FAITH TOWARDS HUMANISM IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALISATION
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FAITH TOWARDS HUMANISM
IN THE CONTEXT OF
GLOBALISATION
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FAITH TOWARDS? HUMANISM «
IN THE CONTEXT OF
GLOBALISATION
Edited by: I. John Mohan Razu, Santiago Iswara Prasad and M. Rajkumar
FAITH TOWARDS HUMANISM
IN THE CONTEXT OF
GLOBALISATION
Edited by:
I. John Mohan Razu
Santiago Iswara Prasad
M. Rajkumar
Published by:
Sunanda, Gollahalli Post, Via Bethamangla
Kolar - 563 116, Karnataka, INDIA
For Private Circulation only
December 1997
Sunanda
T. Gollahalli
Kolar - 563 116, Karnataka
Tel. No.: 08153-67654
All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced by any means
without prior permission in writing from the authors.
Cover design : Rajkumar, Sunanda
Copies of this booklet available from :
Sunanda
T. Gollahalli
Kolar - 563 116
Karnataka, INDIA
<3l - I GO
05125
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Dedicated to
THE SEEDS OF LIBERATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
At the outset we would like to express our gratitude to
Sr. Celestine, the Convenor of MAITRI who has been
the source of inspiration to translate MAITRI’s
conceptual framework into reality.
It is difficult to single out individuals who have made
important contributions to this project, but they
include Sr. Jude of who co-ordinated in conducting
the programme and Arulraj helped in transcribing the
text.
iv
CONTENTS
Foreword.............................................................................................. vii
Welcome Address................................................................................ 1
Keynote Address.................................................................................. 3
Islamic perspective of Globalisation................................................... 6
Hindu perspective of Globalisation................................................... 14
Globalisation and the concern for the human
- A Christian Perspective................................................................... 22
Globalisation and its impact on labour............................................ 28
The Penal Session............................................................................. 32
Prof Hassan Mansoor.........................................................................33
Ms. Tabassum.................................................................................... 36
Fr Sambath Kumar............................................................................. 39
Rev Moses Paul Peter........................................................................40
The Dalit Bahujan Faith : A Challenge to Globalisation................ 41
Summation of Panel Presentation by the Chairperson................. 46
Annexure -1......................................................................................... 48
List of Participants.............................................................................. 49
CORRIGENDUM
Prof. Babu Mathew’s paper on "The Effects of
Globalisation on the Organised Sector” should have
appeared immediately after Ruth Manorama s
presentation. The error is deeply regretted.
FOREWORD
Globalisation, a phenomenon that touches all aspects of life, is increasingly being
felt by most of us, though we have greater difficulty grasping the interconnected
ness of our existence. More people are concerned about the destructive
consequences of Globalisation, and some act passionately. This book is offered as
a contribution to greater understanding of globalisation from different faith
perspectives. It is based on the belief that both cannot be understood apart from a
humanistic frame of reference. Globalisation process cannot be trusted to take
care of itself, nor can it be left to economists, politicians and professionals alone. In
recent years there has been an intellectual and political onslaught for globalisation
as an instrument of society more particularly in economic life. Their efforts are to
integrate whole spheres of life from such debate in decision-making: education,
health, welfare, conservation, labour relations, social inequalities and global
economic relationships.
It was in this context, about 60 women and men drawn from various faith traditions
came together at the SCM centre at Bangalore from 21-22 September 1996, to
discover the theme ‘Faith Towards Humanism in the context of Globalisation’.
It was a humanistic venture. The consultation was organised by MAITRI, a forum
for inter-faith interaction for action. Scholars and practitioners of humanism shared
their experience of their faith perspectives of globalisation. It was a sharing of
experiences. The overall attempt was to discover faith responses and explanation.
For all that supports and upholds humanism in their search for fuller humanisation
process in the context of the diabolic phenomenon namely globalisation.
Dr. I. John Mohan Razu
Dean of Field Education
Dept, of Theology, UTC, Bangalore
vii
WELCOME ADDRESS
Maitri - Forum for Interfaith - Interaction for Action
Sr. Celestine, one of the founders of MAITRI and one of the Chief functionaries of SUNANDA
Introduction
ur gathering together on this auspicious day is a challenging responsibility
and a great privilege and joy for us. We believe that each of us as persons of
Faith are filled with the rich cultures of life. And our Faith - no matter to which
religion we belong, inspires and invites us to give expression to these cultures of
life, to counteract the cultures of death created by global capitalism. Our
get-together for this ultimate cause of marching towards humanism is the
beginning of a great hope, that will lead us to resist and struggle against these
gigantic and massive capitalist movement. Thus we will be able to counteract the
evils of division and destruction and promote humanism. Other centeredness
becomes the condition and consequences of lived Faith, resulting to be in this
movement for humanism. It’s good that we recall the present situation for our
discussion, reflection and action:
O
a
the widening gap between the developed countries and third world countries.
□
the gap between donors and receivers, the debtors and creditors.
a
global market forces deciding the fate of people.
o
unbridled and private capital formation on the one hand and mass
pauperization on the other.
a
national sovereignty becoming a scape-goat.
a
the elements of destruction of humanism in our country - devaluation,
privatization, liberalization and marketization. The consequent plight of its
dalits, women, rural children, landless and tribals who bear the brunt.
a
communalism/religious fundamentalism dividing the entire people, religion and
culture.
o
the meaning system now filled with new meaning of seeing "Others" as
"Dangerous".
May be, we could, in this get-together discuss the following questions :
o
what are the operatives forces behind these trends?
o
what are their ideologies? What are their gains?
1
□
how do these forces affect their lives, and their community?
o
as Faith persons what should be our Mission among the millions of people in
our Nation who are excluded, marginalized, up-rooted and powerless?
This reflection or consultation may explore three areas :
1
How can we enhance, generate and make active the prophetic potentials in our
various religions, particularly with reference to the economic order?
2
How can we find ways to concretise the vision of a new social order which is
proposed in various religions?
3
How can we, the believers of the various religions, enrich each other and build
solidarity in providing a common secular initiative towards a new, just, global
socio-economic and political order?
2
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Faith Towards Humanism in the Context of Globalisation
Globalisation : The Death of National Sovereignty
Rev. Dr. Alwyn D'Souza, Director, Centre for the Study of Religion in Society, Bangalore.
A theologian with a social gospel
he New World Order based on the logic of globalisation was legally
established on January 1, 1995 with the coming into being of the World Trade
Organisation (WTO) to implement the final agreements of the Uruguay Round of
GATT. In India, our experiment with globalisation began four years earlier with the
new economic policy of 1991 as a result of the World Bank / IMF Structural
Adjustment Programme (SAP).
T
In its essence, globalisation means the rule of some super-state institutions mostly corporate groups (also Multinational or Transnational Corporations
(MNCs/TNCs), who ensure their own commercial interests and the profits. They
achieve this by circumventing the control of the people affected - particularly the
people of third world countries. Thus the national governments’ control over their
own resources, human and material, are by-passed and regulated by these
super-state institutions. In short, the idea of globalisation is best illustrated by the
term "coca-colonisation". It refers to a neo- colonisation of the third world
countries by the MNCs/TNCs for the purpose of exploiting the resources of the
third world for their own selfish benefits.
While globalisation refers to the general phenomenon, there is also an added
phenomenon called "liberalisation" by means of which national governments,
particularly of the Third World countries, are forced to yield control over their
national policies in favour of the MNCsTTNCs. Such de-regulatory exercises are
termed "free-trade" or "free market" economic policies.
Thus, globalisation and liberalisation in effect mean the renunciation by national
governments of their own peoples sovereign rights over the natural resources:
land, water and biodiversity and their democratic rights over utilisation of these
sources. In the ultimate analysis globalisation spells the death of democracy. It
spells the end of national sovereignty and the demise of nation states. As such it
reduces peoples of the world to pawns in the interest of the corporate giants of the
3
developed world. It is an affront to the dignity of any and every person in third
world countries, specially so in India.
It is unfortunate that in many instances, particularly in our country, political parties
of various ideological persuasions have not only failed to stand up to the bullying
tactics of the MNCs in international fora, but have often very gladly collaborated
with them in return for some favours. We have been witnessing in the recent past,
the scams that have been tumbling out of the closets with sickening frequency.
Hence the present trend of globalisation calls for another freedom movement.
Towards Localisation
In India the trend towards localisation was born along with the trend towards
globalisation. If globalisation is the corporate driven agenda for removing all
barriers or blocks to profits, localisation is the people driven agenda for
introducing ecological limits and social responsibility and accountability in this
process.
Localisation does not imply autarchy or insularity. It involves subjecting the logic of
globalisation to the test of sustainability, democracy and justice in each concrete
instance of foreign investment. It also involves reclaiming the state to protect
people’s interest and not be reduced to being mere instruments for foreign
investors. It means making governments at the state and the centre, accountable
to the electorate.
The contest between the transnational corporations, the conflict between
globalisation and the citizens and local communities, (the force behind
localisation) is presently being played out in our country as is evidenced by the
Karnataka farmers’ agitation against the Cargill Seeds Corporation, the Kentucky
Fried Chicken, and Cogentriz, the Goa agitation against Dupont’s Nylon 6.6
project; the agitation in Maharashtra, against Enron, the agitation against
Aquaculture or shrimp farming in the coastal states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu and Orissa.
In all these instances, the response of the people has been "We will decide the
pattern of investment and development". "We will determine the ownership and
use of our natural resources". Therefore, a peoples’ movement for localisation
must build on these embryonic visions of a just and sustainable society.
4
The Faith Dimension
It has been our experience that movements dissipate and divide over ideological
differences. History provides us with many examples of Peoples’ movements that
fizzled out over ideological differences. However, when people’s faith was
summoned and responded to, such movements have proved difficult to stifle and
kill.
Mahatma Gandhi himself summoned the faith of the masses in actions like the
satyagraha which proved to be the elan of the resistance to British imperialistic
designs.
But lest we mistake religion for faith it is important that we clarify what we mean by
each of these terms. It would therefore be good to start off our consultation with a
definite idea that this is an exercise not in religion but in faith. That is, we meet
here because we, each from our own cultural background, believe that the human
person is the point of encounter with the divine being or principle. The human
person, within the present confines of space and time that is the focus for our
encounter with the divine.
It is strange but true that there can be no true worship of the divine as long as the
human person is besmirched and degraded. Whatever may be our religious
persuasion, we are all agreed that the true service of the divine is the service of
our fellow human beings. The challenge of the hour is to respond to the trends of
Globalisation and liberalisation that have been set in motion. People are already
moving towards localisation around the various issues like Cogentrix, Enron,
Dupont, etc. we need to add the faith dimension to these struggles. The task
before us is to deepen and widen the faith perspective so that all human being
may be free.
5
"ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE OF GLOBALISATION"
— Mr. Ali Khwaja, A known Islamic scholar, speaker, Banjara Academy, Bangalore.
I
would like to start by sharing with you my experiences of how I feel
Globalisation has come into our doorstep.
As we enter the 21st century, we find that technology has been advancing very
rapidly. My grandfather got out of engineering college and, 35 years later, when
he retired he still was practising what he had learnt in college. My father got out of
college and 20 years later he found that whatever he had learnt from college was
totally out-dated. Today we find students who are 5 years out of college, unless
they keep abreast of what is happening, find themselves falling behind. That is the
rate at which technology has been advancing. A few years ago we found the
satellite dish antennas sprouting up all over our cities and villages. They have
brought in a different culture. A lot of debate as to whether they should be allowed
or not went on and the dish antennas proliferated all the same. I think the debate
is still going on and the debate will continue to go on even though it is in a state of
conflict. And we thought that itself is a great change, a very great advancement.
Suddenly, in 1996, we have started hearing of this thing called internet. And we
find that information on any subject under the sun is available. At least on the TV,
we have to switch on a particular programme and then listen, watch and accept
whatever is told to us. Now the internet has come in and we find that I don’t have
to just accept what is being told. I can do a two way communication on the
internet. Somebody in the U.S. has developed a technology and he has put it on
the internet. I can talk to that person through my computer over here and tell him
what I think about it. And I can have chat groups and I can have discussions and I
can have personal e-mail service with any part of the world at almost negligible
cost.
A generation ago when we were children we had to tell our parents and take their
permission to see a movie, to read a particular comic or for whatever we wanted
to do. And it was for our parents to decide whether we should be allowed or not.
Nonetheless we used to do it without the permission of our parents. We used to
go into the cinema theatre and invariably we would be caught while coming out,
by some elders. And that would lead us to a lot of penalties.
6
Today we find that the TV. or the internet is in children’s bed rooms. And there is
no way a parent checking them. I would like to share with you something. A few
days back I went into a teenagers bed room and the boy was fiddling around with
his computer which was connected to the internet. I said, "Let me also search the
net and see what is going on". We were looking at various topics. And on the
internet we can do chat-shows, chatgroups. Chat-groups are people from any part
of the world who want to converse on any particular topic. A topic is given and if
you want to enter, you enter into the chat-group. And there is a lot of things
coming on the screen. When anyone says something you can also key in and put
in whatever you add - opinions or ideas.
When I came across one or two interesting or enriching topics on the screen, I told
the boy, "Why not enter into these chat groups?”. He said, "No, uncle". I said, "It
sounds interesting : Let us peep into it and see". He said, “No uncle : That is
meant for young people; not for people like you". Which means that we are such
an unfortunate generation that when we were young and when we wanted to
watch something we were told that it was meant only for adults and we could not
watch. And now that we are adults we are told by our children that it is only for
children and not for adults. That, according to me, is the final evidence that
Globalisation has hit us.
Coming to my specific topic as to the Islamic perspective of Globalisation, Islam,
as you know, has been one of the major religions of the world, brought in about 14
hundred years ago, being practised by a very large number of people in dozens
and dozens of countries. India, incidentally, has the second largest population of
muslims - next only to Indonesia. Islam has always been giving out an image of
being a very conservative religion. Those who want to follow it or practise it or
speak for it say that it is a religion which upholds the highest of values and which
keeps the morals and keeps people in the right direction.
People who oppose it call it a very fundamentalist religion, an outdated religion
which propagates very backward ideas keeping women under the purdah and
practising barbaric customs and things of that sort.
