From Intolerance To Tolerance

Vinod Jain

“Live and let live” was the message of Lord Mahavir, some 2600 years ago. “Let live” is the message of tolerance. Obviously intolerance must have been prevailing in the society, prompting the message of tolerance. Mahavir’s other message “non-violence is the prime duty” is of even greater importance on it applies towards all living beings. This also is a message of tolerance. Because violence is at the root of intolerance. Gautam Buddha, Mahavir’s contemporary, talked of the middle path, which also is a message of tolerance. Because the approach may resolve two conflicting approaches, the thus avoiding clash.

Religions
But it is not so with all religions. Some religions want to achieve by taking recourse to intolerance. Christianity and Islam are both religions of the “book”. Both have been pursuing the idea of conversion. Christianity has been doing it for a long time through its missionaries the word over. Islam things all non-Muslims are inferior to them. They think it is the duty of Muslims to convert others, even if they may have to use force to this and. This intolerance is supported by a sense of violence, the consequences of which are there for all to see. Till the time of Renaissance the contest between the Roman Catholics and Protestants was keen. Among Shias and Sunnis in Islam the violent tensions could be witnessed even now.
Hinduism that way is not a religion of the “book”. But it is based on a caste system wherein the upper caste people looked down upon those who, they believe, belong to the lower castes. The purpose of this system is obviously to exploit those belonging to the lower castes.

Ideologies
Not that religions alone have undertaken the responsibility of intolerance. Several ideologies could be equally intolerant: such as Nazism, Fascism, and Marxism. Nazism was so intolerant towards the jews that approximately 60 lakh jews were tortured to death. Some two crore farmers lost their lives in the Soviet Union because they were resisting Stalin’s programme of farm nationalisation. In China, it is said, some 7 crore Chinese died as a consequence of Mao’s Communist revolution. It is observed that wherever ‘revolutions’ take place lives are lost.
Such intolerance can be stopped: But only in such states where democracy is established, with rule of law; where the economy, the society and the judiciary are well organised and established. These are societies where the people have adopted the democratic values.

India
But the situation in the newly democratic countries like India is complex. It is one thing for the democratic values—like freedom, equality, secular morality, justice etc. — to find a place in the constitution. But to do away with the orthodoxy in the people’s mental make-up is quite another. The fact is the people from the various strata want to exploit this orthodoxy to their benefit. Thanks to this the people belonging to the suffering strata have to go without social justice. So neither the leaders take the rule of law seriously, nor do those belonging to the enforcement agencies.
There are many intolerant groups in India who come into the picture by taking on the role of protestors. Under the garb of protests they take to harassment and beatings, damaging properties, and arson. By doing this they hope to get headlines in newspapers, TV channels. This in its turn, they think, strengthens their political base. They do it under the impression that the government and the administration will not take serious note of their activities. In order to indulge in their despicable acts, these groups are known to resort to communal, casteist, and regional issues.
These people harm the democratic fabric, disturb law and order and peace and hurt the economy. These people disturb the situation in such a manner that on the one hand the human rights of the people are violated, on the other hand the atmosphere is so vitiated that it becomes helpful for the growth of terrorism and insurgency.

Our Neighbourhood
In two of our neighbouring countries, the Taliban organisations are so acute in their intolerances that they are terrorists as well as insurgents. They do it in the name of religion and Jehad. Their activities are against their own people.
This situation gets all the more complicated with the help to both of them by the international terrorist organisation Al-Qaida. Dastardly killings by them is almost a daily happening now.
If we accept that in place of intolerance we should accept the path of tolerance, because this alone is capable of taking our civilization and culture to new heights, then we should carefully note the following development in Europe.

Europe
Countries of the European Continent, for hundred of years, were fighting among themselves. The death and destruction caused by wars these countries unleashed was a naked dance of intolerance. The biggest war among them came in the form of the Second World War. Near about 4 crore of people lost their lives. By the time the war was over, Europe was a land devastated and exhausted. Cities were flattened, industry was destroyed. Crores of people were without hearth and home. Such a destitute, desperate and divided Europe felt it should now establish institutions that are effective. With this realization gaining ground, the idea of a European Movement came to the fore in 1948.
Many a people by now were dreaming of a United Europe. Some steps towards political cooperation were taken in May 1948. they wanted first and foremost, the devastated economy to be helped on its feet. Soon after steps were taken in the field of defence and scientific cooperation.
France and Germany, who were enemies for ages, extended their hands of friendship. Then six countries—France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg and Nederlands—jointly gave birth to a European Organisation.
Gradually, cooperation between European countries kept growing, and they continued to come closer. 1957 saw the establishment of the European Economic Union (EEC). Then European Coal and Steel Community was established. With the EEC, the idea of Common Market developed. Along with this it was decided that common laws should prevail in all the six countries, and that this should be completed within 12 years. It was achieved by 1968.
Common Farm Policy was adopted. Custom duty between these countries was abolished.
Charles De Gaulle, the President of France, and Chancellor Konrad Adenaur of Germany adopted between themselves a policy of close friendship. Both countries signed a treaty of Peace and Friendship. With this age-old animosity between the two was shown the door. Then England, which was hitherto wavering, joined EEC. The idea of monetary stability was taken up. The concept of European Union was started on 1 January 1993. Meanwhile EEC kept growing. From a membership of 6 it grew to a membership of 12. then the number of member countries grew to 27, where it stands now. The dream of European Union, the dream of Peace, the dream of Prosperity seen by the people of Europe, is marching on the path of fulfillment. At the root of all this development is the fact that the Europeans decided to give up the path of intolerance and decided to take the path of tolerance.

Muslim Areas
Some people from the Muslim countries have picked up quotations from the Quran, Hadith and Sharia selectively. Only such quotations are chosen which when aggressively presented will promote intolerance and conflict. The consequence? Instead of the people of the Muslim world going on to the path of education and progress, they went on towards illiteracy, ignorance and degeneration. Instead of progressing towards prosperity and peace, they kept going in the direction of poverty and terrorism. How much of the terrorism that prevails in the world today is Muslim inspired? This better be judged by the readers themselves.
How far it could be useful to take the help of tolerance in order to change for a better world? How far it could be painful for the society to proceed on the path of intolerance? It should not be too difficult to visualize and get a feel of both these scenarios.
We have so far seen how some thought processes originating either from some ideologies or religions, take us on the road of tolerance or intolerance. We have also seen how some ideologies take us to such heights of intolerance where it appears so easy to kill vast numbers of human beings.

Towards the Future
Let us now talk about a philosophy: On the path of tolerance, it takes us to greater peace and greater prosperity. This philosophy is humanism.
Humanism is a philosophy that grows out of the knowledge of modern science. It is a philosophy of science. This philosophy propounds the values of freedom, equality, justice, fraternity, secular morality, human dignity, creativity, non-violent behaviour, cooperation, and tolerance. But all these are values of democracy. They form the very basis of a democratic way of life.

Humanism is a philosophy of democracy.
Since the Second World War till today, some countries of Europe are busy changing the condition and direction of the continent of Europe. One hopes other countries of the world will take a cue from this and decide about their path and direction.