Winning the War of Ideas

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Winning the War of Ideas

Wars are not always fought at national borders with guns and grenades. Many are fought with pen and paper by citizens, politicians, intellectuals and writers. These wars might not be wars in the ordinary meaning of the word. But these are equally important, if not more than the wars soldiers fight at the border. This is the war of ideas.

Cold War was not just a war between the USA and USSR for military supremacy; it was also a war between the ideals of democracy and single-party authoritarianism; free market and closed economy; capitalism and socialism.

The Indian independence movement was not just a struggle against colonialism; it was also a struggle for establishing the supremacy of freedom, self-determination, and democracy.

Unfortunately, the factors that led human civilization towards development and progress are under threat and suspicion in today’s time- the values of rationality, scientific thinking, freedom of speech and appreciation of evidence, among other liberal values are under attack; the values of the enlightenment.

Being a law student, I am morally compelled to begin with the war of ideas fought by the framers of our Constitution from the constituent assembly with the society outside the four walls of the Central Hall of the Parliament. This might be the most important war India has ever won.

 

The Indian Experiment- making of our Constitution

The making of the Indian Constitution was essentially an ideological battle between the conservative religious values of the masses and the liberal values of those who drafted the Constitution.

Of course, the provisions relating to detention, restrictions on free speech and the power of the Governor to dissolve a democratically elected assembly are yellow flags on liberal values and democracy. However, given the social, cultural and religious conditions of the society then, the Constitution drafted is largely liberal.

While the nation was being torn apart into India and Pakistan in the name of religion, the framers drafted a plural Constitution. While untouchability and caste discrimination was the order of the day, the Constitution abolished any form of discrimination on basis of caste. While women were confined to kitchens and household chores, the Constitution made them political sovereigns.

Recogonising universal adult franchise from the beginning of the republic was an audacious experiment. In the West, franchise was extended to all adults only after the country attained relative economic and administrative growth.[i]

Similarly, in the Assembly there was a debate on whether the Preamble should begin with the words- “in the name of God…”.[ii] Fortunately, God lost and people won.

Even though the Constituent Assembly enjoyed significant public legitimacy, the Constitution it drafted was not entirely in consonance with the public morality.

The Assembly, especially the drafting committee, decided that India must choose the path of liberal ideas instead of the strongly held conservative religious beliefs of the masses.

The conflict between the progressive and liberal Ambedkar and the parochial society resulting in the rejection of the Hindu Code Bill is well known. Even though the Bill was restricted to the Hindu community while social evils existed in other religions in India, it is still not a ground to reject a Bill that intended to liberate Hindu women from the shackles of religious and quasi-religious practices that were inherently oppressive.[iii]

History is witness to the fact that in our country almost all the social reforms have been achieved through State action, and not an evolutionary reform from within the society. Whether it is the abolition of Sati, child marriage, or caste discrimination, it was the State that prohibited such despicable practices.

I am sure that abhorrent practices like polygamy and nikah-halala will continue in the Muslim community and reforms will have to be initiated either by the judiciary or legislature.

Therefore, it is not just 70 years back, but even today the State, by virtue of a liberal Constitution, is at a constant war of ideas with the Indian society. This is a war we must win.

 

Cancel culture and threat to liberal principles

Unfortunately, the attempt to cancel and censor speech is coming not just from the illiterate, uneducated,  and impecunious section of the population, but also from highly educated and well to do people. This virus of cancel culture, though not prevalent in India, has started to infect the Indian universities and colleges.

This cult of cancel culture (especially the so called "liberals”) is so paralyzed by its pacifism that they are averse to discussing ideas that are controversial and contrary to their beliefs. Censorship which is the tool of an authoritarian State is now used by “liberals” to silence discussions on ideas that they consider as “hate speech”.

As a strong proponent of liberal values, especially free speech, I intend to write on several topics in the coming months such as why one must value science and statistics, existence of God, the debate between non-vegetarians and vegans, the problems of Hindutva politics, and the phobia of Islamophobia.

These are controversial topics and might offend many. Unfortunately, offending some people is the cost of freedom. Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.

 

 -Nikhil Erinjingat

 

 

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