Without going into the merits and demerits of that debate, what I want to stress
over here today is that while at one time Islam has been thought to be a
conservative religion which in someway hinders progress, at the same time we
are all very much aware of the fact something seems to be heading in the
7
direction where there is a little too much of liberalisation. We are not happy with
the way things are going in the world. And we are looking for ways to pull it back.
At our personal level we are trying to do it by disciplining our children and saying
‘Don’t do this and don’t do that’ which just does not work with our children.
Today’s children are coming up in a world that is being globalised, in a global
village. We were brought up as part of our communities, as part of our families.
We were told to be proud of our families, proud of our communities, proud of our
village and this and that. But these children are not going to do anything with their
families, their communities and their village because they belong to a global
village. And it just does not help to say, ‘When I was your age I never did things
like that’.
There were three little children playing. Suddenly there seemed to be a very
animated discussion among them. A Priest was passing by and he stopped
wondering what was going on in their animated discussion. He asked the children,
"What is going on?" So they said, "You know, when we were playing all the three
of us saw this puppy at the same time. And all the three of us wanted the puppy.
So we started fighting for the puppy. Then we said, ‘No, we are mature people not
small kids. So we are not going to fight like this. Let’s have a competition’. And
you know what competition we decided? We said, ‘The person who tells the
biggest lie will get the puppy!’ The priest was at a loss. Then he said, "Children,
that is not the right thing to do. When I was your age I never used to tell lies," The
children said, "Give him the puppy!"
Now I want to bring to you a few aspects of Islam first. And then I would like to go
on to what Muslims as a community are.
Islam is a religion which even 1400 years back brought in the concept of social
justice. It does not propogate asceticism; It does not propogate poverty; It does
not exhort you to give up your worldly goods or your worldly life. There is no
celibacy in Islam. If anything, we are permitted four wives. But, what Islam brought
in was a system of social justice which said, ‘Since you are human being and you
have been brought on this earth by God you have your desires. There is
something in-built in you. If you feel hungry you eat; If you have sexual desires
you have sex; if you feel like having comfort, if you feel hot in the sun, have a
shelter over your head and come down into the shadows of your shelter. But, what
Islam propagated was that there should be a semblance of equality - not in the
8
sense of communism that everybody, regardless of how hard he works, should
have the same things.
There are supposed to be five pillars in Islam. The first is expression of faith: ‘La
ilaha illallah mohamadu asadulla’. There is no other God except the one, true
God. And Muhammad is the messenger.
The second is prayer. Five times a day, I say my compulsory prayers.
The third is, fasting 30 days a year, in the month of Ramzan. You fast from dawn
to dusk and also follow a few other practices of abstinences.
The Fourth is 'Zakkath' which is compulsory wealth tax.
And the fifth is compulsory only if you can afford it and you do not have any
liabilities and you do not have any responsibilities. That is the pilgrimage called
'Haj'. That is, once in your life time you go to Mecca - at that particular time which
coincides with Bhakrid that we celebrate here - and circumambulate (?) the kaba
which is the centre of the Islamic world and you show your solidarity with the rest
of the Islamic community.
I want to talk to you about the fourth pillar that is ‘Zakkath’. The Zakkath says that
if I earn a lakh of rupees a month there is no tax on me. But if I earn Rs.10,000/- a
month and I spend only Rs.5,000/- a month, at the end of the year I have
Rs.60,000/- lying with me. If I have that Rs.60,000 lying with me for one year. I
don’t use it, then I have to pay 2.5% of that as my compulsory wealth tax. There
the concept, as you will notice, is rolling; it goes out from my hands. Whatever I
may be spending on, it goes in other people’s hands. I buy something; I avail
somebody’s services; I employ somebody. So, the money rolls. The idea is that
the money should keep rolling all the time. But if I am a hoarder, if I hold on to the
money and say, ‘I will save this Rs.60,000/- and put in my Bank Account’, then
after a year, if I still have not used it I must start giving out from that wealth. That
wealth may not be even generating anything. I may put it in current account. May
be, at the end of the year that Rs.60,000/- does not fetch me a single rupee, I still
have to pay 2.5% out of that!. This is just to give you an example of how Islam in
those good old days - more than 1400 years ago brought in the concept of how
business should be done; how money should be lent and how there should be a
system of social equality.
9
The other concept of Islam also generates a lot of debate. It is the concept of
non-interest. Interest, as it is called, is banned by Islam. You cannot charge
interest. I cannot give Rs. 1000/ to somebody and say 'At the end of the year give
me back Rs.1200/’. Because, Islam believes that money by itself should not
generate money. Money and work should go hand in hand. So if I am giving
Rs.1000/ to a man who is putting it into his business, if he earns profit he should
share it with me. If he suffers a loss, I should share his loss. Here the concept is
that the wealthier should not continue to become more and more wealthy.
Dr D’souza brought out the question of difference between the debtors and
creditors, the advanced countries and the third world countries. That is what is
happening. If we take a loan from the IMF or World Bank or from USA or
somebody, we find that all the time what we are doing is just repaying our interest.
And that is how the third world countries are sinking deeper and deeper. Even in
the micro level of a single individual, of a human being, Islam has been very
categorical and said 'You cannot charge interest on your adding wealth. You can
share with somebody. You can take a risk. If he doubles up the money, fantastic,
you give Rs 1000/- and get back Rs 2000/-. But if he suffers a loss, at the end of
the year, instead of Rs 1000/-, you may get back Rs 500/-. Are you willing to take
the risk? If you are willing to take that risk, he is putting in the risk of his labour;
you are putting in the risk or money and that is how you are sharing with each
other’.
These are just a couple of little examples which I wanted to bring forth to you. If
you look at Islam in its utter simplicity, in its purity and in its roots, this is what
Islam is all about. And this is what Islam has been trying to propogate for
centuries now. And the significance of this sort of a thing has become much more
important today, in India. We are worrying whether the rich will continue to grow
richer and the poor will continue to become poorer, whether, as was discussed
this morning, only the corporate people are going to get advantage of globalisation
and the poor man on the road is just going to continue to languish and get just
some sort of pseudo benefits like having a collection of satellite TVs and watching
how the people in the west can go about in their jazzy cars, when he finds he
cannot improve on the bicycles over here.
So we have been bombarded with different kinds of addictions. A person who gets
very frustrated with his life and with his poverty lands up in an addiction where he
10
wants to drink away his worries. I would put all these stunts of Globalisation and
the intrusion of the western media as some sort of an addiction where we find that
today right from grand mother down to grand child everybody sits glued to the TV
sets, so fascinated with that tube. And they go on watching something forgetting
worries of that moment. But in reality they are only postponing, rather,
compounding the problems, because next morning they have to get up to the
reality of hunger, to the reality of hardwork and to the reality of their poverty that
they are in.
To this view there are a number of things one can go on saying. I am not a
theologian or a scholar of Islam to be able to expound to you all the facets of
Islam. So, I do not attempt to do so.
This was just to give you an example that there are religious facets which can
provide certain answers. And this would come in the form of inter-religious
dialogues if one could pick and choose and be aware of the good benefits of this.
For example, when we talk about non-interest economies, the western world
laughs at it. There are countries like Saudi Arabia and Dubai who are trying to
promote this interest-free economy; they have interest free banks. They have
banks which function only on the basis of profit and loss rather than on fixed
interest. And the western world and the western media laugh at them and say,
"See, this is another example of how Muslims are trying to put the clock back. May
be 1400 years back, in the days of Muhammad and Prophet that could have
worked, but not today in this modern world. Everything has to move forward. It is a
proven thing all over the world that interest works!"
But what they fail to tell us is that the Nobel laureate in Economics Paul
Samuelson has quoted and said, "An ideal economy is one in which the interest
rates are continuously brought down lower and lower aiming for the ideal situation
of a zero interest rate." This is a person who has been given the Nobel Prize, a
westerner, a person who — leave alone being a Muslim, probably he has never
even heard of Islamic practices and principles —»is a well known Economist.
(Post-Speech Interaction)
When I talk to people, each one comes out saying, "Yes I have got a Muslim
friend who is very nice." And I keep wondering, if they are nice, how come that all
other Muslims are so bad! In fact, time and again, I have been introduced to
n
people who have said, "Ali is a nice person. Despite being a Muslim, he is a very
nice person." That is again a part of the same psyche that holds: ‘Islam is
equivalent to terrorism’. When we ask a person individually, "What has been your
experience?" He says, "My experience had been very nice."
I remember, last year at the invitation of Dr Pushparajan I had gone to Madurai
and I had the occasion to meet ‘Swamiji’. I asked him specifically, "How did you
find my talk?" He said, "It was very Nice!" He was positive towards it, which is
what he is expressing again today. So, when we have personal interaction we are
very happy. But, when we look upon the community as a whole there is something
wrong. That something wrong is partly because, on the Muslims’ part, they are
closed; they are conservative. As we said, in their festivals and things of that sort,
they are not open. They feel that Mosques are places where others cannot go —
which is not the case, mind you. But people feel so, so we don’t know what is
going on there. May be, they are taking out swords, daggers and things of that
sort. I am yet to see a sword or a dagger in a Mosque although I have visited
more than a hundred Mosques all over the country.
• And the other part of it, for which Muslims are not responsible, is the media
invasion which goes on and on pointing out the negativity of Muslims and equating
it to Islam. Even if I want to brand that Muslims are very bad it still does not mean
that Islam is very bad. Muslims are only the packaging in which Islam is
presented. If a product is packaged and sold poor that does not mean the product
by itself is bad. Similarly if a religion is presented badly, that does not mean the
religion itself is bad. That way, part of the fault lies with Muslims themselves and
the other part lies with those who have the vested interest in seeing to it that
Muslims are presented in a negative way. Not because they have anything
against Islam but because, as I said, their religion is money and power. And they
find that money and power can grow if they keep up this sort of things, whether
they be the local politicians in India or the western powers.
Regarding the other question about what Indians can learn from Muslims, there is
room for disagreement. Yes, what I wanted to clarify is that Islam is very clear and
rigid as far as the tenets of the Koran are written down, the Koran being the Bible
of the Muslims. And in that, whatever has been written down has not changed in
the last 1400 years and is unchangeable. Anyone practising to be a Muslim
cannot go against what is written down in Kora. Problem comes when people
12
misquote the Koran and say, "Koran says, anybody who kills will instantly go to
heaven." I am yet to come across that phrase in the Koran. The Koran is available
everywhere. In all book stalls, you can pick up an English translation for Rs 100/-.
It will take you four hours to go through one end of the cover to the other. I know
of innumerable Hindu brothern who have read the Bible, if not fully, at least
casually, here and there, bits and pieces. But I know of very few Hindu or
Christian brethren, other than those who are really interested in the religious
practices of others, who have read Koran. And howabout the common man,
especially the youth? I know.of a negligible percentage who have even read five
pages from the Koran. And yet they have so much to say about Islam negativity.
So, barring those guidelines which are written down in the Koran, which are the
basic guidelines about how to run your life, all other things are open to discussion,
to come to consensus, to make changes. And as an evidence of that, If you take
half a dozen countries all over the world where the practicing religion of the
Government of Islam, the rules are not exactly the same.
13
HINDU PERSPECTIVE OF GLOBALISATION
— Prof. Krishnaswamy, A Gandhian and a well known academic scholar
will start with a song. The song is from Saint Thukroji Maharaj who was a strong
force for peace in the Vidartha area of Maharashtra. This is a Hindu song about
a newer religion which is open to everybody. Thukdiya is the name of the author.
He called himself Thukdiya because he said, "I am a begger; I beg for pieces of
bread from everybody." Then he sang such beautiful songs, they called him
'Thukroji Maharaj.
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I have been a student of religion from this point of view, the Gandhian point of
view, the Vivekananda point of view which is more universal than a narrow Hindu
point of view. That is why when it was suggested to me that I should talk about
this topic from the Hindu Perspective I was hesitating whether I should call it the
Hindu Perspective or the Swadeshi Perspective. Anyway, the organizers
suggested that I should call it the Hindu Perspective. I agreed to it. And once I sat
down to set down a few thoughts about this subject, found my reactions were very
Hindu. And, therefore there is nothing wrong in saying this is a Hindu Perspective.
When I wanted to talk about this subject, I could go back to the Vedas to get some
ideas. That, of course, is a Hindu Perspective. Besides being the Hindu
Perspective, it is also the Gandhian perspective. Gandhi has written extensively
about interreligious reactions and action. In one of his very famous statements
which you will find inscribed at the entrance to the Head Quarters of the All India
Radio in Delhi, Gandhiji says, "I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides
and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all the lands to be blown
about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to live in other people’s houses
as an interloper, a begger or a slave. I refuse to put the necessary strain of
learning English upon my sisters for the sake of false pride or questionable social
advantage. I have our young men and young women with literary taste to learn as
much of English as other world languages as they like. And then, I expect them to
give the benefit of their learning to India and the world, like Bose or Ray or the
poet Rabindranath himself. But I would not have a single Indian to forget, neglect
or be ashamed of his mother tongue or to feel that he or she cannot think or
express the best thoughts in his or her own vernacular. Mine is not a religion of
the prison — house". This was Gandhiji’s Perspective to the problem of humanism
and globalisation. This is a very important aspect of the subject that Gandhiji put
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forth before us. We should have exposure to the whole of the thoughts of the
world but we should not be shaken off of our own roots. Our strength, our
sustenance, all this comes from our roots. When these roots are cut off, then we
find our sustenance will no longer be there for us. Therefore it is important for us
to protect these roots. These roots go back to the vedas.
What do the Vedas say about the globalisation? One of the most prevalent
prayers of the vedas is the Gayatri Mantra. The Gayatri Mantra is always started
by saying ‘Om bhuhu bhuva suva’. What is this ‘Bhuhu bhuva Suva?’ These are
the three worlds. ‘Bhuhu’ is the earth, ‘Bhuva’ is the one above that, and ‘Suva’ is
the heavens. These are the three worlds — ‘Bhuhu, Bhuva, Suva’. And it is only
after saying the names of these worlds that you go to say the famous Gayatri
Mantra. What is this ‘Bhuhu’ and ‘Bhuva’ and ‘Suva’ and ‘Maha’ and so on? There
are so many worlds described in our vedic literature. These names come in the
Thaitriya Upanishad. For example : Like this the Thaitriya Upanishad sings :
‘Bhuhu’ the earth is equivalent to Agni, is also equivalent to Rig Veda and it is also
equivalent to the Prana force in this body
‘Bhuva’ is the air surrounding the earth. It is also equivalent to the ‘Vayu’. It is also
equivalent to the Sama Veda and it is the ‘Apanavayu’ which is the downward
movement of the air inside the body.
