Marx strongly felt that capitalism has alienated and dehumanized people. It has broken human relations and it has reduced previously well respected professionals to merely money making machines. From this alienation of man and degeneration of human society, he saw a way out by bringing a revolution and overthrowing the capitalist class. Marx saw the solution in an economic revolution which would deprive the capitalist class of its monopoly over the means of production. Marx felt that capitalism by taking production to a bigger level will bring together the workers, the proletariat, and would help them organize better. Eventually, they will over throw the capitalist class. Marx’s revolution can be primarily called economic revolution. According to his theory revolution should have first come in the most developed countries of Europe such as England. However, the first revolution came in Russia which was the most backward country of Europe at that time. Lenin tried to explain this phenomenon by emphasizing the role of the communist party which according to him was the vanguard of the proletariat. Even though, the proletariat had the potential to bring revolution but they needed somebody to lead them. In other words, the communist party was essential to realize the revolutionary potential of the proletariat. Lenin’s revolution can be called, more of a social revolution. Mao emphasized role of culture in sustaining revolution. He said that to sustain revolution we needed not only one Cultural Revolution but a series ion of cultural revolutions. Otherwise, the overthrown classes will come back to power. Whereas, Marx and Lenin saw primarily the need to change the economic and social infrastructure of the society, Mao felt that the cultural superstructure also needed be changed. Marx and Lenin were more influenced by the Eurocentric philosophy which saw the relation between infrastructure and superstructure mainly unidirectional. In other words, the infrastructure only affects the superstructure. Mao was influenced more by the eastern philosophy which saw the interpenetration of the two. This means that the superstructure can also influence the infrastructure; culture can influence economics and social structure. Moreover, Mao considered religion to be a part of culture. Guru Nanak advocated a spiritual revolution. Guru Nanak proclaimed that the essence of human existence is not physical or mental, it is spiritual. The Punjabi word sach meaning truth is derived from the Sanskrit word sat which means everlasting or eternal. Physical body is composed of physical elements. The physical elements merge with the physical elements after our death. Therefore, our body is not eternal. Similarly, our awareness based on our physical existence also ends with our physical death. Out of body, mind and spirit, only our spirit is eternal (true). To become aware of and realizing our true self is the true purpose of our life. Otherwise, human life is incomplete. Guru Nanak’s revolution takes the self actualization of the west to self realization of the east. Whereas, the other revolutions are primarily external, Guru Nanak emphasizes the internal transformation. Such a changed man is called a Gurmakh while the unchanged man is called a Manmukh. A Manmukh is engrossed in the worldly mind a Gurmukh’s mind is enlightened (liberated). Without the internal transformation, all the revolutions will remain incomplete. Therefore, Guru Nanak can be called Revolutionist of revolutions.
According to Marx capitalism came into existence in the sixteenth century. It is not a coincidence that Guru Nanak also enlightened the mankind by his ideology in the sixteenth century. As opposed to the dehumanizing philosophy of capitalism, Guru Nanak showed us the way to rehumanize.
In globalization, consumerism of capitalism and degeneration of man reached their peak. Human existence for all practical purposes, has been only limited to the material aspect of life. The spiritual aspect of life has been abandoned. All other revolutions have been unable to prevent the world and the mankind from degenerating into this sorry state of affairs. Let us offer Guru Nanak’s spiritual Revolution as a remedy for emancipation of the world and the mankind.
Dr. Sawraj Singh, MD F.I.C.S. is the Chairman of the Washington State Network for Human Rights and Chairman of the Central Washington Coalition for Social Justice. He can be reached at [email protected].
