EDITORIAL

21st Century Post-Modern Global Paradigm

Dhirendra Sharma

 

In the 20th century, social and political changes that followed scientific discoveries and technological progress, two paradigm had contributed to evolving Global civilization:

 

First: New knowledge about Astronomy and cosmology had liberated us from the traditional belief systems in the Divine dispensation. We have acquired understanding about the natural forces and how the world, the universe, the galaxies and, the Suns, and the Moons are being born and destroyed. This scientific knowledge about the universe decisively undermined the authority of the belief-systems. Search for God in the Heavens and Nirvana Beyond death is no longer the final end of human endeavour.

 

Second: The management of affairs on this planet is the business of Humankind; there is no divine interference from outside. No more it is the god’s will to govern on Earth as it is in Heavens. This realization that scientific knowledge was available for application and creation of a better world order became the vector of social change and led to a new socio-political paradigm: Equal Rights and Democracy- non-discriminatory - non exclusiveness of race, religion. Gender, Caste, or class. Civic and secular politico­economic affairs must not be and cannot be legislated on the authority of age-old texts composed by ignorant men of bygone age.

 

Secularism and Democratic politico system, as is stated in the Charter of the United Nations, is the 20th Century’s Testament for the 21st Century Global civilization.

 

There are, however, near fifty small and big Muslim states that do not subscribe to the Testament. Since the scientific discoveries and techno-industrial advancement of the 20th century were introduced in the Third World by the western colonial powers and in the medium of alien language, the traditional societies reacted to new ideas with suspicion. As the scientific knowledge had falsified the cultural belief systems and the new knowledge came to us through the technologically advanced (domineering) nations (who industrially exploited our natural resources and maintained monopolistic control of market), the Opposition to the west became the opposition to the scientific ideas of secular democracy. Thus Scientific Knowledge posed the direct Threat to age-old Faith and Religion and rejection to the scientific paradigm had been almost total and violent.

 

There is a general perception that poverty and exploitation turned the oppressed people violent. This is a myth. Because neither the neo-cons in the US, nor the Bin-Laden nor the jihadis of the 9/11 were poor and oppressed. They were not uprooted from their ancestral land by the United States. In fact, the jihadis were educated and engineering trained in the US. They were from rich families and closely connected with powerful Multinational Corporations. It appears that the Religious fanaticism, hate and violence though had historical roots, in the present context, can be Schizophrenic effect of the contemporary socio-political developments.

 

Karl Marx had credited the English imperialism for being the vector of social change in India and the colonies. Introduction of modernity to the TW and specifically to the Islamic societies is directly linked with the western domination - political, industrial, economic, military and educational. Politically correct description of this phenomenon is “Globalization” and this is the post-modern 21st Century mantra.

 

We, the liberal (left /radical/ revolutionary) intellectuals, had rightly condemned the cold-war policies. We condemned Washington’s Latin America policies, we opposed the Vietnam War, and marched in millions around the globe against the Bush invasion of Iraq. But why did we not marched against Islamic-Military dictatorship in Pakistan? Why did we not condemn the Islamic shariat rule of Mullahs in 50 plus states where women and non-muslims have no civil rights? Why did we not march for the gender equality in Islamic societies?

 

No ideology, faith or religion in the emerging global village can seek exclusiveness by killing innocent unarmed women and children? We condemn the Beslan masscare. We are not convinced with reasoning for creation of states on religious grounds- like Pakistan and East Timore. Nor do we see any justification for creation of an independents Jewish state. There is also no convincing argument in favour of separate state of Chechenya, Kashmir, or Northern Irland. Historical and emotive conflicts notwithstanding, can there be any justification to demand, say, for an independent state (carved out of the United States and Canadian territories) for the original (native) American -Indians?

 

In view of the post-9/11 and the Beslan Tragic killings of 300 women and children, and in view of terrorist attack on the democratic Indian Parliament, all old-ideological socio-economic and political arguments in favour of one or the-other have become invalid. Violence - in any name - in the Name of Allah, in the name of Religion, Race, or anyone’s exclusive identity - has no place in the evolving global civilization.

 

PSA proposes to hold a Seminar on the New Social Paradigm- the 21st Century. We invite proposals and comments on the topic of “New Social Paradigm for the 21 Century Global Revolution”. Based on advancing scientific discoveries about expanding cosmic Universe, the New Paradigm should be inclusive of all Humanity transcending narrow confines of race, gender, region and religion, and all national and ideological boundaries.