‘Suva’ is the heavens Aditya is the god of these heavens. Yajur Veda is
associated with it. And the ‘Vyana’ is the psychic force that is operating here.
‘Maha’ is another ‘Loka’. It is the ‘loka’ presided over by the sun. And the moon is
the presiding deity of this area. And it is established in another Vayu.
Then there are other worlds like ‘Tapa’, ‘Jala’, ‘Satyam’. The outermost one is
supposed to be the 'Satya Loka’. These are all the worlds, the globes for the
Hindus. And these globes, worlds have their own functions to perform in the life of
the human beings. These are the upper worlds.
Then there are the nether worlds: ‘Athala’, ‘Uthala’, ‘Suthala’, ‘Pathala’,
‘Rasathala’ and so on. So there are 14 lokas like these. And Hindus believe in a
Spirit inhibiting all these lokas. It is the universal spirit which has something to do
with all the worlds, a spirit which is very universal in its character. The same spirit
is there in the thoughts of other seers of India. One of the most famous mantras,
of which Mahatma Gandhi himself was very fond was, the first mantra of the
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Ishavasya Upanishad. About Globalisation this mantra says: ‘The Whole World,
whatever is there in this Jagat, is to be covered by the Spirit of God And with a
spirit of sacrifice we should enjoy this wealth.' So here is the spirit of globalisation.
In this, you should associate yourself with the whole globe. But in practice, we
should not covet for other people’s wealth.
The type of globalisation that is being practised today is exactly the reverse of this.
You should not worry about the spiritual association of yourself with the whole
universe, but you should exploit other areas where you can and make money by a
process of exploitation of other areas of this world. That is the spirit in which
globalisation is being practiced today.
And again, another vedic statement says that the whole world becomes a nest for
the whole of humanity — a very beautiful concept of universal brotherhood.
Vinobabhave was very fond of this statement. And he wanted Bangalore to be the
home for an institution like this where people from the entire world will get together
and live in a spirit of harmony and brotherhood. And that is why he had
Vishwanilam Ashram started in Bangalore. People started with this idea but,
unfortunately it did not work out exactly that way. Vishwanilam Ashram is still
there in Bangalore today. But its doors are closed to people. They have to take
special permission to go in — even the Bangalore people, let alone the people of
the world. The spirit of Acharya Vinoba wanted this Bangalore to be a centre or all
the thinking people of the world to come together and live together and think
together. But that has remained only a dream. And again, when he was moving
about in Karnataka for his 'Bhoo Dhan’ movement, Vinoba was really surprised to
hear, in one meeting, a Reddy stand up and talk about Karnataka. The Reddy
said at the end of his speech, ‘Jai Karnataka’ and followed it up by saying ‘Jai
Jagat’ Vinoba liked this idea very much. He said : ‘Jai Jagat! What a wonderful
concept! Why should there be a victory for a small nation only? Let us have victory
for the whole world!" This became one of the important themes of the Bhoo Dhan
movement of Vinobha. And, songs were written about his concept of the one
world.
Wherever Vinobha went on Bhoo Dhan march the slogan ‘Jai Jagat’ was
proclaimed. And at that time, the ‘Jai Hind’ slogan was very much in the air.
Subhash Babu had popularized it from the Indian National Army. ‘Jai Hind’, he
would start his speech with and end it with ‘Jai Hind’ which means victory for
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India. But why Victory only for India? Let there be victory for every country in this
world. Let there be victory to the whole world!
When my brother Suba Ananda sang ‘Jai Jagat’ in an international Telugu (?)
conference in America, some of the Americans were very much taken up by this.
One of the Theosophy movement leaders from Manila said, "I have heard many
songs at many international conferences of this kind. But this is the first time I hear
a song that unifies the whole world, that unifies the whole of humanity." That is the
spirit of Hinduism! Hinduism is for the good of the whole humanity, not of India
only, not of Hindus only. In the upliftment of the whole world, the upliftment of
Hindus is also involved. That is the way of thinking of Hindus from ancient history.
Swami Ranga Nath Ananda was not very well; he was lying down. I spoke to him
about the tradition in America of preserving nature. An American friend of mine
had told me: "This is the heritage of the Red Indians to us — that we are lovers of
nature. So, we have preserved trees which are 2700 years old. This tree which
has been a witness to the birth of Buddha and that the Christ is living even today".
When I told him this, he got little excited. Then he said, "No it is not true. The
Americans have not inherited their country from the Red Indians. They have
destroyed the Red Indians and their culture to take away this country by force".
Once I heard a tape of a speech of a Red Indian chief who said: "This America
was a wonderful country before the white man came here. Before the white man
come here we had trees, forests going from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. A
squirrel that went on a tree at one end of the country could jump from tree to tree
and go to see the other end of the country. The rivers were so full of fish we could
walk upon the fish swimming in the water." Though this appears to be a little
exaggeration, that is the type of life they had and the respect for life that they had.
The country was full of bisons roaming the whole country fields. The whiteman
came and destroyed all these. So, the Red Indians were very much sorrow —
stricken at the way their world was destroyed under their own eyes. And the white
man came and cut down the forests and planted some maize. So he went on
destroying forests. Where there were wonderful forests, today we have deserts.
So, the Red Indians and the white man had to fight for their survival. Today the
Red Indians are an endangered species in their own country.
And coming to globalisation, this America is giving us lessons about globalisation.
It is telling us that if we want to get loan from the world bank or IMF, we should
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practise this globalisation. And if we don’t do it, we won't get foreign aid.
People say we are falling into the debt trap. But I am afraid we have already fallen
into it. The debt trap is such that to pay interest on these borrowings we have to
go on borrowing more money. And then, after some time we can only pay back
the interest on the capital.
We are not able to ever pay back the capital itself. That is the type of situation we
are finding ourselves in. And our problem is how to get out of this debt The IMF is
telling us that the way to get out of this debt trap is to globalise, liberalise market
economy. What would be the advantage of it? They will give you more money by
way of loans. They will invest more money here. And why do they invest here? Is
it out of any philanthropic motives? No! They will invest the money here and take
away the profits. Then what happens to the ordinary man in this country? When all
the wealth of this country is being drained away like this, what happens to him?
They say, "Look at the other examples of globalisation. Look at Singapore! Look
at South Korea!" South Korea and Singapore are very small nations. By going
through this mechanical methods it is possible to sustain an economy like that.
But India is one of the the biggest countries, population-wise, in the whole world.
Can you apply the same type of mechanism to India?
This globalisation process is helping only the elite of this country. A few chosen
people in this country are getting the benefits of globalisation. They are getting
richer. They are realizing salaries to the tune of tens of thousands per month. But,
does it affect the ordinary man in a positive way? All along we hear problems like
this; that small company had to wind up because they couldn’t compete with the
multinationals. Many, many companies, right here in Bangalore, have to close
down because they cannot compete with the multinationals. And people working
in those companies have to be discharged. Are they going to get jobs in these
multinational companies? The multinational companies are not labour-oriented.
They are mechanized completely. So, a huge company can be handled by just a
few people. They receive fat salaries. But, there is no labour- intensive work going
on in their establishments. So, you can have a bank being run by just half a dozen
people. Whereas an Indian bank for doing the same type of work with less
efficiency will be employing hundreds of people.
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But, India’s problem is not the problem of mechanization. India’s problem is to find
employment for the millions and millions of unemployed people living in our
country. Globalisation is not an answer to this type of problems faced by our
country.
Then what is the alternative? There is only one alternative; that is a Gandhian
alternative. And what is the Gandhian alternative? It is the way of Gram Swaraj —
to have labour-intensive activities. And if we don’t have it, the result will be the
impoverishment of the poor people and the enrichment of the rich people.
Swamiji very rightly put it that America is able to sustain a very high standard of
living because the 4% of the world population that lives in America today is using
40% of the resources of the word — energy resources, capital resources, raw
material resources, intellectual resources, that is brain drain. The whole world
contributes its brain to America. So this type of economy is being practised in
America. The magic of America is attracting all the capital, all the brain power, all
the resources of the world to America.
America is very rich in oil. But it is not exploiting any of its oil resources. It is
wanting to exploit the world’s oil resources before it touches its own resources.
And that is why it is so angry with Sadam Hussain. Because, he is standing in the
way of America’s exploitation of all the oil resources of the world. It is not that
America is opposed to dictatorship which of course is what is practised by Sadam
Hussain. America itself is supporting many dictatorships all over the world. But
when it comes to Sadam Hussain, it is against dictatorship. Why? Because he is a
hindrance to the American way of life. So Iraq has to be destroyed and personally
this man Sadam Hussain has to be destroyed. That is the aim of America’s foreign
policy ■— to destroy this man. Fortunately or unfortunately, they are not able to do
that. They are venting their anger sending missiles into Iraq. That is another
problem. As Swamiji very rightly put it, the 4% of world’s population is exploiting
40% of world's resources to sustain its luxurious standard of living. If we want to
bring the same type of luxurious living to every Indian, not just to the elite only, the
resources of one earth will not be sufficient. We will have to use the resources of
ten different worlds, ten different earths. Bring all these resources, then we can
also live like the Americans. We can also have our garages full of two, three cars.
Every house, everybody can have a dishwasher a washing machine. That type of
a life for everyone of Indians is possible only when we have ten different earths at
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our disposal. We don’t have them; we can’t have them. So what is the alternative?
The alternative is, as Gandhiji put it: "Simple living and high thinking." It is possible
to live a very dignified life, a very happy life, a very contented life with less earthly
resources but with ordinary comforts.
As another friend of mine just now said, "The earth has enough resources to
satisfy everybody’s need, but not to satisfy human greed". So if we are satisfied
with our needs, we have quite enough resources.
India has enough resources to support all Indians for a comfortable way of living.
But, for that, we have to have a different way of life. That way of life Gandhi called
Sarvodaya. Sarvodaya is a society in which everybody does physical labour,
everybody contributes to the intellectual well-being of the country, everybody adds
to the wealth of the country and everybody takes only the minimum requirements
from the country. That type of an egalitarian society is a viable alternative.
Today you go to a part of Bangalore called Koramangala. Koramangala is full of
huge bungalows, each having twenty/thirty rooms. Wonderful, beautiful buildings!
Who is living in this house? One watchman and two dogs! The owner is
somewhere in the Gulf or in America. He wants to use this house when he comes
here on holidays. That type of society can’t be sustained by the Sarvodaya
movement. Sarvodaya can have only a small cottage for a family. If it is practised
properly, everybody will have sufficient to live comfortably but within the means
that can be provided by this country. And everybody has to provide physical
labour for producing this type of wealth. And then everybody can be comfortable.
Today what is the type of life that we have here, even in Bangalore? There is a
festival in Bangalore. On that day of festival, 1 can’t take a bath. Why? Because
everybody in Bangalore is taking a bath on that day. Everybody is not able to take
a bath on ordinary days. When other people go without a bath, then it is my
privilege to have a bath. Otherwise, on a festival day, when everybody wants to
have a bath my taps go dry. So, that is the type of economy that we are practising
today. Everybody cannot afford to have a bath everyday in Bangalore. Then
Bangalore will go dry. But what is it that we are having? Some privileged people
like me have three baths a day. But there are millions of people who cannot have
a bath throughout the year excepting a few holy occasions. So this type of
economy is what we are practising today, not an egalitarian economy. Gandhi had
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a solution to this. That solution is the Sarvodaya economy in which even the last
man is being looked after. So much so, Gandhiji called it also Panthyodaya, as
even the last man would be looked after. That is where everybody gets enough to
live a comfortable life. So, that is the type of economy we can have. That is the
type of economy we can practise. And for practising this, Gandhiji said, "Anytime
you are faced with a problem, I will give you a talisman which will protect you."
What is the talisman? He said, "Bring before your mind’s eye the poorest, weakest
man’s face. Ask yourself if the state you are taking is to be of any use to him? Is
there any profit for him in it? Will this bring him a control over his life and his
future? In other words, does your strength bring self-rule to this poor, to the
spiritually deprived? If you ask these questions, doubt and selfishness will vanish.
You will see clearly".
There is a famous statement in one of our scriptures which says, "For the sake of
a family, if there is one bad element in the family, throw him out. And for the sake
of one village, if there is one bad family, throw it away. To protect the whole
country, if there is one bad village, throw that village away, sacrifice it. But, for the
sake of the individual you should be able to give up the whole world (?). Then only
you will be able to find happiness". So that is the type of philosophy that is being
practised by our country. And globalisation and liberalisation should be on our
own terms. Globalisation and liberalisation should be able to go to the last man. In
fact, Gandhiji called it the economy of Sarvodaya, that is, the uplift of the whole
country, not of one individual. And that should be our aim. And that can be
practised, globalisation and exploitation of the whole world, for the sake of
everybody. That is the type of thing that can be accepted.
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"The Sabbath was made for man, not man
for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27)"
Thus Jesus revolutionized the whole religious practice of the Jews by turning the
religion upside down, by making the religion of Israel, and for that matter, the
culture and the politics of Israel, subject to the welfare of individual human beings.
This is further illustrated in another instance. A women was caught red handed in
the act of adultery. As per the Jewish religious law, she should be stoned to death.
People brought this women before Jesus for his judgement. Jesus instead of
passing a judgement on her, asked one from those among the crowd who has
committed no sin to stone her. Not one of them dared to stone her. One by one all
of them slipped off leaving Jesus and the women behind. Jesus sent her away
with the advice not to sin any more.
Jesus’ parable of "Unto the last", the parable of labourers in the Vineyard, shows
that justice is meted out to all people not according to their merits, but according to
their needs. The needs of all people should be met — that is the criterion for our
actions.
On a sabbath day, people brought a man with a withered hand to Jesus. The
Jews standing there were waiting to see, if Jesus would heal him, so that they
may accuse him of breaking the sabbath law and stone him to death. Knowing
their mind, Jesus asks them a question.
