India is presently passing through a transitional period in its history, from feudal agricultural society to modern Industrial society. At present we are neither totally feudal nor totally industrial, but somewhere in between. While we have achieved a certain level of industrialization, we still have a lot of remnants of feudalism in our society in the form of casteism, communalism,superstitions, etc.
A transitional period is a very painful and agonizing period in history, full of turbulence and turmail. If we read the history of Europe from the 17th to 19th Centuries, when Europe was passing through its transition from feudalism to a modern industrial society, we find that this was a terrible period in Europe, full of turbulence, wars, revolutions, chaos, social churning, and intellectual ferment, with all kinds of theories of Voltaire, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Thomas Paine, etc, It was only after going through this fire that modern society emerged in Europe.
India is presently going through this fire. We are going through a very painful and agonizing period in our history which I think will last for around another 20 years.
For after all what is a transition in history ? It is a period when society is being turned topsy turvy, and is in a state of total confusion. The old feudal society is being torn apart and totally uprooted, and is being replaced by a new, modern society. Old values are being challenged and gradually destroyed, and supplanted by new values. The whole of society is thrown into chaos and confusion. Defenders of the old order are being challenged by adherents of the new.
At present in India there are still a lot of remnants of feudalism in the form of casteism, communalism, and superstitious thinking. A mighty struggle will have to be waged by all patriotic Indians, who will have to make great sacrifices, to combat feudal ideas and destroy the feudal remnants in our society, and replace them with modern, scientific practices and ideas.
Can all this happen without a great deal of turmoil ? No, it cannot. One may wish that the transition is without any pain or turbulence, but unfortunately that is not how history functions. So the next 20 years or so in India is likely to witness a lot of turbulence and turmoil.
Our aim must be to create an India which is prosperous, and in which all Indians enjoy a decent life and a high standard of living.
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