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Showing posts from March, 2021

Why political science matters?

The meaning of political science is often restricted to the state, government, and everyday politics. However, it goes beyond that. We as humans share various relationships. What do we do when conflicts arise in these relationships? How do we resolve them? The Socratic dialectical method or Habermas’ idea of deliberation provides a solution. It says conflicts are better resolved through dialogue rather than domination. Hence, it tells us how to talk in a dialectical manner. It is the process of reasoning together. For instance, when your father asks you to aim for a government job, but you want to become a content creator, you do not totally oppose each other. Instead, you engage rationally: Why is a government job important? Maybe because it provides security and financial stability. But being a content creator might give you creative freedom. So you decide to take a government job but also start your creator journey simultaneously — maybe by vlogging your day as a government employee...

Culture of demise gaining supremacy over culture of life

  Culture of demise gaining supremacy over culture of life.  The world is made up of different countries and countries are made up of different societies and societies are made up of different families and families are made up of individuals. So the individual paves the way for any cultural shift. Actually the individual is forced to act as per the situations created by the big forces. The forces like capitalism, industrialization, liberalization (external) and globalization are the main reasons responsible for this culture of demise.  Capitalism which supports an open economic atmosphere is making humans more self-centric and profit-minded what Marx calls it “annihilation” leading to the decay of humanity. Industrialization paved the way for capitalism. And when one sets aside humanity s/he supports euthanasia, degradation, humiliation, human cloning, self-absorption, apathy, etc. Living in a too materialistic world leads to the loss of willpower and degradation of spiri...

Impact of technology on Indian democracy

Abstract  Democracy and technology must go together but the reality is the other way around. Technology is evolving faster than democracy. Democracy is getting subordinated to it. Technology has facilitated democracy to an extent but it has thrown some never-heard challenges like cyber-attack, deepfake, cheapfake misuse of individuals’ digital footprints, fake news, online advertisement, and easy manipulation techniques, which are very much new to India. It is high time that we assess its impact on Indian democracy. T echnology is evolving very rapidly. Democracies around the world are not able to move as fast as technology, making democracies subordinate to it. After a lifelong struggle, India has achieved this democracy. We must take technology seriously as it has both the capacity to improve the functioning of democracy as well as to destroy it. Therefore technology can either make democracies more democratic or create a surveillance state. It is high time that we start evaluati...

Might is right

  Might Is Right “Justice is the interest of the stronger” replies Thrasymachus, answering the question asked by Plato, what is justice? The same goes with might is right. The meaning of this proverb is that the powerful are always right. Although might is right its reverse isn’t correct which is right is might. So might is always right but right is always not might. Which means the weak can also be right. Might is right not because it is right but because of their power and position, no one can object to that. So whatever the mighty says is considered right. We will try to discuss it further by starting from the individual level and ending at the international level.  At the individual level, some people are stronger and mighty. For example, there are two people one who is very powerful both connection-wise and physically. If you indulge in a fight with him/her, not even a fight if s/he is doing something wrong you can’t do anything. And our not objection to that particular a...

Changing nature of truthfulness

  Aristotle  said  “To say of what is that it is, or of what is not that it is not, is true.” Speaking truth is getting difficult day by day. Today if you have different views at different times regarding same issues with changed circumstances you might be called a person with “double standard”. This notion is certainly a manifestation of the binary societies. We all know that polarisation in the society is at its peak all over the world. There was a time when our freedom fighters used to have different views on same individual/country(institution)/idea at different times because of changing context. They did not worry about their previous stand.  But today if you have ever supported any idea of party X and later you support the idea of party Y, you will not be seen as a truth speaking person rather you would be seen as a bluenose. For example, Gandhiji initially supported Japan but later he denounced her(Japan’s) act of colonizing China, categorically. Was there any...

सुंदर सृष्टि की रचना

  राष्ट्र की न्यूनतम इकाई व्यक्ति है। व्यक्ति ने समाज बनाया और फिर राष्ट्र। समाज तब बना होगा जब सब लोग साथ आये होंगे। और राष्ट्र तब बना होगा जब कई समाज साथ आये होंगे। अर्थात राष्ट्र सुरक्षित रखना है तो व्यक्ति का सही होना अनिवार्य है। क्योंकि राष्ट्र की उत्पत्ति के मूल में व्यक्ति ही है। इस राष्ट्र का नाश कब होगा? जब सब लोग आपस में लड़ेंगे। जब इस राष्ट्र के प्रश्न पर भी लड़ेंगे।  1947  में राष्ट्र के प्रश्न पर लोग एकमत नहीं हुए तब हमने अपने से एक भूखण्ड को अलग कर दिया। और निश्चित उसके अनुयायियों को भी। इस राष्ट्र को एक रखना है तो यहाँ गांधी को फिर पैदा होना होगा? नहीं। कोई दोबारा बुद्ध नहीं बना। इस राष्ट्र में राम दोबारा पैदा नहीं हुए। क्या कोई गांधी  1869  से पहले पैदा हुआ? दूसरे अम्बेडकर भी नहीं होंगे। और होने भी क्यों चाहिए? तुम्हारी बुद्धि के ऊपर जमी हुई दो परत मोटी भूसे की परत क्या इनकी लिखी किताबें पढ़ कर नहीं हटती है? और फिर किताबें पढ़ कर उनकी भक्ति में लीन हो जाते हो। गांधी टॉलस्टॉय की मूर्ति रख कर दिन-रात पूजते तो गांधी बनते? अम्बेडकर अपने प्रोफेसर जॉन देव...

Deendayal Upadhyaya

  “BJP must look at the philosophy of Deendayal Upadhyaya again which is also its official philosophy to get on the right path.” Deendayal Upadhyaya was a personality who had a clear view regarding the aim of the state and the way to achieve that aim. He was a great thinker, a genius and a statesman. Because of his moderate views he was appreciated by everyone. CPI leader Hiren Mukherji named him as “AjaatShatru” (enemy on none) and Acharya Kripalani similised him as “Daivi Sampada” (divine wealth). According to the Article 3 of BJP’s Constitution “Integral Humanism” is the basic philosophy of BJP. But I think they are more committed not to apply it in practicality. Upadhyaya is of the view that after  16-17  years of the Independence India is still not doing good and the situation has not more or less changed except that the power is now in the hands of the Indians. He provides a clear view as what should be our goal as a nation and how to achieve that goal. And he also ...

Kautilya: Moral or Immoral?

  Kautilya, also known as Chanakya and Vishnu Gupta is an ancient Indian teacher, philosopher, economist and a royal adviser. It is wrong to see Kautilya as an idealistic philosopher full of morality, ethics and principles. He can be associated with these terms but not in the political sphere at least. In political dimension talking about Rajdharma, he says that the king should constantly struggle to augment his power. Also, he says that “sole dharma (raj dharma) of the king is to protect the dharma (swadharma) and varnashram.” But at that time caste mobility didn’t exist and Brahmanic supremacy was so rigid. So that means this establishment of varnashram can not be seen in a positive manner as simply division of labour. Because Jainism, Buddhism and more or less Upanishads have already been propounded as a response to the Brahmanical supremacy established by the Vedas, know as Shamanic tradition in Indian Political Thought. Kautilya even allows the king to kill the person who come...