By Dr. Sawraj Singh
Culture can be defined as a way of life. Civilization is a higher entity of culture. In other words there can be many cultures in a civilization. We can take the example of the Indian civilization. The Indian Subcontinent is a multicultural region with a shared civilization. The Indian civilization, in essence is the extension of the Indus valley civilization. Many cultures have evolved from the parent civilization. All these cultures still share a common bond of the Indian civilization. Different civilizations evolved in different parts of the world. Mesopotamian, Indus valley, Chinese, Persian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Mayan, Aztecs and Incas civilizations evolved in different regions of the world at different times. The Indian and the Chinese civilizations have survived to the modern age. The other civilizations even though did not survive in the original form, yet they have still left their marks in the regions they evolved. For example, the oldest civilization, the Mesopotamian civilization laid the foundation of the modern law. This civilization also gave us the first script, Cuneiform. All these civilizations evolved under different geographic and natural conditions and were harmonious and compatible with nature. All these made great contributions towards human growth and progress. As opposed to these, the nation states imposed by capitalism were many times unnatural. The main motivation for the creation of these states was capitalist greed. Many times geographic and cultural factors were ignored or violated for economic gains. When these natural factors were compromised or violated, that laid the foundation for future conflicts. It will be no exaggeration to say that these factors led to two world wars in Europe. In other words, capitalist greed was the main cause of the world wars. As capitalism reached the stage of imperialism, the states became more unnatural. Imperialists conquered other countries and nations and made the states more and more unnatural. Finally, when imperialism transformed into globalization, it became completely unnatural. It violated all natural and national boundaries. However, while all the barriers to the free flow of capital were removed, same was not true for the human movement. In many cases, more barriers were erected to impede the free movement of the people. This shows that this globalization is economic only and does not have any ethical aspect. The artificial and unnatural consumer culture of this globalization has attacked the other naturally evolved cultures and almost completely wiped off many of them. The unipolar, the bipolar and the tripolar world orders imposed by the consumerist culture of capitalism are all unnatural. A multpolar world order based upon the cultural diversity is more compatible and harmonious with nature. Anything which is more compatible and harmonious with nature is pro people. Unfortunately reverse of this is also true. Capitalism and its institutions have done more harm to the people and nature than any other system before it. As opposed to the western capitalist axis, the Russia-China axis is more natural because it is more culture based. The ancient Chinese civilization has continued uninterrupted to the present. Russia sees itself as the leader and the savior of the Christian civilization of Europe. Generally, in a confrontation between the natural and the unnatural, the natural is more likely to prevail. Therefore, the Russia-China axis is more likely to win. It is unfortunate that India which has much more common with Russia and China is leaning more toward the western capitalist axis. Like China, India is uninterrupted and continuous continuation of the original Indian civilization of the Indus valley. Therefore, its natural affinity should be more toward the Russia-China axis rather than the western capitalist axis. An alliance of Russia, China and India can bring the three major civilizations, the Chinese, the Indian and the European civilizations together. India’s continue d adherence to the consumerist capitalist model of the west in spite of its crisis and bleak future can be called the biggest tragedies of our time. The country which can be called the cradle of civilization and the seat of spirituality has become the most ardent admirer and advocate of the western consumerist culture and unbridled materialism. Many countries, including Russia, China, America and many European countries are seriously reconsidering and changing their policies. However, India remains an exception. India must realize that the time for the old world order based upon the unnatural concept of capitalist nation states is over. Time has come for switching to a multipolar world based upon the more natural concept of cultural states.
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].