"Is it lawful on the sabbath to do good, or to do harm, to
save life or to kill?" (Mark 3:4)"
The Jews had no answer; so Jesus goes ahead and heals that man showing
thereby “doing good and saving life" are the criteria for all our actions.
Thus the Biblican revelation shows us very clearly that the welfare of every human
being is the criterion for all our actions. No individual can be bypassed or ignored.
A process of globalization which marginalizes and discards a number of people
cannot be accepted from the Christian perspective.
Globalization and Particularism in Tension
In the Bible we see a movement from the Global perspective to the particular,
nationalistic perspective.
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The Bible starts with the story of creation and it tries to explain how the global,
universal human family had its beginning. It goes on to tell about the origin of
different races, peoples, languages and nations and thus move on to a particular
nation and the people “Israel". Israel, a group of men and women, bonded slaves
in Egypt, who were once “no people", became "a people" and soon came to be
known as the nation Israel.
Israel believed that Yahweh their God had a special concern for them, that he
cared for them and protected them over against other peoples. This led some
among them to believe in a narrow exclusivism, to believe Yahweh is exclusively
their God and that Yahweh had a special concern just for them alone, that he
cared for them alone over against other nations and peoples.
This exclusivistic tendency in Israel has been protested against a religious
thinkers in Israel. The typical example of this is the account given in the Book of
Jonah. The Assyrians were the traditional enemies of Israel. In 721 BC the
Assyrians destroyed Samaria and took a large number of the Israelites as
captives in exile. Ever since then the Israelis hated the Assyrians bitterly.
According to the Book of Jonah, the prophet Jonah was commissioned by God to
carry a message to the people of Assyria — the message that unless they repent
of their sins they will be destroyed. Jonah, a typical Israelite did not want the
repentance of the Assyrians, their enemy, and their salvation. So he refuses to go
to Assyria and preach there. So, God reveals to him and shows him how much he
loves and cares for the Assyrians just as he cares for the Israelites. He takes pity
on the large number of innocent people in Assyria. God loves and cares for even
the enemies of Israel. This indeed was a strong protest against the narrow
exclusivistic tendency in Israel.
Many in Israel thought that their election as a special people was an election for
privilege, for special blessing. This was challenged by prophets. Election was not
an election for privilege, but an election for responsibility. Israel as a chosen
people has a responsibility for other peoples. Prophet Isaiah (Deutero Isaiah) thus
sees global, universal mission for Israel. According to him Israel is given "as a
covenant to the people, a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blinded, to
bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in
darkness" (Isaiah 42:6). Israel is given "as a light to the nations" that God’s
salvation "may reach to the end of the earth" (49:6).
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The same message is reiterated by Jesus Christ. The Christian Community is
compared with salt and light. Like the salt, the Christian community is called to lose
its external identity and to dissolve and disappear in mixing with others in the
community, in serving the wider community. Like the light the Christian community
has to shine before the world, bringing salvation to the word.
According to the Christian perspective, particularism and universalism are to be in
constant creative tension. Both have to feed into each other. A particularistic
approach without a global, universalistic perspective is in the danger of becoming
exclusive and narrow. A global approach with no relation to the local and the
particular is also in the danger of marginalising and discarding, large sections of
people. The global and the particular should therefore be always in creative
tension informing each other, caring for each other and challenging and correcting
each other.
The Least and the All in the Global Order
God, as the God of all people, shows his concern for the salvation and welfare of
all people. The Biblican vision for the future is a new heaven and new earth in
which all nations and peoples are gathered. God’s house "shall be called a house
of prayer for all peoples" (Is.56:7). God’s salvation should reach the end of earth,
and all people should become heirs of God’s salvation.
This concern for the global and the universal should not blind the eyes of people
to see the needs of the individual and the particular. God’s concern is more for the
least and the lost. Jesus Christ came to seek and save the last. As a good
shepherd who leaves behind his 99 sheep and goes after the one sheep which
was lost, God also goes after the salvation of the least and the lost in the
community. Until salvation reaches the lost and the least, God does not rest
content.
The care for the least and the all, one and all, is what Christianity advocates.
Christianity therefore protests against the marginalization and exclusion of a large
section of people in the process of globalization. Christian concern is for a global
order where every individual enjoys the God given heritage fully, because all
belong to one global family.
The ideal condition of life is described by prophet Micah as follows —
"they shall sit every man under his vine and
under his fig tree, and none shall make them afraid"
(Micah 4:4)"
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The ideal condition of life is that in which every individual lives in freedom of
contentment with no fear.
People’s Participation in the Construction of a World Order
The Bible condemns the attitude of any one nation or people who claim to create
a one world order for others.
The Bible speaks of the story of the tower of Babel where people tried to build a
city and a tower with its top reaching the heavens in order that they may make a
name for themselves (Gen.11). God did not approve to their plans, thwarted it and
scattered them over the earth. Any nation or people attempting to build a world
order in order that they may have a name is like those who wanted to build the
tower of Babel.
King Nebuchadnezzar is another example for arrogance of power. By building his
empire he arrogated himself to the level of God and he said to himself —
"Is not this great Babylon which I have built by my
mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory
of my majesty?" (Daniel 4:30)
While these words were still in the King’s mouth, he was reduced to the level of a
beast eating grasslike an ox.
A new world order is the concern of God. A new heaven and a new earth — God
is at work in and through human history. In this, he wants the participation of every
people and every nation. All people with the common concern of the welfare of all,
can work towards such a global order. In this process we participate in God’s work
of new creation, the creation of a new heaven and new earth, the creation of a
new world order.
■
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GLOBALIZATION AND ITS IMPACT ON LABOUR
— Ruth Manorama, Director, Women's Voice and a social activist.
conomic reforms have integrated the Indian Economy into the world Economy
through market mechanisms. Although international flow of goods,
technologies and particularly finance, have grown rapidly in the past two decades,
the national economies of the world are far from constituting a single economic
system and far from being closely integrated by global markets. International
differences in production technology, capital availability, goods prices
especially factor prices and living standards remain large and persistent.
E
The growing of global transactions has been strongly associated with national and
international economic restructuring. In the North this is traceable to the
unravelling of the ‘Fordist’ regime of production and accumulation that under
pinned a quarter century of high economic growth. While in the South it is
additionally due to the debt crisis accompanied by creditor conditionalities
pushing for so called globalisation. The increased mobility of capital together with
a sharp rise in world wide unemployment and informalization in the periphery
define the environment within which this restricting has occurred. Thus moves
towards liberalization and global integration, define the central tendency in the
North and South alike.
1980’s — India
In the 1980’s the world economy was hit by skyrocketing oil prices, second high
level interest rates and the collapse of many primary commodity prices. In this
hostile economic environment many developing countries experienced acute
balance of payment problems, which were generally accompanied by high
Government budget deficism and inflation. This led them to rely on assistance
from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) in the
form of loans. However such loans carry certain conditionalities in respect to
trade and price politics, the size and structure of government expenditure and
the extent of government controls on production. Hence the Structural
Adjustment Programme (SAP) in most of the developing countries came as a
result of economic crisis in the late 1970’s and early 80s.
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During the first few years of the 1980's it became clear that the recession was not
of a short term, cyclical nature that would work itself out within a short time frame.
The structure of the industrialized economics gradually changed, and the
objectives of the economic policy shifted in a way which made it less likely that
rapid growth of production and employment would resume in the near future. To
safeguard incomes and employment amidst these dramatic changes in the world
economy, developing countries had to adjust. ‘Structural Adjustment’ became
the order of the day, replacing such slogans of 1970’s "basic needs" or growth
with equity.
The structural adjustment programme is defined as an adaptation to change in the
environment. The term structural relates to anything that is not "Short term".
‘Structural adjustment’ refers to changes in macro economic policies
appropriate to enable the enterprise to compete in an internationally competitive
environment. An ILO document describes structural adjustment as not a
development objective in itself like meeting basic needs of alleviating poverty. It is
a means by which those development goals can be reached in an environment
which keeps changing all the time.
The response and effect on the ‘structural’ vary from country to country depending
upon socio-economic structures, political administrative aspects, the severity of
crisis, the intensity of foreign pressures and the interplay of the contending
groups. In most African and Latin American Countries, policy changes occurred
due to continued economic crisis because of the weaknesses in the early policy
on management and pressure exerted by creditor countries, commercial banks,
international financial agencies and tran national corporations. In the 1980’s the
South East Asian countries were among the first to adopt this change.
According to Jain the SAP could be classified into that of short term or medium
term. The first one is stabilising policies which is intended to correct lapses and
put the house in order in the short term. The second structural reforms are
intended to accelerate growth over the medium term.
The principal features of this packages are :
a Integration of the economy into world economy
b Curbing the role of the state in the economy as enhanced regulatory role of the
IMF
29
c Allowing the market forces to play a great role
Shot term goals is to stabilize the economy and control the balance of payment
crisis. Long term goal is to bring about structural adjustment which is achieved by
o
□
□
o
a
□
a
□
Opening the economy to foreign goods and capital
Devaluation of currency
Unlimited export promotion
Cuts in investment in public sector and privatisation of existing public sector
forms
Cut in expenditure in social sectors, welfare and employment generation
aspects
Reducing subsidies on food and fertilizers
Freeing of industrial sector from Government control
Strict control of money supply by :
i
Deregulation of prices of goods and services
ii
Opening doors to multinational corporations
ill
Liberalization of foreign unjust policies
1 Arun Ghosh, a former member of the planning commission says that the
globalisation of the Indian economy in terms laid down by the SAP, will benefit
only some 10 to 15% of the population, infact the same people who had
benefited from the liberalization region of the 80’s.
2 Suresh D. Tendulkar, a Prof in Delhi school of economics categories the
privileged beneficialism of the old economic policies on the industrialised in the
organised sector, the Skilled Professionals, Central State Government
Employees, industrial workers (both public and private sector) bank
employees and rich farmers. The victims are the lapless users and consumers
of goods and services produced in the organised reformal. In the process, the
unorganised segment of the economy was herring squeezed and exploited.
The first phase of economic liberalization in India began with SDR 5 billion loan
IMF. This loan was conditional on an adjustrat programme. As a result of these
condition the government 1. Liberalised import, 2. Regulated price controls, 3.
Deregulated industrial production, 4. Oriented industrialization towards export
market and tore down budgetary support for the public sector. Initiated in 1980
and consolidated in 1985, the new policy regime had significant effects on the
economy.
30
THE EFFECTS OF GLOBALISATION ON THE
ORGANISED SECTOR
— Prof. Babu Mathew, National Law School, Bangalore
agree with every single word that Ruth Manorama has already presented before you.
So I want to begin my presentation with an endorsement of her understanding of
globalisation and its impact upon labour. I am extremely happy that she has reflected both
upon the organised sector and on the unorganised sector. And I must also point out to you
that, fortunately, we have been on common platforms on earlier occasions. And that is a
result of realisation in the country that the impact of globalisation, the new economic
policy, really cuts across all old barriers that existed.
I
I want to focus upon what I think are a few key issues in relation to the present session
that reflects upon the globalisation process. The first point that I want to convey is that
when one reflects upon the impact of globalisation either on the organised or on the
unorganised sector, it is not only on those human beings engaged in the sale of their
labour power, but also on all those engaged in activity that revolved around this
organisational work. From that point of view, every major development has been a kind of
crisis that has developed on the ideological front. As a result of collapse of socialism, as a
result of the triumph of the market forces, as a result of the emergence of the unipolar
world, as a result of free market creating an impression that everything else has to be now
washed away, there is an ideological crisis. And that ideological crisis comes through as if
socialism is dead. I want to emphatically say that we do not agree to this understanding.
One need to reflect upon what happened to the socialist block. Undoubtedly one variety of
socialism has collapsed. And it is extremely important that we go on to an analysis of what
that particular variety of socialism was. Because, if we fail to do so, then the popular
impression is that socialism is over. This is far from true. The essentials of socialism are
very different from what is popularly associated with socialism. In the Indian context,
socialism simply means that everybody must have a job, that everybody must get a
decent wage, that everybody's basic needs of life must be satisfied. And that shall be the
priority. These elements put together constitute the basics of socialism. In the
globalisation, as I understand, this agenda has no meaning left. Therefore, looking at the
whole ideological framework as it then existed, and getting rid of the dogma associated
with the earlier understanding of socialism, I think it is extremely crucial to the entire
process that lies ahead.
From this point of view, I like to say that we must draw lessons from the collapse of
socialist bloc, lessons based upon the primary premise that one variety of socialism has
collapsed and that there are ever so many other forms of socialism which can be tried out
at the level of humankind. In this context, I think that the Soviet experience, the eastern
bloc's experience, has revealed to us a few things :
1. That the whole process of transformation through the planned economy has major
limitations. This would mean that one should reassess the role of the market. I am
(S?-/ DO
05125
entering into something a bit controversial. And I must caution that I cannot develop it
adequately for lack of time. Therefore, please do not draw any hasty conclusions about
what I want to say. What I want to submit is that there are market signals originating in
any process of economic development. And these market signals can be easily
converted into a socially useful institution in order to supplement or even substitute
everything which was sought that the defence of socialism even today means the
defence of concentrated, centralised, elaborate, exhaustive, planned socialism in this
present context. There are many economists in our country who have reflected upon
this process and tried to suggest that some elements of the market, signals from the
market, can be converted into socially useful instruments provided the market is used
under your control, provided we do not become a slave of the market. How to override
the market? How to regulate the market? In otherwords, it does not mean the
withdrawal of the state from all economic activity. It will require a form of intelligent
intervention of the state where you use the market as a kind of a prime mover. But
don’t allow it the freedom to run amok. If you allow it the freedom the free marketeers
want, the result is very clear. Not just now, it was historically clear. Even those who
founded economic theories based on the free market have already admitted that.
2. The next thing that I want to touch upon is that associated with the earlier form of
socialism was the idea that state-ownership is the most superior form of ownership.
The Soviet Union transformed itself that way. And after the revolution two things
happened: One on the agrarian front and the other on the industrial front. Some of you
may be interested to take note of the fact that Lenin prepared something called 'Draft
Thesis on the Agrarian Question'. And the key part of that agrarian analysis was that
private property in agriculture must be respected and recognised. This comes from
Lenin’s Draft Thesis. But then, during the period of Stalinisation that was completely
rejected and collectivisation of agriculture and the agrarian economy was resorted to.
