, citizens rights and his welfare are major points of stress, sloganeering and vows! These false idols will always remain the bold-font head-lines in media too.

Therefore, it is amply clear that, without passing adequate laws and ordinances and acts to accord citizens his rightful relevance and dignity in the day to day country governance, without firm Acts in parliament for 'citizens' right to be heard ' ( not only voice, but 100% attention to every written submission from citizens, at every govt.office !)  the actual day-to-day working of every govt.office, every talk about citizens' liberty and freedom would be idle, false ! True democracy will be achieved on a day when modern-States abandon and get free from their primeval POWER-based myths, norms and values that give them POWER, that always makes them unequal with that of peoples' class ! Power simply distances and separates power-holder from those who are supposed to be under its spell.
The 'valuing' aspect would be just NOT possible and feasible under any power-regime. In the absence of 'natural valuing' each other between co-citizens, and between State and citizens, democracy will always be name-sake, false and pretentious.. 

In such a scenario, giving due  'value' and dignity to citizens will turn a 'burden' to States, as we witness today. The myths and norms of old, proverbial State must be crushed and thrown-out from the dichotomy of true governance system of EQUAL-MEN, ie. democracy. A day should come, wherein myths around democracy must give out firm signals of equality of both parties, both 'VALUING' and respecting each other. Till such a time, this age must realize that, all talks of Freedom, liberty and equality would only be mere, empty rhetoric, that remain only in the books ! 


Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Modern notion of State: 'means' usurping the 'end' !

Our new book announcement: 

Besides our earlier book ( year 2012 ) on 'Reinvented democracy' titled " Is modern-democracy a fake-coin?', ( at Amazon.com link: http://www.amazon.com/modern-democracy-fake-Reinvented-ebook/dp/B008NNPG32/ref=sr_1_2_title_0_main?s=books&ie=U), we recently published its Part-2, titled, " The Funniest joke about modern-world: It is free and open !" ( see Amazon.com link: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=the+funniest+joke+about+modern+world%3A+it+is+free+and+open+%21)
        


Modern States show tendency to zombiefy the people !

The recent demise (March 2015) of the father figure of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, has seen many world leaders as well as popular media columnists coming-out with unprecedented adulation and appreciation about him, and the way he enhanced the reputation of his small nation, by his sheer mastery over the so called ' State-Craft' !

He could achieve the said envious feat by following certain key strategies that every nation-head is keen to emulate:
1) Not allowing the political opponents to come-out strong, and stand in his way of bringing in progress and modernity ( 'suppression of political dissent' as stated by Minxin Pei, prof. of govt.at Claremont McKenna college, US, in his article in Indian Express, dated 30th March,2015)
2) His model of dynamic, authoritarian capitalism ( words of same author as above, in the same article)

3) A market-based economy, closely integrated with the West ( -do-)

4) A strategic alliance with US (-do-)

One of the most respected voices among the Indian political and policy analysts
Mr. Bhanu Pratap Mehta, President of Center of policy Research, also wrote an article in Indian Express Newspaper last week, a distinctly adulatory piece on the overall performance of the Late. Lee Kuan Yew !

If one attempt to summarize the many such highly praising accounts of the achievements of the late great leader of Singapore, it comes-out that, what modern world count and respect is the PROGRESS of countries as a stand-alone goal, irrespective, and independent of what and how individual citizens subjectively experience the said concept of success and progress! The State is the entity and the 'being' that glitter, shine, compete,  and compare itself with other nations over the criteria of 'success' and 'progress' listed above.

It would be similar to large cattle-farm owners, comparing and competing with each other,  about production, profitability and professional working-model of their farms ! Animals in the farm are mere passive instruments and means for the farms to be successful and outshining over others ! What,after-all, is the relevance of the individual animals in the farm, other than that of the owners meeting their biological  needs ?  Animals are mere 'means'  or commodity in the farm-owners' professional line of activity ! Or, for another comparison, we could do it with the motivation of a Gardner; a gardener is more concerned with the beauty of the 'clusters' he grooms, than the breathing space of each individual plant. The 'collective' picture is his concern always, than nurturing individual plants.

Is it not a very dangerous outlook on the life of man on planet earth ? Considering the citizens only at their physical level dimension and needs, at the heavy cost of NOT taking into consideration each citizen's overall intellectual,emotional,rational and creative needs? After-all, he is the one who ultimately 'experience' the net quality of life that the state produce, and such quality is definitely NOT confined around physical factors alone. Human person is primarily and ultimately an emotional and 'mind' thing, for whom the question of his individual,creative self-expression is central for his contentment and happiness.

If every budding and ambitious new leader of nations attempt to emulate the great Singapore leader,
( without doubt, these leaders are extremely desirous of being like him in the matter of state-craft and SUCCESS !) what will the future of mankind as an enlightened species ?

Modern democratic State were supposed to be a mere 'means' to ensure individual freedom, dignity of self, and liberty from the exploitation of the powerful over the weak, as well from, and most importantly, by  the State itself. While this remains the cardinal principle of the democratic ideal, emulating Late.Lee of Singapore by every modern world leader will be a great ideological catastrophe for the future of mankind !

Increasingly, the realm of people is being treated as passive material for the existence of the primary entity of the State, and to glorify its existence as once stated above.

