CULTURE AND POLITICS
BY
Prof. K. N. DUTT. M. A., B. L.
(Secretary,
Asom Sahitya Sabha)
Should
we call it a very advanced stage of human development, when what we call
culture is being closely associated with politics and not with spiritual or
moral excellence with which it has hitherto been historically associated?
Politics has indeed played a vital role in the evolution of human society, but
while politics may be viewed as a part of culture or as having facilitated the
growth of culture, or, in other words, as a means to an end, it has never been
the motive force of culture or the end in itself. But too much of politics and
in too many places of modern life seem to undermine the very bases of culture
which we mean to build or rebuild with the help of politics. Good government,
ordered social life, peace and happiness should be the gifts of politics, but
if instead we have maladministration in Government, standards of social life
measured in terms of politics, and unrest and confusion in our efforts and activities,
we may presume a condition of politics being wrongly pursued or even a
condition of politics being prostituted. We probably expect politics to yield
too many things, while in reality it is capable of yielding much less of real
value.
Culture
consists in the cultivation of virtues and in the attainment of values which
enable man to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong. It consists
in the evolution of standards of living–physical, mental and spiritual. The
content of culture is the moral sense, whether it comes out of religion or
independently of any religious belief. Culture represents those interests of
human life which are or should be sought for their own sake as ultimate. This
intellectual conception of culture has not perhaps changed, though those with a
Marxist understanding of history would employ culture differently to achieve
political ends. But present-day manifestations of our behaviour in society
would lead one to suppose that we are probably leaving culture and our social heritage
to suffer from neglect and indifference, while we take to politics or allied
activities for the attainment of wealth and power. Art, literature, religion,
philosophy–all are made subservient to wealth and power, not only by men who
are actually in politics but also by men in other walks of life. The effect of
the inroads of politics into almost every aspect of our life is bound to be
tremendous on the life and ideals of the average man.
Politics had never been the active concern of the masses in India. But the spirit of the age would not leave them in their blissful aloofness, and they must react to the influence of politics and the politician who would now mould their destiny more surely than the gods of old with whom they were so long familiar. While many now dabble in politics and play with its principles, few are the men even amongst the ‘politicians’ who master the science of politics or care to know its limits. Varieties of political opinions and doctrines thrive on raw soil as cheaply as they are propagated. Foundations of old beliefs are shaken and the transition is bound to witness a conflict between ideals, old and new, or a maladjustment of ideas long cherished with those newly imbibed.
The impact of the different political ideologies which propose to unify human society and yet keep them divided because of their clash with each other, is pushing to the rear systems of philosophy and religion arid stimulating new creations in art and literature designed to serve their ends. Systems of philosophy and religion, and the heritage of culture even face the risk of being harnessed to the wheel of politics to minister to the needs of this or that school of politicians. “Politics knows no scruples”, is almost a dictum accepted by all. Politicians therefore easily profess what they hardly mean to practice. While the spoken words reach many ears through different channels and capture popular imagination, the deeds are witnessed by but few eyes. Hence the value of what the politician says seems to be ten-fold greater than what he actually does. A plethora of political orations therefore is dinned into the ears of the people though little of action attracts their eyes. Power is built on words and promises and the lure of wealth and position sanctifies the attempt.
These
are but tendencies of the age which is being increasingly dominated by
politics, and to state them is not to denounce politics itself. What are the
dominating motives of life in society today? One may look whiehever way one
likes, whichever field of human activity one may be interested in. There is the
smell of politics almost every where more or less, either in the conduct of
affairs or in the men who conduct the affairs. There is an inordinate greed for
riches and position in those who are intellectually fitted
to hanker after either or after both. Moral scruples are often dismissed as
blind prejudices and conscience is sometimes stifled before it strikes. There
are many who profess the highest of moral principles, and quote scripture before
and after deals which beget power and wealth. Society is thus being trained in
the attainment of opposite virtues: it is being taught to be honest and
dishonest, sincere and hypocritical, true and untrue at one and the same time.
A new morality seems to be in the process of evolution before the old has
deserved a decent burial. All this may not be attributable directly to
politics. But they are symptoms of the age which is being dominated by
politics, and when culture is the concern but of few. These are not only
strenuous times we are living in but also tremendous times when the gods of
politics, wealth and power demand our worship at every step. If the present
tempo continues unabated and unredeemed by the light of culture, we may be fast
leading to the day of the announcement. “Politics is our culture.
That
politics is bound to mould the destinies of nations in the modern world, and
that the growth of culture, art and literature religion and philosophy is in a
way bound to be subservient to the achievements of politics is admitted. What
is difficult to admit is the need of crushing people in cold blood, because
they happen by chance be victims of clashing politics, as in Korea in the
course of the present war brought on there by warring politicians. Politics is
running roughshod in Korea over all dictates of culture and humanity, when
Koreans are murdered in batches for the sake of politics. Looking at India we
must admit that it is politics which has enabled her to be on her feet again
and placed her in a position to mould her destiny according to the genius of
her people. But it is difficult to forget the sordid deeds of carnage that
besmeared the days of partition and brought death to thousands through horrible
and cruel deeds perpetrated in the name of politics. All cultural traditions of
peace and amity of our land failed to stop that holocaust. Even today, while a
healthy growth of political ideology remains the desideratum, a demoralising
tone pervades society from one end to the other. Values have changed and are
fast changing, and before the commotion that politics has created, the light of
culture fast grows dimmer and dimmer. Even the precincts of the universities
and educational institutions have not escaped the contagion. Democracy in
examinations and in the award of proficiency certificates seems to be the
demand of the students. Culture plays but second fiddle to politics of
a kind, even where culture should have been worshipped for its own sake.
Our
great politicians and statesmen have also been men of great culture. Mahatma
Gandhi based his politics on the highest ingredients of culture–truth and
non-violence. The great leaders who were imbued with these principles are also
pillars of the cultural heritage of India, which they mean to revitalise in the
best manner possible. But the politics which the rank and file profess is not
exactly the politics which the great leaders preach. Their tone of culture is
rather low. Often they meddle with almost everything and contribute to the
general deterioration of morals and cultural standards in society. Hoarding and
profiteering, black marketing and price-racketeering, nepotism and graft, and
administrative inefficiency are bound to be the consequences of not maintaining
high ideals in politics in conformity with the higher values of culture. It
should be remembered that India has always remained intractable to treatment
according to the dogmatic rules of the materialistic interpretation of history.