And it had to be done in such a cruel manner that all distortions and all the forces
discrediting socialism arose from them.
In relation to industry, however, the Soviet Union thought that the only way is state
ownership and so all forms of private ownership of productive, industrial capital were
abolished at one stroke. But there was a major crisis that developed and, even at that
point of time, there were unsettled debates. If private ownership of the means of
production of industrial capital is abolished, what is the alternate ownership pattern? They
just blindly went ahead with state ownership. And state ownership has again collapsed
totally.
Therefore, the one question that I would call the friends of socialism to ponder upon is : Is
state ownership the only form of ownership so far as socialism is concerned? I make it
very clear, there is no question of the private ownership becoming the solution. Now, if
you do not evolve an alternative to state ownership, then we are doomed to go back to
private ownership as if that were the only alternative available. New forms of ownership
and new forms of management will have to constitute one cardinal component of the new
socialism that we want. And that is not just limited to the area of industrial production. It
covers every walk of life. Not only the productive sphere, but even the service sector. So it
31b
would cut across industry, it would go into the agrarian sector. I don’t think the problem of
marginal farmers and agricultural labourers and small farmers and the scheduled castes
and the scheduled tribes and the backward communities and the minorities can ever be
tackled in this country without thinking in terms of new forms of ownership and new forms
of management. And here the obstacle would be a certain kind of dogmatic understanding
of what we already have.
Along with this is the whole world Bank’s tirade against us. And it is a very loaded
infiltration into every walk of our life. If you attend, at random, ten programmes in the city
of Bangalore - you look at the engagement column and go to World Bank's approach as
the only approach. And here is ideological bankruptcy on the part of us who constitute
social activism, intelligentia and activists put together. We are not able to make a mark on
this. Our protests are not enough. One needs to go to a higher level of ideology on this
question. And the World Bank’s package is highly researched. Extremely competent
people from all corners of the world are drawn together, paid fabulous salaries not only
during employment and even after employment. Manmohan Singh is already a pensioner
of the World Bank. Montek Singh Ahluwalia lasts beyond governments; he is the
permanent figure in the finance ministry. The Indian bureaucracy has been infiltrated by
the World Bank. The top secretaries of the government of India are already the paid
employees of the present or the future World Bank. So, the level of the ideological assault,
is not a theoretical assault, it is getting into every single measure. And the revolutionary
intelligentia of which we are all parts - we have abdicated our role; we have got into
intellectual sterility. And I think there we need to really pool in all our resources in order to
put some things into an acceptable common package along which we must march
forward.
Another major tactic of the World Bank - not just the World Bank but the unholy trinity
combining, the World Bank, the IMF and the WTO, they are the ones who rule the world.
They are determined to destroy the United Nations Organisation. They do not like any UN
related agencies - be it the WHO or the ILO or the UNICEF or the UNESCO or the UNDP
or the Centre against multinationals. Every single UN agency is scheduled to be shut
down. If Boutros - Boutros Gali’s candidature is not appreciated by the Americans, it is
because he has not totally prostrated before them. They don’t want him to be the next
Secretary General. They would like to have their man, as decided in the security council,
to be the next Secretary General. Their agenda at the top is dissolution of the UN. They
cannot tolerate an ounce of democracy and yet they bomb countries in the name of
democracy. So their double standard in every walk of life is absolutely incorrigible,
unbearable and yet there is not sufficient anger from the third world.
And India is a great culprit. Many poor countries in the world always look forward to India’s
leadership. On the CTBT we have taken a high and mighty position. What were we doing
in the WTO? Really, we have conducted a havoc across the world. Many third world
countries even today say, "When the WTO debate was at its pinacle, we were looking to
India. And India betrayed us!" And I tell you, friends, this trail was partly inevitable
because this great intelligentia or the bureaucracy was unprepared for the task. A
colleague of mine from the National Arts School who is an expert in the Intellectual
31c
Property Rights had an occasion to interact with the top bureaucracy of the government of
India. And he was surprised to hear the report that they were utterly, professionally
incapable of meeting the onslaught coming from the developed world. Because, on every
single thing they had, their plans worked out.
And one of their strategies is to put us into compartments. If you fight for child labour,
there you shall be. They will direct the entire debate, set the agenda, push you into the
next agenda - all within that sectorial compartmentalisation. This is the new might of the
WB. If Ruth is in unorganised labour, it will see that it prevents the coming together of
Ruth and me. If I am in the organised labour, it will somehow put me against the
unorganised labour. If you are working with agricultural labour it will tell you to find a
solution only in relation to that. The cross connections which are the part of the historical
heritage of human kind as a result of the advance of social sciences are sought to be
completely betrayed. And it is very difficult, I tell you, to participate in an intelligent debate
today, because all the key factors, the chair persons already come with this premise:
"Look, we take for granted liberalisation. Within the framework of liberalisation, what
safety net can you devise? How can you protect people? How can you add a little money
into the budget for poverty alleviation?" This is the framework that is prescribed.
Therefore, if I want to narrow down on one thing it is this: namely, today, at the source is
ideological stagnation from our end, ideological bankruptcy from our end and ideological
aggressiveness from the side of the enemy. It is in that setting that one speaks on any
issue like that, and I would rank that to be the foremost effect of globalisation on any
sectoral of economic or social or cultural activity in India.
Ruth was mentioning the beauty contest. This morning we were invited to the
Seshadripuram College. I believe there are 12000 students in that one institution. How
they run that, I don’t know. One class room was full and it was full to the brim.
And students had come at 6.30 in the morning, we started speaking at 12.00 and they
would not let us go even at 2.30. Every single speaker, without exception, was in favour of
the beauty contest. Their notion of beauty is completely as dished out by the mass media.
But I must tell you that the young student of the age group of 16 to 18 listened with rapt
attention to the exact opposite point of view. They listened with rapt attention. And what
struck me was their whole Policy formulation on their whole mental making is ill informed!
They don't have an opportunity to know the other point of view. And if only you can
convey it to them, there is still a great deal of hope. And if you can move to the
semi-urban and the rural section of India, there is no difficulty. They will sit for hours and
listen to you. We are failing in our ability to put all these resources together and reachout
to them and, thereby, surrendering all these potential areas to the enemy.
Having said this much, let me touch upon one more thing: the WB’s agenda. In very many
important areas, the new terminology they create and the ideology that is there behind the
terminology - they pretent as if it is a new political approach. One such terminology that
strikes me is involuntary resettlement and voluntary resettlement. Once it is a voluntary
resettlement, none of us have any role - because it is voluntary. And what is this voluntary
resettlement? It is due to unbearable economic pressure. If it pushes some people out,
marginalises them and throws them into the street, takes them away from one locality and
31d
throws them into the ocean - that is voluntary resettlement! So, on voluntary resettlement
there should be no negotiation, no debate no discussion. About involuntary resettlement,
let us see how the state should behave in an involuntary resettlement. But the premise
underlying resettlement is that you must take for granted that policy is the right one and
that it shall have to be imposed.
Take child labour. Government statistics say we have 20 million. Other independent
analysis say there are 100 million children in the labour force. And those 100 million come
from the reserve of SC, ST, other BC minorities - especially the muslim minority and
artisans, the lowest section of the Indian Population. There is no doubt about what
structural adjustment is doing to them; they are clearly being pauperized. The first process
is pauperization which is inevitably followed by migration. They have to come in search of
a job to the city. And child labour migrates along with the family or sometimes leaves the
family and seeks its own fortune. You enter into debate with any of these guys. They don't
want to discuss the cause of child labour.
They will endlessly discuss how to rehabilitate child labour - how to do this and how to do
that. You talk about the cause and they get so irritated. They come to our country and
they behave so arrogantly. And their premises, you know: "Bunch of Indians, fools who
don’t know how to run their economy! It is only a question of efficiency. Better learn from
us. We have got the models; we have got the paradigms, we have got everything. Only
you guys must look at us and learn. Throw away your prejudice. And then child labour will
be finished". You tell them, "Your own structural adjustment programme is causing the
child labour", they don't want to listen to that. That’s uncomfortable. So this is the type of
situation in which we are. And from that I mean - we have no doubt from the organised
labour movement - that the structural adjustment programme is causing havoc.
Let me pause and be more honest. In the trade union movement, the major tragedy has
been that every central trade union organisation has been an attorney of a central political
party. And unfortunately the main stream political parties, as Ruth just pointed out, all
subscribe to globalisation, liberalisation and the new economic policy. There may be some
marginal critique of it. The common minimum programme is the continuation of Narasimha
Rao’s and Manmohan Singh’s new economic policy. Chidambaram did not mince words.
He said that what he could not do as commerce minister he will finish as finance minister.
So there is no doubt in that regard. It is a thrust continuing in that direction. Well, I agree
with Ruth; there is scope for greater intervention. I think Ruth herself has manifested that
there are opportunities which must be utilised. And everyone of us must use that
opportunity - but in terms of a thrust. In otherwords, they will not tackle the root problem;
they will aggravate the causes. The whole sickness will come out in much greater
magnitude. And then we will apply some balm to it. And in that regard, yes, Deve Gowda
will listen to us and all the others will listen to us and pretend that something or the other
may happen. So, that is the period in which we are living. This means we have to mobilise
social forces which are outside the mainstream political parties not in order to arrogantly
reject them, but in order to consolidate our strength - because there is no other way of
effecting a dialogue with them. So there is this primary responsibility today that those who
think in terms of people in India below the poverty line must be united in a new social
31e
formation where the social movements will have a leading role and the NGOs will have
the supporting role. And that kind of a process with the support of every kind of group
must necessarily be mobilised in the coming days.
In terms of what is happening to organised labour, the most predominant phenomenon is
closure of industries. Sickness! As on date more than 4 lakh manufacturing units in India
closed. And everyday, the number is increasing. And there is no estimate of the number of
workers who have lost their jobs. And the social tragedy that follows this kind of job loss is
far more accentuated than the social tragedy accompanying unemployment. When one is
used to a particular standard of life - one has migrated to Bangalore; one has taken a
rented house; one has started buying milk; one has started paying rent; one has started
sending the child to school; one has bought a TV; one has got some minimum consumer
items •- suddenly income stops indefinitely. And as for the labour laws and as for the trade
union movements we had answers to everything on the labour front. But, when it comes to
this, we have no answer; we don't know what to do. If the factory is closed and the
employer is not there, what can the labour law do? Of course, even now when one bends
backward and searches for legal remedies one will find India still has the best range of
labour law remedies in the world. And therefore the WB cannot stand it or stomach it.
And one major ideological offensive with which they started was to dilute all labour laws in
India. We have more than a hundred pieces of labour legislation emenating from the
central government and hundreds more from each state government. Today we have a
huge stock pile of labour laws supplemented by very well developed, reasonably
progressive supreme court decisions. And that which we call labour law jurisprudence is
the rich heritage of the Indian working class. I only feel sorry that sometimes it may not be
sympathetically looked at. But to those of you who may be in that category I appeal not to
be uncharitable to this. The labour jurisprudence is a great, people’s achievement which
started in the year 1920. Well, more than 75 years of toil and labour has gone into it. And
the majority of those who contributed to these processes were extraordinary people who
lived almost below the poverty line, whose social habits were very Gandhian though they
belonged often to the communist party, who fought bitter struggles, who challenged the
state, who suffered unprecedented repression. Existing social movements have not seen
that type of social repression, state repression, that the old movement saw. That is why I
say, "Don’t be unsympathetic to that part of the working people’s history". I just recollect
one thing. When a communist leader used to be caught in Malabar, nails would be driven
along the parting in the hair calling that the communist path of revolution. And that is how
torture used to take place. All excruciating forms of torture had been tried. But then they
did not give up. So, that is a fund of wealth and achievement of the toiling people.
And above all let me tell you, one difference that I see between the NGOs and the social
movement is this: an NGO cannot multiply without fresh foreign investment; a movement
multiplies on its own, through the internal strength of the people. And that is how the mass
movements of India were built. And thousands and lakhs of people have benefited from
that path.
Do you know the strength of the agricultural workers' movement in Kerala? There is not
yet another country in the world where on part of land reform legislation was 100%
31f
implemented. That is ‘Kudi-kidathuvar’. In Tamil Nadu and Kerala it is the same
expression. Land to all! The dwelling sites! Five cents of land! And there is a high quality
of life in Kerala, which UN agencies have been forced to recognise. It revolves around the
five cents of land; there is a hutment; there are five coconut trees. And along that, human
dignity was built. Of course, many other things contributed to the quality of life in Kerala not the least among which are education, social movement, social reform movement and
politicisation. But don’t think that politicisation in Kerala is to be equated with literacy
movement. Certainly, literacy helped. But I know - in my childhood I have seen - illiterate
people would sit with one literate guy and tell that guy, “Read out the newspaper. We
want to know what is happening". That is political consciousness of a different order. And
so, it is a combination of all these. Thus, you know, we belong to another generation in a
sense that we come from another stream. And I appeal to this stream to which I also
belong in quite a large measure, though I shared the part of the other stream also. My
appeal to this stream is that we must go now inorder to join hands with the other stream.
And that cannot happen by merely asking for a dialogue. Then we are on the wrong path.
There are a lot of problems that come with obstacles. Therefore there is a tremendous
need for these forces, of which there are excellent representatives in this group, to come
together and build something on the basis of which the dialogue can happen.
Well, I don’t think this is the appropriate occasion to go into a number of things related to
the impact of globalisation on the organised labour. But, I must tell you, one sad
development has been demoralisation in the trade unions. I think this is an occasion on
which facts and truth must also be shared. Because what we need is sympathy for each
other in the coming days. And this demoralisation has originated from closures. The
demoralisation, in my opinion, is disproportionate to the volume of closures. If 4 lakh units
were closed, then if there is a unit by which demoralisation could be closed, then if there is
a unity which demoralisation could be measured, it is atleast 10 times or 20 times more
than the number of units that were closed. So there is a crisis. One needs to have a
different response to it. Of course there is the problem of rationalisation. Above all the
capital is undergoing rapid transformation. Capital has taken on a new mobility - all in
search of profits and more profits.