 The end goal of all modern states was people, post the enlightenment era. But in the unfortunate developments that occurred with the reign of industry in the modern world, this exalted status of man in the scheme of things drastically altered. Man's subjective entity, his contentment as individual has lost its centrality in the modern world. As stated once, the chief cause behind this vital shift of centrality was the unprecedented entry of industry and professional politics in the mainstream world.

The post-industrial world wanted all its men as a chief resource to run factories and offices. Modern political democracies, by default under the modern-economic myths and traditions, happened to be depended upon the industry for achieving 'progress' of their respective nations. We know that, the imperial colonization by the European powers had happened only as a natural follow-up act;  whatever the individual trade and business adventurers and players had achieved was appropriated by the respective European governments in due course of history. Best example is the East India Company,a private trading establishment in Britain. They traveled to India and established their huge trade as well as military hold in India. When almost the entire geographic region of India was under the said private-player, the Queen of England had appropriated the Indian-holdings of the company by an Act in parliament in 1958. This tradition of industry and ruling establishment going hand-in-hand is being continued even today also, without much change.

The above stark-reality  about the status of human-beings, and their centrality in the affairs of modern world should send moral and rational tremors through the spine of every right-thinking person ! Though there already exists, and then regularly appear huge literature and out-cries about the ever-losing rights and individual centrality of man in the media, such literature are merely becoming permanent and even DECORATIVE feature of modern-mainstream ! They make no difference to the well-cemented norms, systems and traditions of mthe odern world, where individual-freedom has become the most scarce but precious commodity today; becoming either rich or politically powerful are the only two means to grab and possess it!

The above referred utter scarcity of human-freedom, and the wide-spread violent scramble for political power at every corner of modern world amply exemplify the above proposition; the currently hot events in Yemen, wherein the Houthis from the Shia camp wanted to capture power and be free. In Nigeria, the Boko-Haram rebels wanted to capture power and be free from the current establishment. In India, it is said, in almost 30% of districts in the country, the anti-government groups( seeking freedom!) like Maoists are active. Those who get to the seats of political power,by whatever method, they fail or simply refuse to ensure and share the much prized human-freedom to all the people! It is high-time for modern world to sit for long, and debate the appropriateness and relevance of SUCCESS and DEVELOPMENT, over providing  uninhibited and plain individual liberty and freedom to each citizen !

It is easy to understand restricted individual freedom and liberty under regimes of Kings and tyrants. But the same restrictions and limitations under Democracy, the so called political system of EQUAL-MEN is pure-self-deception over the great ideal !

Moreover, the institution of State, especially it's people model, was one of the greatest achievement of man's civilization. It was supposed to be an embodiment of all his sense of Reason, wisdom and good sense. It's chief purpose was to share such valuble assessts of the community equally to all citizens, so that the Nation, as well as World as a whole, develop more and more in civilization. But recent developments in many top democratic states in the world such as USA, UK and India, compel us to seriously doubt,whether State indeed represent everything good and progressive about her community, or it lead her to past's evils like bigotry, communal and racial exclusion etc!

After the recent prsidential election of Donlad Trump, the entire world doubt,whether he represents America's great status on openness, human-intellectual progress, individual Liberty etc, or carrying her to the past's negative sentiments like mutual fear among communities, nations, and animosity between races, economic-classes and religions.

In India, under her Prime-Minister Modi, the ancient civilization of the country with all traditions of religious tolerance, plurality of cultures, traditions and languages seems going through great threat! He belongs to the majority community, Hindusm, not in its secular tradition,but it's virulent exclusivity! Being Hiduism a majority commuity with 80% of the population, his explicit leaning towards the revival of Hindu supramacy is playing havoc with the fabric of social life of citizens. Ordinary Hindus feel a new entitlemnet under him, and they express it in day today life, attacking the ways and cultures of orther religions, not only verbally, often physically too!

UK's decision to exit EU is famous. In France too, the extreme right-wing is gaining strength day by day. When such negative forces increasingly take over the State institution, the classic purpsoe of having a State turns a threat to humanity! People increasingly fall for the powerful rhetoric of virulent leaders, especially with the help of latest hi-tech communication methods and marketing strategies. Once considered the blessing of civilization, the State institution today proving civilization's greatest threat!

It is high-time for mankind as a whole to realize that, the most archaic and primeval notion,or we could say, the social-evil that contemporary world lives with is its notions about the realm of State, or Establishment ! Despite all the progress and advancement she claims, modern world is still in the grip of primitive notions about how our societies are ruled. The realm of State and country RULE is still clouded under old-time myths of glitter, glory and power. 

Therefore, dangerous clamors in every state is a reality, between different groups to capture these excessively glorified THRONES ! That between different nations in the world, each State accumulating planet-threatening modern nuclear-weaponry should shame every aspect of our claiming as a modern age ! 

For our becoming truly modern, open and progressive, we must alter our basic concepts, myths, notions and values around our realm of RULING the states ! These myths and notions are archaic and primitive to the tilt!

For further reading on the above subject, please follow these links: http://closedmodernworlddespitedemocracy.blogspot.in/
http://influxofcapitalisticvalues.blogspot.in/
http://understandinginflationinanewlight.blogspot.in/2014/12/freedom-and-free-market-are-they.html


Authored by: Abraham J.Palakudy
www.conscienceofthesociety.com : An independent philosophy and polity research (non-profit) initiative
contact us with your comments and suggestions: ajoseph1@rediffmail.com
conscienceofthesociety@hotmail.com

Twitter: Voice of Philosophy@jopan1