By Dr. Sawraj Singh
A seminar on Feminism versus Women Liberation was held in the Bhasha Bhavan Sheranwala Gate Patiala by the Malwa Research Center Patiala to celebrate World Thinkers Day which is celebrated each year on the birth day of Global Thinker Dr. Sawraj Singh. A large number of scholars, writers, thinkers and social activists participated in the discussion. Dr. Sawraj Singh, speaking on the occasion said that spiritual bankruptcy of western capitalism led to Feminism. Feminists, following the western capitalist policy of Divide and Rule, try to incite women against men instead of uniting men and women to struggle against capitalism which exploits and oppresses both men and women.
As opposed to this wrong concept of women empowerment and liberation, the Sikh philosophy sees men and women complementary to each other and together they form one complete unit. Nature has made women more creative while men are more productive. Generally, creation is considered higher than production. Similarly, women are more sensitive, receptive and tolerant than men. When feminists preach women to be like men then they are actually degrading women. Women and men do not have to be like each other to be equal. Nature is diverse and not uniform. Therefore we can be different yet equal.
Capitalism incites lower centers in a person which provoke greed, anger, lust, false attachment and arrogance. Capitalism starts with provoking anger in women against men by presenting men as their oppressors and exploiters. However, the reality is that capitalism is the real culprit. Both men and women are its victims. Capitalism pretends to be supporting women against men. However, the reality is that capitalism has reduced a woman’s existence to merely a commercial commodity which can maximize its profits. This capitalist greed also affects women who start looking at their beauty primarily as a marketable asset from which they want to extract maximum financial rewards. These women are preoccupied and almost obsessed with their physical appearance to a point that for them personality becomes uni dimensional, only physical. However, in reality, personality is a multidimensional entity, which has physical, mental, emotional and spiritual components. Capitalism is completely devoid of a spiritual aspect. Therefore whoever becomes an ally of capitalism will become an incomplete person. These feminist allies of capitalism develop an elitist and arrogant tendency and they are almost completely alienated from the ordinary women. In nut shell, capitalism tries to make women just like it makes men vindictive, self centered, greedy and arrogant.
Western capitalism is making false claims that it has liberated women and has given them all the rights. However, the facts belie these claims. Under capitalism, there was minimal participation of women in running the state. Capitalism started in the 16th century. Women had to wait and struggle for four centuries even to get the right to vote. As opposed to this the Sikh women played a prominent role in running the state even at the time of missils in the early 18th century. Sada Kaur was the main force who made it possible for Maharaja Ranjit Singh to establish the Sikh empire and put Punjab on the world map. Women in the western capitalist countries still have not been allowed combat role in the army. The Sikh women not only participated but outshined men in the battlefield in the seventeenth and the eighteenth century. Examples of Mai Bhago and Maharani Sahib Kaur can be given.
Capitalist induced Feminism incites hatred, anger, greed and vengeance. We saw these were the main ingredients of the Me Too movement. Such movements help capitalism to break unity between men and women who should unite and struggle against capitalism before its greed completely destroys the mankind and the planet. We need unity based upon love, compassion and forgiveness. The Sikh philosophy which is the essence and climax of the eastern philosophy and spirituality can not only unite men and women but can unite the whole mankind. This should be the ultimate goal of women empowerment and liberation.
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].