So the latest problem that we are confronted with is that not only loss-making units are
getting closed down, but profit making units have started closing down. Why? Because
the urge is for more profits. There is no limit to the greed for profits among the capitalists.
We all know that; that is the prime mover. So profit-making units want to make more
profits. That is why they find closing down the factory is the easiest way, sub-contracting
is the easiest way, farming out is the easiest way. So they start producing the same
products in another place and permanent labour loses its employment. And there is a lack
of sympathy for a permanent labour.
This lack of sympathy is not alright. Whatever they gained,they gained as a result of long
years of trade union work. The popular opinion is that unorganised labour and organised
labour are antithetical to each other. So there is absence of sympathy when an organised
labourer loses his job. But, I know, women have become prostitutes after their husbands
lost their jobs, and after their husbands committed suicide. I know such a worker by his
31g
name and therefore I know the family. And if the women turned to that state of affairs, it is
only in order to save her children. The social tragedy that takes place is unbearable.
Our policy makes often talk about growth. And when they come to face the ballot, then
they add to growth, social justice. We are not asking for growth with social justice. We
ask, "Can there be growth through social justice? Can there be a restructuring of Indian
economy in a manner in which the restructured economy becomes the basis for the
generation of the new world?"
Let me, for a moment, talk about the argument within the SAP. I reject SAP. But, just for
the sake of argument, let me accept the broad frame of SAP and point out that the type of
structural adjustment that India has adapted is a blind replication of the WB’s structural
adjustment programme. Uncritically how could this great nation do that after it had the
experience of both the market process and the planning forces? We have the public
sector and the private sector. Garbachev’s great dream and struggle was to bring back
the private sector and keep it within the control of the public sector.
Those had become slaves of globalisation and liberalisation and market forces. Within
that paradigm there is a charter which smaller countries have already adopted. And why
should this great country surrender to them? And as a result, the impact of SAP on India,
that is the blind package of the WB - has been disasterous. It is disasterous to the
organised working class in every single respect.
Friends, I want to conclude by saying that the major disease in the trade union was
something which was long ago identified as economism. That is, continuously fighting for
economic gains without raising the political question. We were guilty of it. Though
theoretically we understood that was the wrong path in practice one could not change it.
And if we could not change it, the single most important reason is the failure to build
alliances of people. Therefore in the coming era, lots of alliances will have to be built. And
in that alliance - let me humbly submit to you the experience of the organised working
class movement is a rich experience of struggle, of understanding, of politics, of
organisation. That by itself cannot make a break through. That will have to be combined
with new social forces. I think such a possibility certainly does exist. Whereas the agenda
is deunionisation. But in order to fight this - workers understand and respond and are
willing to join hands with any new initiative. The obstacle is the trade union bureaucracy. It
is not only a bureaucracy it is also a gerontocracy. The youngest national leader must
have crossed the age of retirement five or ten years ago. So, that is the tragedy of the
Indian trade union movement. And with these obstacles looming large, new alliances
within the trade union movement and across various working people have to be built. And
this process is happily on. This is not yet sufficient to attract public attention but sufficient
in order to be recognised as a significant process.
I must conclude by saying that myself and Ruth and many people in this group, happily,
are part of that search and that struggle. And there is progress in it.
Therefore, there is no need for pessimism. Only we need to reassess, reunite and really
go forward with many more things to do.
31h
Tho S.adjustment programme in India could be summarised
Fiscal Policy
Trade Policy
Industrial Policy
Financial Policy
Agricultural Policy
Poverty Alleviation Policy
In India SAP has two aims: to reduce twin deficits on the balance of payment as
the state budget, structural change of the economy in the area of trade, industry,
foreign investment, public sector and other financial sectors among others, so as
to transform into a market friendly system and to accelerate the globalization
process.
The new economic policy and SAP greatly affects the interests of the labour and
trade unions. Issues such as 1. Changes in Labour Policy, 2. Employment
implications, 3. Technology upgradation and modernization, 4. Closures of
enviable sick unions, 5. Labour adjustment, 6. Privitisation etc. threatens the
infant of labour. When the new economic policy measures were announced in
1991, the business community welcomed the Government Measures. On the
other hard working class and trade unions expressed their unhappiness over the
issues.
Changes in labour policy
1
Industrial policy in India moves towards stricter regulation while industrial
relation policy has become increasingly soft.
for ex. Industrial Disputes Act 194 — to reduce the period of notice under
section 9. Prior permission of lay of: Prior fore retrenchment and closures
should be deleted.
2 Employment Issues: 4.17 lakh workers are employed in the 58 chronically
sick unit in the central public sector which are initially identified for closure
competitiveness in technology.
Privatisation: absence of appropriate safeguards may lead to erosion of wages
and employment security.
st
THE PANEL SESSION
The Chairperson: Prof Babu Mathew
Prof. National School of Law, Bangalore. Active member of a number of People’s Movements.
think the objective of this session is to pull out the important issues that came
across during yesterday’s deliberations. The panelists who are here will present,
from their perspective, the main issues that came up yesterday and around those
issues they will reflect. These reflections will also form the base for group
discussions in the afternoon.
I
When I read this folder of MAITRI, on the front page there is a small paragraph. I
am totally in agreement with what is stated in that paragraph. And I want to add
that many of us across the country, all over India, have got together to form
something called the National Alliance of People’s Movement. That movement
came out of Narmada Bachao Andolan, and it came into contact with many other
similar movements across the country, now NAPM is launched all over the
country. And I find, to my great surprise, that what is contained here is exactly the
agenda of the NAPM. That is to say, reflecting upon what is going on in the
country, there are many people thinking on identical lines. To put it in NAPM’s
language, we also are seeking to build alliances with people’s movements across
the country. We have said, we want a political platform. And we have identified
two key points for that political platform :
I
Opposition to communalism
II
Opposition to the New Economic Policy
In fact, you are a step ahead of what I have been talking of, because you are
engaged in positive work of building interfaith harmony which, 1 think, is
necessary. Often we talk of secularism and leave it at that. And secularism does
not grow in conditions of stagnation. It is communalism which grows in conditions
of stagnation. I extend my solidarity to what you have initiated. It is very good that
this process has begun.
32
Panel Presentation I
Prof Hassan Mansoor
President, PUCL, Bangalore.
umanism is common not only to religion but also to democracy. What
underlies faith and democracy is humanism. So, it is a cementing factor. In
fact, humanism encompasses all faiths and also transcends them. I am gratified to
note that the organizers of this consultation have chosen this title: Faith towards
Humanism, in the context of Globalisation. Here, I want to emphasize that our
perception of globalisation is that it is anti-humanistic. And, it is there the term
‘humanism’ is significant. Because, globalisation affects the poor, — the
marginalized, women and all those who have been, for centuries, persecuted,
victimized — the Dalits and the tribals. The globalisation process goes against the
very spirit of humanism.
I want to highlight the two objectives of this consultation and of the NAPM
(National Alliance of People's Movements), viz. 1. Opposition to any form of
communalism — I would rather call it fanaticism which grows under some faith or
the other. 2. Opposition to globalisation. Well, how are they related?
We are gathered here to forge bridges between communities and, at the same
time, we want the communities to come together in order to fight great evils like
globalisation. We find that the market forces find a ready ally not in the democratic
forces but in reactionary forces. And, these forces of reaction are found only in
fanatical groups. And, these forces of reaction are found only in fanatical groups.
For instance, the Western powers whose sole faith is in market forces and in
globalisation have as their allies, to start with the Muslim world, Saudi Arabia, the
Sheikdoms and Egypt which are far from democratic, and Algeria which is a kind
of military dictatorship. The sole objective of the market forces is profit, money
making. Faith is something alien to them. Their faith, if any, is in money and profit.
The faith that we are talking of is faith in values, which values consist in the
preciousness of human life. A life of dignity is most precious to the human person. It
is this dignity of human person that is targeted by the market forces. Whether it is
Pakistan or Saudi Arabia or the Middle East, all these are behind the market forces,
behind globalisation. Thus, communalism and globalisation have a kind of rapport.
All political parties, bereft of ideologies, are supporting globalisation. Who does
the globalisation process benefit? The beneficiaries of globalisation process are
the middle class. The market forces clearly state that their sole interest is the 200
million middle class in India. The other 700 million don't matter to them at all! This
shows the utter disregard for the overwhelming majority of this country. They have
H
33
no regard for human life. They have absolutely no concern for the poor, for the
discriminated, for the marginalised. That is where the cynicism of the market
forces lies. And, their ready allies are the most fanatical groups — in India too.
All political parties, devoid of ideological moorings, are all a party to the global
conspiracy. The tragedy of India, which calls itself democratic and socialist, is in
allowing groups that can talk of social justice only in words, but not in spirit. For
instance, I will just point out how the most fanatical communal outfit in the country,
which mouths a lot of slogans about self- reliance, Swarajya and so on, has at the
same time comes up with this slogan which was voiced by Dr Murali Manohar
Joshi: "We want not potato chips. We want computer chips." Thus, this party
wants computer chips on one hand, and Mandir on the other hand. How do you
relate Mandir and the computer chips? This only shows the close alignment
between globalisation and communalism in this country.
It is the 200 million middle class which is the harbinger of communalism. This is a
harsh truth which we have to face. I have been in the university for 40 years and I
have interacted with teachers and professors who have got their degrees from
USA, Canada and from countries in Europe. I found that they were all rooted in
old medieval thinking. Where is the scientific temper? Where are the democratic
ethos in this so called educated middle class? It is this middle class that
spearheads communal forces. It is the same middle class which is hell-bent on
prosperity, good living. And, the other 700 million in the country have to serve the
interests of these 200 million.
How does globalisation actually affect us? We have all read about the fishermen’s
strike all over the country. Imagine the log of millions of fish-workers who will go
without jobs, if deep-sea trawlers are allowed into our oceans, by our government.
Take land reforms, land is being sold to multinationals, while there is hunger,
among Dalits, for land. And, the tribals are being displaced from their forest to
make room for Taj Hotels, for tourism and what not.
The other day, I went to a place called Bhagyapalli. The people there told me that
globalisation has reached their doorstep. The lands near Bhagyapalli have been
bought up by multinationals! And agricultural lands are bought by big companies
to the effect our farmers are being displaced. Also, our farmers are told not to
grow wheat, not to grow ragi. Instead, they have to grow cash crops, they are told.
There are two ways of countering globalisation :
1
2
By strengthening the forces of democracy
By strengthening forces that stand for true faith, for true religion.
I don’t think any religion worth its name will stand for consumerism, for immoral
profiteering. Therefore, let us bear in mind, without humanism neither democracy
34
nor faith can mean anything. A large number of the people of India being deeply
religious, we have got to take into account their religions feelings. It is good to see
that the evil of globalisation goes against the spirit of religions like Hinduism,
Jainism, Buddhism, Christanity and Islam. Hence, no religion worth its name can
stand the kind of evil that globalisation is.
Certain Islamic forces and Hindutva forces claim, falsely, to fight globalisation.
This is nothing but a vote-catching device. I give you the latest example of Enron
in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena and the BJP came to power on the plank of
opposing Enron. But, the first thing they did after coming to power was to make
Enron’s entry absolutely legal. In their latest affidavit filed in Mumbai High Court,
they have said that their earlier allegations about Enron’s corrupt practices were
only based on newspaper reports. And, they did not produce a single evidence of
any newspaper report to that effect. This is only to say how the BJP and the Shiv
Sena’s claims to be opposing Enron were only false. Now, we find Enron is being
welcomed in Gujarath, Rajasthan, Delhi and in some other states.
We have to campaign against globalisation giving people local examples. For
instance, in Karnataka, we can talk to them about Cogentrix and its impact on the
fisherfolk, its impact on soil, water and air. And, about land reforms, the landless
are the most hit by land reforms; the landless people are invariably the Dalits and
tribals. Also, we have to expose the unholy nexus between the political parties
and the fanatical groups that pass for religious groups, because both these groups
are ready allies to globalisation forces. Things have to be explained in simple,
non-complex and non-technical words to the people.
What we have got to see, more than anything, is how these globalisation forces
secure their validity even from forces that are supposed to uphold our constitution
and our democracy. Please remember, the Enron project was okayed even by the
Mumbai Court, and later, even by the Supreme Court. Thus, such unholy projects
win easily clearance even from the judicial forces. And, about the Bhopal tragedy,
the Supreme Court has acquitted all the executives of the Union Carbide
company, who were accused of genocide. So, let us not cherish dreams about the
Indian judiciary being the upholder of justice in this country. Because, as people,
we are soverign. Neither the parliament nor the judiciary nor the so called political
parties is sovereign. It is the people who are sovereign. So, whenever the
parliament or the judiciary or the political parties falter, it is we who have to rise up
and say where they have gone wrong. Thus, I fully endorse Prof Basu Mathew’s
view that it is the people’s movement, people’s politics that should prevail over the
conventional political parties. Strengthening people’s aspirations, people’s
movements, people’s politics is the only way by which we can counter
globalisation forces that are unleashed in the developing countries.
35
Panel Presentation II
Ms Tabassum
A well known woman activist
look at globalisation as another form of recolonization of the third world
countries. Earlier, it was political colonization; now it is economic colonization. I
don’t see the bad effects of globalisation in the western countries. All the evil
effects, all the bad effects are found only in the poor third world countries. And, I
also see globalisation as another form of racism, a racial superiority which holds
that one white man is equal to a thousand non-white men. That is why they have
the audacity to suppress us with globalisation today and with something new
tomorrow. So, they are fighting with us trying to over power us through various
ways — economic, social, political and cultural ways.
I
Unfortunately for them, today, we have a big majority of people who can look
through this. Previously, we had welcomed them with open arms. They came in as
traders, they colonized us and, when we woke up, it was too late. But now, we
have woken up at the right time. And, we have to act a the right time.
The media today are playing a very important role in promoting globalisation. I
have yet to come across a news-paper which will frankly and openly look at our
own issues with our own eyes. As things stand now, If I want to understand
Hindus, I don’t look at the Hindu next door; I look at the Hindu through the media
report which is coming from the West. Similarly, if I want to understand Muslims, I
don’t look at the Muslim who is living next door — the Muslim who is living with me
for centuries. Right from AD 712, the Arabs came into scene. But, I look at the
Muslim only as the news-paper or magazines of the west tell me — that he is a
fool; he is a fanatic; he is an introvet and so on. We, Indians, have had the fine
opportunity of being together and living together, which no other country has had.
