Only Better People, Not Better Laws, Can Transform Society
© Anup Mukherjee (Feb, 1991)
History bears witness to the moments of trials and turmoils when civilizations underwent an upheaval because of the anomie and it is bequeathed that it is not better laws, but only better people who rise as saviors and uplift the whole society.
Transformations are imperative when the existing system is corrupted and looses its power for progress, such that it douses the whole society into self mockery and decline. And during such times, the masses look for someone to rise who would have vision and extricate them from the impending anarchy or liberate them from the vitiated system.
Perhaps the most illuminating present age example is of Nobel peace prize winner Mr. Mikhail Gorbachev. The communist system followed in the Soviet Union had far ‘better’ laws in terms of bridging inequality and creating an egalitarian society. But the laws had become merely a litany in the hands of top political brass, so much as to degenerate itself. It was Mr. Gorbachev who foresaw and voiced the need for a total transformation. It is only his efforts that has diffused tension between east and west, and Soviets have breathed an air of freedom.
The main force behind any transformation are people who pioneer any movement whether through art, culture, religion, intellectual consensus, social or political reforms, for the improvement of the society; and it can be achieved only through a mass movement. The aims and ideas of such movements can be later translated into law.
An institution is the lengthened shadow of one man, and this man waits for no law to be transcripted and no one can stop him from achieving his cherished goal.
In India we had social reformers and their works with far reaching impact completely transformed the Indian society. Raja Ram Mohun Roy fought for abolition of Sati system. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar strived for upliftment of women - widow remarriage and education of women are his most significant achievements; Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi worked for the upliftment of the people who were considered untouchables. In ancient times similar attempts were made by Gautam Buddha and Lord Mahavir for the upliftment of the down-trodden by creation of new religious systems for them.
laws are merely standards of social conduct (whether rights or duties) which adapt in accordance with changing times. These can be instruments for change, but cannot be catalyst for change per se. The human endeavour to find and realise, to achieve, to improve and above all to be dynamic in his search, yields him most exhilarating results - better than the existing ones; the relation with social system is no different.
When a single sentence of Rousseau could spark the French revolution and the revolution itself paved the way for the outburst of cultural and intellectual movements, social transformation was indispensable; and with such a change all the existing laws had been shattered ushering a new social order. The same happened during the Russian revolution which took inspiration from Marx and Lenin; the communist sytem lasted for only seventy years and was again transformed recently - a transition again means change of laws. And behind every change it is only the ‘better’ human being.
No law can replace the human mind’s innovative powers. The human mind is dynamic and adopts new ideas in itself and changes its behaviour pattern whereas, the laws being static, start to stagnate after a period. And it needs only one man who would either change the whold system or interpret the existing laws in accordance with changed circumstances.
A leader, pioneer, reformer are but different facades of the same personality and they cherish only one dream - upliftment of the masses. And in pursuing their goal they rise above law. As Ralph Waldo Emerson has said, ‘A true man is the center of things; where he is, there is nature. He measures you and all men and all events. Every true man is a cause, a country and an age; and posterity seems to follow his steps’.