Social change and movements

Societies are constantly changing. Dream of equality is a major driver of this change. In every age man defines the major impediments to equality in a fresh way. Many forms of hierarchies have gone. Slavery and monarchies stand replaced by democracy. Also in all democratic societies there is demand for greater democratization, transparency and rule of “believed to be democratic laws”. Man dreams for a stage at which inequalities based on age, gender, class, caste, education, power, spiritual attainments, and all other conceivable forms of inequalities, have become part of history. In their own ways religious organizations, political parties, work organizations, corporate groups, civil society organizations, media and educational institutions have tried to resist concentration of power and authority. There are several protest movements in all parts of the world. Nevertheless, the present efforts are not enough. More thinking and more action is required, right thinking being as important as right action. The central obstacle to perfectibility, and perhaps the last obstacle, lies in the lack of realization that our good-bad is connected with the good-bad of others. I should not aspire to have what others cannot have. Does it sound Gandhian? Gandhians believe that a person who has more than one needs, or more than one deserves for his labor is like a thief. Justice is a relationship that satisfies both the contending parties. As long as philosophies which see solution in terms of conflicts and coercion continue, the perfectibility of society will remain in jeopardy. We have to start thinking in terms of mutuality and co-existence.