And yet, it is very unfortunate, we try to understand our neighbours not through
our first hand experiences, but through somebody else’ eyes. So, naturally, all our
perceptions are distorted and biased because we are not relying on our first hand
experiences; we are relying on hear say. This leads to lots of misunderstanding
and results in communalism.
We are fools who have studied neither our own cultures nor others’. We have not
been able to find out anything liberative in these cultures. We have only been
36
trying to find out what is wrong; we have never tried to find out what is right. We
have never tried to find out the tolerance aspect that is inbuilt in every culture.
It is the same old strategy of ‘divide and rule’ that the globalisation forces are
following today. They kindle communalism and see we are disunited — to their
advantage. That is how globalisation forces are overpowering all of us.
We will be able to fight globalisation by playing down our consumeristic and
materialistic tendencies. Basically, we, Indians, are not materialistic. We are more
inclined to asceticism. Many of us do not take note of this positive aspect of our
culture. We have become so blinded by the glitter of the West, by the
consumerism which is so rampant in the West that we have forgotten that there
are stabilizing factors in all faiths of India. And, we have gone on to take — what I
call satanic — consumerism which is ultimately going to deplete all the resources,
leading us to a point of no return. If only we adhere to our faith in its right
perspective, we become well-equipped to fight the non-faith, that is globalisation.
India, basically, is a god-obsessed country. We can take this godobsession and
use it in favour of mankind. We have to search for the tolerance aspect in our own
faiths, in our own cultures. When we look at our own cultures with our own eyes,
we can also look at other cultures with new vision. And, a binding together will
automatically stem the rot setting in.
Tolerance aspects are inbuilt in almost all faiths. In Islam, a Muslim has to believe
in ali the four books revealed by God. If you are a true Muslim, you have to
believe in all the prophets sent down by God, whose number is 175,000 and
more, and spread throughout the world. All knew that Buddha, Rama, Krishna
were all prophets; these prophets demand faith in them, Islam holds. Similar
tolerance aspects may be in other religions also. We should capitalize on such
tolerance aspects to keep communalism at bay. Because, if we fight with one
another, it is going to be advantageous to the enemy; we would be so exhausted
that he could have a royal ride over us.
At every point of time, during crises, in history, it has been always the people who
have to protect the country, to free the country. No power on earth, no weapon on
earth can defeat the people, the masses, when they rise in rebellion. Because,
they are the voice of truth. Now, there is the State’s withdrawal almost from every
field. The State is abdicating its responsibility to provide social security to the
37
people. And, globalisation is accelerating this process. Subsidies have been
reduced, subjecting people to starvation and misery. And, we call our country a
democratic, sovereign Republic of the people. But people have no value at all. It is
money which being valued.
In this context, in order to fight globalisation, we have to strengthen democracy by
joining people together through promotion of positive understanding and
appreciation of one another’s faith. Intimate, peaceful coexistence of people of
various faiths only will strengthen the country. Look at another’s culture to
strengthen and deepen your perception of your own culture. That will lead to
mutual acceptance of one another’s cultures. This approach will bind us and unite
us and facilitate the emergence of successful people’s movements. If there is
crack in any movement, anybody can widen the crack and split people. So, when
there are cracks, the movement will fail. Our aim should be to avert such a failure,
by educating ourselves about the need for tolerance, by uniting ourselves, by
having a common goal, by fighting together and, thus, by actively working for our
success. Only thus can we fight away globalisation forces and win for ourselves
true, real, lasting independence.
SOLIDARITY CONTRIBUTIONS ARE WELCOME !
The average cost of producing and mailing of this book-let
is of Rs. 25/- per copy. Readers are strongly encouraged to
contribute as a token of their solidarity. Copies can be
ordered from Maitri, Gollahlli (Via) Bethamangala, Bangarpet
Taluk, Kolar District Pin Code : 563 116, Karnataka, India.
Individuals, organisation and Institution willing to express
their solidarity and be part of MAITRI may also contact Sr.
Celerine, in the above address.
\___________________________________________________
38
Panel Presentation III
Fr Sambath Kumar
Asst. Director, NBCLC, Bangalore, Prof, of New Testament, UTC, Bangalore.
A
couple of weeks ago, I accompanied a group of students of Theology, from
UTC, to Tumkur. There the REDS brought to our notice the following :
□ Dalits’ land being grabbed by the rich
o Caste discrimination
□ Exploitation
o The need for local leadership to counter the above
Against the backdrop of these, we had our discussions. And, our deliberations
were as follows :
God has made an option in favour of the poor; the Bible abounds with evidences
to prove this. The Biblical concept of sin is the lack of or the absence of
compliance with this option of God’s. Jesus, too, made a clear option in favour of
the poor to the extent of being branded as anti-rich.
Out of our discussions, this question evolved: Is our option in favour of the poor or
in favour of the multinationals? This question is very relevant because we are in
the context of globalisation which authorises the multinationals to exploit, to
plunder the people — thus, exposing the poor to the cruel process of exploitation.
While globalisation is making its onslaught, religions are playing a havoc in the
society as they have done before. Religions are the cause of communalism and
discrimination and the subsequent fighting.
Today’s situation of a widening gap between the poor and the rich summons us to
make a clear option for the poor and fight out communalism, globalisation and
exploitation. It is capitalism which promotes exploitation of the poor by the rich.
Hence, we require a socialist model — of Indian origin, based on Indian ideologies
— to resist exploitation and to bring about an egalitarian society.
In the context of the above deliberations, I would like to raise a question which, I
think, is not impertinent. What is the role of MAITRI in the task of creating a new
society where equality of persons, respect for fellow humans and brotherhood are
upheld and where exploitation and discrimination are done away with?
39
Panel Presentation IV
Rev Moses Paul Peter
General Secretary, SCM, Bangalore.
would like to very briefly respond to one recurrent question that came up in the
panel presentations: "How do we promote that faith which can lead us towards
humanism?" I would like to respond to this question mainly from the students’
perspective, because I work among students.
I
In the late 1960s, the Hollywood produced a film titled: Jesus Christ — Super Star.
This popular film — popular among young people — highlighted the humanity of
Jesus. In my understanding, Jesus’ humanity was so transparent that through his
humanity his divinity was visible, because his humanity was marked by and
radiated humanism. Such humanism is vibrantly manifest in the lives of all
religious leaders.
Let me cite Mr Kushwant Singh who said that in India we fight in the name of
religions, kill in the name of religions, die for religions, but we never live by the
way religions want us to live. That is the major problem in our country. I am saying
this because globalisation has become a religion with market as a saviour. We
have made globalisation a religion projecting market as the messiah. Thus we
have made the ungodly and unholy things sacred; we have given up practice of
true faith, true religion. The problem lies with us. Today, we have failed in our
roles; we have failed to set models.
So, it is high time that we come together and think of new, relevant models which
our young people are seeking. In our practice of religion, in our leadership we
have miserably failed; we have failed to set models that the young people are
looking for. That has been very much disappointing them. Therefore, they would
rather go in for rock concerts and such other things than follow faiths that have
failed to promote humanism.
Hence, it is the need of the hour that we live true to our faiths the essence of
which is nothing but humanism.
40
Panel Presenatation V
The Dalit Bahujan Faith : A Challenge to Globalization
— S. LAZAR, Indian Social Institute, Bangalore
he speakers yesterday discussed at length the character and consequences
of globalization process in India and the relevant aspects in the teachings of
the three major religions viz. Islam, Hinduism and Christianity. While speaking on
the globalization, some speakers pointed out that it was not only the poor in India
but also India as a nation which is a victim of a conspiracy hatched in the
developed countries, particularly in the United States. Some went on to zero on
the unholy alliance of the IMF, WB and WTO. Considering these three major
religions in this context, the speakers held the view that these religions are quite
opposed to the exploitation of all types. Though these two propositions have some
grains of truth, they did not go into a few crucial issues which I hope to highlight in
my brief presentation.
T
Indian Agents of Globalization
The Governments of the developed countries along with IMF, WB have been
definitely instrumental in conceiving and implementing the diabolic globalization
process. At the same time, we should bear in mind that there is a section of
people in India which has been willingly collaborating and is still found
collaborating with these agents of globalization in developed countries. They are
our big business houses, the high level bureaucrats, the High Commands of
almost all the major political parties. One has to only look at their possessions.
Their children go around as the mobile show case of the latest multinational
products like cars, dress, etc. This section is largely drawn from the upper layers
in the caste hierarchy and of course, with a sprinkling of the so-called ‘impure’
castes.
They, who sponsored the freedom struggle and taught us to save Indian economy
from the British through well-trumpeted slogans like 'be Indian and buy India’,
today want us to buy products they jointly produce with Multinational companies.
They who imposed strict export-import regulations have suddenly realized their
‘follies’. The question that comes to my mind is why are they taking this course at
this point of time.
41
About 50 years of protected economy has enabled these sections to expand their
financial capital to an extent that today they can compete with many of the MNCs.
Their sons and daughters have acquired MBA degrees in USA and mastered the
tricks of the trade. They have subsidised through the State a few IITs (Indian
Institute of technology) and IIMs (Indian Institute of Management) enabling their
children acquire the technical knowhow in the latest fields of science. On the
whole, they have acquired the competence to meet the multinationals on an equal
footing.
Around the same time, the economy in the developed countries'goes through a
process necessitating a different kind of production zone and an expanded market
for their outdated and unsold goods. There is no more attractive place than India
given her land-size and related resources. It is this convergence of interests which
has given birth to the evil called ‘globalization’. It is clear, therefore, that not only
the conspiracy beyond our shores but also a conspiracy hatched by certain
sections within, that has disinherited millions in this country. It is important to note
that this disinherited millions largely belong to the lower rungs in the caste order
besides the tribals.
In this context, our talks about losing sovereignty and ‘swedeshi’ must be situated.
These concepts have surely lost their meanings that they acquired during the
Independence movement. If not all these concepts are to be used today, as it was
done extensively during this consultation, they do not definitely refer to those who
mortgaged it to expand their capital, but to those whose land and other
possessions that have been taken away in this deadly process called
globalization.
Dominant Religions and Legitimization of Globalization
It is with this perspective I would like to reflect on the views held by the speakers
from the religions cited above. All of them laboured hard to portray that their
religion is totally opposed to all that is implied in globalization like profit, interest,
misappropriation of others resources, disregard for human persons and
communities etc. The question that comes to my mind is from where, then, the
Indians who belong to these three religions derive their values that make them
comfortable with the onslaught of the globalization process. Are they
non-believers or athetists?
42
The answer to this questions lies not in the tenets of these religions which most of
the speakers focused upon. It lies very much in the actual religious practices of
these religions. These sections, on the one hand, stress the need to ‘modernize’
India through science and technology and through free market. On the other hand,
they promote through extravagant festivals and mega- media productions religious
in the abstractions of the teachings in the sacred books but also their historical
expression in a given space and time.
As far as the question of religion in India goes, faith as the transcendental
experience of the Ultimate, has been considerably mediated by a dominant
tradition which divided the humans as pure and impure and therefore as superior
and inferior. The super imposition of superiority and inferiority was not confined to
humans but also to natural elements like time and space. Humans inhabiting a
particular space either in villages, or in regions are considered inferior. The
fragmentation in the process of conceiving a reality has expressed itself in the
distribution of economic resources and the power over one’s own life. The best
example are the women who, as a social category, have been the victims of such
ordering vis-a-vis the men. Characterization of female deities as young, fair, slim
and beautiful weakens women in relation to muscular male deities endowed with
enormous power for destruction.
This kind of inferiorization and exploitation permeates in every aspect of the
dominant religions. The basic orientation of the dominant religion is that it is turned
towards the other world and against this world. The other world is sacred and this
world is profane. Knowledge of the other world and those who claim to posses the
‘knowledge’ about it are considered ‘superior’. The knowledge about this world
which consists of knowledge about ploughing, sowing, harvesting are considered
inferior. The gods reside in this world far removed from the earth, except for
occasional visits through their ‘avatar’. They come to save some and destroy
some others whose social locations are asymmetrical. Very often the weaker ones
are punished or made to sacrifice crucial organs like eyes and thumbs. Enormous
quantity of the earth’s produce is expropriated as offerings.*
These features are not peculiar to the dominant religion in India. They are found in
other dominant religions of the world including Christianity. Since our
consideration is faith in the context of globalization in India, we restrict ourselves
to the dominant religion in India and see its relation to the globalization.
43
Globalization finds an acceptable location in the conceptual space provided by the
dominant religion. Categorization of people as skillful and unskilled, efficient and
inefficient, useful and useless, essential and surplus in globalization process gets
easily accommodated in the pure and impure, the blessed and cursed, earthly
suffering and heavenly bliss enunciated in the dominant religion. Thus, those
whose religious consciousness is formed along these lines, find it earlier, consider
it as right, to accept and advocate globalization.
Though this is a religious tradition of a particular social group, it has spilled out of
the boundaries of this group and others, especially those in the middle levels of
the caste hierarchy, which are being attracted to it as they enter into the orbit of
globalization and achieve certain level of economic mobility. Those belonging to
other religions like Christianity, Islam, Sikhism and Buddhism are no excep'tions.
Despite their conversions, they have carried their pre-conversion cultural and
religious moorings which are in relation to their respective caste locations. They
have reconstructed their new faith along their traditional moorings. So, the
so-called converts from the upper castes have no qualms in sidelining the
so-called ‘impure’, the ‘untouchable’ in worship, in sharing of resources. Hence,
these religions also have lost their capacity to oppose globalization. They prefer to
express themselves as religions on emotive issues such as claims over places of
worship, whipping up frenzy among their respective believers whose historical
origin is at the bottom layers of the caste hierarchy.
