An African American became the most powerful man on earth today. It is a moment of reckoning for a nation that for more than 200 years could not have a descendent of a slave leading it.
Liberty was promised to the Americans by the great leaders of the past, starting from George Washington, but it was not until Abraham Lincoln that it got its full meaning. Liberty was granted and responsibility was expected. Responsible behavior meant that human life and values were respected, that justice triumphed, that merit trumped influence, but most importantly, that equality prevailed. This is where the American society for the most part was successful.
When people make use of their liberties in a responsible manner and promote equality, then prosperity knocks on the doors of a nation.
Contrast this with India. What went wrong? We too were promised liberty. We still are the most liberal nation in the world. Granted that there are some inhibitions among the religions and their different sects, but for a nation 4 times the size of the USA, with so many cultural differences, we are generally a peace loving nation. So, why are we not prosperous. It is for the lack of the same reasons why America took the path towards glory.
Responsible behavior was and is in short supply. Inequality has been a hallmark of the Indian way of living for time immemorial. Equal opportunities had no definition in the Indian lexicon. Visions of the Mahatma and others followed them to their graves. It is interesting and appalling at the same time to observe that even the oppressed, after being given an opportunity to lead, have not made an effort to improve the quality of life of their people.
It is a psychological problem - a problem of greed. And an insatiable thirst for power while not knowing how to use it.
What we need now is a paradigm shift in mindset, a pragmatic new leadership, a young one preferably - one that is grounded in reality, is responsible, respects human life and believes in and promotes equality. This needs to be supported by people who live the change they want to see. Discrimination should be solely based on merit on a level playing field. One day, prosperity will be ours. And India will be the most powerful super power in the World.
2 comments:
You are right and yet not completely. I feel the most important part of all this responsibility and duty of us towards educating our people. Is it a surprise that even an Obama is a man from the elitest institutes? We have had some respectable people , none less than our present Prime Minister. But, unlike in USA, we have council of ministers who wield more power than the secretary of states in USA. And not all of them deserve to be there. Education is important because it imbibes in you a vision. I am not saying an illiterate can not have a vision. There have been honourable exceptions. But, generally, this has been the case. The recent case of a Minister lady in Rajasthan - who had to be helped with her oath - since she could not read, or cases like those of Phoolan Devis and other dacoits coming to power.. I guess we failed here. When the political parties are trying to thrust on us candidates who are shady, we have failed in not rejecting them. Responsibility, like ethics and charity, starts from our house. We as a nation failed in our own responsibilities and this was due to lack of proper education and this is then, as you might appreciate, a vicious circle!
Education is but one of the many requirements of equality. Equality needs a holistic approach. And Education in India has been found wanting in the kind of vision that is the need of the hour. So, the less said about the current system, the better.
Political parties can take us for a ride as long as we are gullible. And we will be gullible as long as a unifying theory for India's growth is absent from our text books. We are seeing change in places like Bihar and Delhi where the re-election this time confirmed the changing psyche of the Indian public that is now focused on development.
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