Does it mean that it is vain to search for the right kind of faith as an inner resource
to experience the divine and overcome the evils of globalization? In my view there
is hope. It is in the religion/s of the poor, majority of whom are the Dalits, the most
backward castes and the Tribals. Though one can see the reflection of the
dominant religious tradition in their fragmented perceptions of humans and other
natural elements, their religious consciousness below the surface is humanistic in
its orientation. There is a sense of community, willingness to share,
consciousness of god as a giver of life and not a destroyer. Most of their deities
are females, whose identity is not derived from a male deity, as in the case of
dominant tradition. These deities show no unlimited interest in the produce of the
devotees. The offering of goat or chicken is consumed not by an individual but as
a community. They maintain intense personal relationship with animals, birds and
plants so much so they call them by names affirming their individuality. They feel
44
for the animals when they suffer from some disease or other and nurse them not
necessarily with an utilitarian motive.
We need this faith to sensitize us on the evils of globalization and to derive inner
strength to engage on a struggle to overcome globalization. Those who have
fallen out of this faith, need to respond to it at two levels. One is to recognize and
respect not only the Dalit Bahujan tradition of faith but also the people of this faith.
Second is to engage themselves in a process of self- transformation wherein they
try to free themselves from the clutches of moorings of the dominant traditions.
They need to integrate themselves with the humanistic faith of the marginalised
groups - the Dalits, Tribals and others. Dalitization of the dominant traditions - be it
Hinduism, Christianity or Islam - should be the faith project of the 21st Century.
45
Summation of Panel Presentation by the Chairperson
(After Prof Hassan’s talk)
Based upon Prof Hassan Mansoor’s input, I feel, we should find an answer to this
question: How do we promote humanism in our country, today, in the political,
social, economic and cultural situation of India.
(After Ms Tabassum’s talk)
As I listened to Ms Tabassum’s presentation, two things came to my mind. First, I
was thinking of the Amaranth Yatra in Kashmir. We know what happened there.
Perhaps, some of you took note of something interesting that happened alongside
the tragedy. That is, when most of the ordinary people who were on pilgrimage
were exposed to unexpected cold waves, ordinary people living in Kashmir, most
of them Muslims, welcomed those pilgrims and gave them warm food and warm
clothing, and put them in their houses. Yes, that is people-to-people relationship.
What does that mean? That simply means: people don’t want to fight each other;
it is something else which causes these fights. And that is the central message of
Tabassum’s presentation today. So, if we want to create a secular, peaceful world
in which communalism has no place, Tabassum has pointed out how we can
strengthen interfaith human relations at the level of ordinary people drawing upon
their own respective faiths.
Second, Tabassum pointed out that, as Islam understands, there are 1.76 lakh
prophets. The essence of it is this: any religious leader has come forward with the
useful social message of love, not hatred. Is there any religious leader who has
preached hatred? How does one use that strength which is present in every
religion?
And about the state shirking its social responsibility, it simply means the state’s
refusal to take care of its people — the poor, ordinary people. Whereas, the same
state avows to cater to the needs of the rich. How can a government elected by
the people refuse to serve the same people?
(After Fr Sampath Kumar’s talk)
I think, it is an opportunity for me to cite a few findings from the Human
Development Report of 1996, drawn by the United Nations’ Development
Programme. The report studies the question: ‘Is the growth for human
development?’ And the report points out that since 1980, for the last 15 years,
economic decline or stagnation has occurred in 100 countries, reducing the
income of 1.6 billion people. The average rate of 70 of these countries has
46
become less than what it was in 1980. In 43 countries it is less than what it was in
1970. Over the period of 1990 and 1993 alone, the average fell by a fifth or more
in 21 countries, mostly in the Eastern Europe.
Although many are aware of this economic stagnation and decline, the full extent
and gravity are not yet realized. After 15 years of such disappointing performance,
international policy makers need to question what is happening. The decline has
been unprecedented — far exceeding, in duration and, sometimes, in depth, the
decline of the great depression of the 1930s. In much of this success and disaster
many of the people, poor people, have been disturbed. And even the batter of
have been left vulnerable to unemployment and down-sizing of health and welfare
services.
I don’t know why all leading academicians and rulers still have doubts about what
globalisation and privitisation have resulted in. This report has been drafted by
intellectual leaders and academicians from across the world. From our own
subcontinent, Mayhulhul Hugh is there. He has been associated with writing
UNDP Report for a long time. This 1996 March Report is a global report based
upon global institutions.
There is something wrong with our whole process of thinking. One cannot rely on
academicians to take the lead to change. People working in organisations like
MAITRI must take the lead to bring change. When people rise in rebellion,
clear-cut rebellion, then, only then, these great fellows, including professors, who
have a lot of clarity about the New Economic Policy and liberalisation will join
them. So, don’t wait for their leadership. They will join only after the people have
taken the lead. And the fish- workers struggle is the best example. When they
rose in lakhs, the government said: "No new licenses for foreign products; old
licenses will not be renewed; existing licenses will be cancelled through the legal
procedure". Three importing demands have been conceded as a result of the
struggle of fisher-people, the most ordinary people. Through their struggle, they
have made the government to own its mistakes. So, if you don’t struggle, they will
continue to say they are doing the right thing.
(After Fr Lazar’s talk)
The entire useful deliberations over the past two days must arrive at concrete
conclusions and concrete tasks. May I request MAITRI to strain every effort to
identify with clarity such talks.
47
ANNEXURE-1
FAITH TOWARDS HUMANISM IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALISATION
A Consultation Programme — 21st & 22nd September 1996
21st Sep. 96
09.00 a.m.
10.00 a.m.
Registration
Invocation
Welcome & Introduction
11.00 a.m.
11.15 a.m.
Keynote Address
Chairperson
Tea Break
Session I
12.15 p.m.
Chairperson
Session II
01.15 p.m.
02.30 p.m.
Chairperson
Lunch Break
Session III
03.30 p.m.
Chairperson
Session IV
04.30 p.m.
Chairperson
Tea Break
04.45 p.m.
Session V
10.15 a.m.
Ms. Suparna Nag
Sr Celestine
Prof Nasneen
Fr Allwyn D’souze
Prof Hasan Mansur
"Islamic Perspective of Globalisation"
Mr Ali Khwaja
Prof Santiago
“Hindu perspective of Globalisation"
Prof Krishnaswamy
Fr Sampath Kumar
"Christian Perspective of Globalisation"
Dr Gnana Robinson
Dr Pushparajan
"The Effects of Globalisation on the
unorganised Sector"
Mrs Ruth Manorama
Ms Tabassum
“The Effects of Globalisation on
Organised Sector"
Prof Babu Mathew
Mr J Vincent
Chairperson
22nd Sept. 96
10.30 a.m.
Panel Discussion
01.15 p.m.
02.30 p.m.
03.30 p.m.
Moderation
Lunch Break
Group Discussion
Plenary Session
Prof Hassan Mansoor
Ms Tabassum, Fr Sampath Kumar,
Fr Lazar, Rev P Moses Paul Peter
Prof Babu Mathew
Dr John Mohan Razu
Mr Backianathan Mr Rajkmar
Sr Celestine
Vote of Thanks
48
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Maitri Consultation on
Faith towards Humanism in the Context of Globalisation
SCM House, Bangalore
September 21 & 22,1996
10
Mr Amaladoss
No.14, Parallel to I Cross
Cambridge Layout, Ulsoor
Bangalore 560 008
Mr Eranna
Director
Rural Development & Training Society
1st Main III Cross, SCR Colony
Tumkur -1
11
Mr S Arokiadoss
No.14, Parallel to I Cross
Cambridge Layout, Ulsoor
Bangalore 560 008
Mr SM Louis
Asst Manager
R&D, BEML
KGF
12
Fr Sampath Kumar
UTC
Bangalore 560 046
13
Rev Sway Sadha Shivananda
Swamy Vivekananda Sevashramam
Karumathur, Madurai 625 514
14
Mr Aseervatham
Secretary, Rural Energy
Development Agency
No 2, 11 th East Main Road
Gandhi Nagar, Vellore 632 006
1
Dr John Mohan Razu
UTC
Bangalore 560 046
2
3
4
Mr Mercy Louis Royan
"Presentation"
745/1, Chandramma Layout
Ramamurthy Nagar Road,
Dodda Banasawadi
Bangalore 560 043
5
Sr Marie De Britto
"Penn Thayagam
St Joseph’s Convent
Bangalore 625 009
15
6
Prof Nazneen
6, Seetha Apartments
2A, Old Natham Road
Madurai 625 002
Dr N H Abu Sayeed
Homeo Physician
Bamboo Bazaar
Bangalore 560 001
16
7
Sr Margaret Mary
Jyothi Nivas College
Hosur Road
Bangalore 560 095
Dr C Mohammed Eliyas
Lecturer
Dr Ambedkar College
Bangalore
17
8
Fr Louis
Anjali Ashram
Chamundi Hill Road
Mysore 570 011
Rev Wilson
KCD, Wesley Tamil Church
198, Commissariat Road, Asoknagar
Bangalore 560 025
18
9
Mr Vincent
PEAL
Madurai 625 002
Mr K Ramaiah
YMCA Rural Centre
Indukurpet, Nellore Dt
Andhra Pradesh
49
19
Ms Mercy Kappan
Programme Coordinator, Visthar
45, D’Cosha Square, 1st Cross
Bangalore 560 084
30
Fr Xavier E Manavath
Rector, Claretian Seminary
PB 5556, Malleswaram
Bangalore 560 055
20
Fr S Lazar
Indian Social Institute
Bangalore 560 009
31
21
Mr Ali Khwaja
Banjara Academy, Queen's Road
Bangalore 560 052
Mr P Robert
Organiser, CISRS - JWP
73, Millers Road, Benson Town
PB 4600, Bangalore 580 020
32
Mr NAnanda
Programme Coordinator
CHAI-Karnataka Region
St Martha’s Hospital
Bangalore 560 009
Mr Solomon Bijja
President, Pioneer Society
112/1, Gandhiwada
Hubli 580 020
33
Mrs H Mansur
No 46, Wellington Street
Richmond Town, Bangalore 560 025
34
Rev P Moses Pal Peter
SCM House
29, II Cross, CSI Compound
Mission Road
Bangalore 560 027
35
Mr Babu Mathew
President, BEL Employees’ Union
No 12, King’s Street
Bangalore 560 025
36
Mr Farukh Sultana
Abbas Khan College for Women
Bangalore
37
Ms Suparna Nag
Jndian Social Institute
24, Benson Road
Bangalore 560 056
38
Ms Sabiha Inasroor
Lecturer, Abbas Khan College
Bangalore
39
Ms Nadira Sultana
Lecturer, Abbas Khan College
Bangalore
40
Ms Nishath K Praveen
Lecturer
Abbas Khan College
Bangalore
41
Mr Sebastian Emmanual
TRADA, Carmelarum (PO)
Bangalore 560 035
22
23
Sr Mercy Abraham
Superior
St Martha’s Hospital
Bangalore 560 009
24
Mr Daniel
CSI - KCD
Mission Road Cross
Bangalore 560 001
25
Rev I Fredrick Prasad
Bethany Lutheran Church
MELIM Compound, Coromandel
KGF563 118
26
Mr Thomas Ninan
Research Scholar
Department of Christianity
University of Mysore
Mysore
27
Prof E P Menon
Director
Centre for SAARC Solidarity
Vallabha Niketan, KP East
Bangalore 560 001
28
Prof P V Arul
Christ College
Hosur Road
Bangalore 560 029
29
Dr Richard D Macphail
Lecturer, Dept of Religion & Culture
UTC
Bangalore 560 046
50
42
43
Mrs Jyothi Raj
Director, REDS
Shanti Nagar, SS Puram Post
Tumkur 572 102
44
Prof Hasan Mansur
President, PUCL
14, Wellington Street
Richmond Town
Bangalore 560 025
45
53
Mr & Mrs Coreuni & David Scott
UTC
Bangalore 560 046
Ms Tabassum
MADHYAM
No 1, 10th Cross, 10th Main
Vasanth Nagar
Bangalore 560 052
Sr Celia
Secretary,
Mahilapragath
Commission
Archbishop’s House
PB No.2
Bangalore 560 046
54
Mr Syed Kadar
Lecturer, BE College
MG Road, Kodialbail
Bangalore 560 003
55
Dr Pushparajan
Madurai Kamaraj University
Madurai 625 002
56
Mr Ramakrishna Bhat
Community Organiser
CORD, Kushal Nagar
Coorg 571 234
Women’s
46
Mr Emerson Samuel
Co-ordinator, CASA
14/65, Gospel Street
St Thomas Town
Bangalore 560 084
57
Mr Santiago Iswara Prasad
English Lecturer
Cathedral Camp College
High School
Bangalore 560 025
47
Dr Gnana Robinson
(Principal) UTC
No,46, Wellington Street
Richmond Town
Bangalore 560 025
58
Mr Manmohan S
Yoga Teacher
Dept of Physical Education
Gulbarga University
Gulbarga 585 106
48
Mr Mangala Nathan
‘Premalaya’
No.13/6, 11th Cross, Pillanna Garden
Bangalore 560 084
59
49
Mr Samuel Jesupatham
ISI
Bangalore
Dr S A Kasi
Lecturer
Department of Social Work
Gulbarga University
Gulbarga 585 106
60
Ms S Colette
Social Organiser
Women’s Voice
47/1, St Marks Road
Bangalore
61
MrVNagaraj
Human Rights Education & Action
Forum
SUNANDA, Krishnarajapuram Via O'pet
Peddapally PO, KGF 563 121
62
Mrs Paulin Razu
Teacher
UTC, Bangalore
50
Miss Amitha Santiago
Teacher, Jyothi Nivas College
Bangalore
51
Mr Nagaraju
Manager, HP Division
BEML
KGF
52
Mr K Vijaya Kumar
Asst General Manager
BEML
KGF
51
G/- i©o
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74
Mohsin Kouser
Abbas Khan College
75
Haleema Zehra
Abbas Khan College
76
Shahtaj Begum
Abbas Khan College
77
Farhath Munisa
Abbas Khan College
78
Mumtaz Banu
Abbas Khan College
M Raj Kumar
Co-ordinator, SUNANDA
Krishnapuram Via O'Pet
Peddapalli PO, KGF 563 121
79
Shabana Rahma
Abbas Khan College
80
Shamsiya Sultana H
Abbas Khan College
Fr Jerry Rosario
JEPASA
C/o Lazarus Church
Madras 600 028
81
Syed Yasmeen Zohara
Abbas Khan College
82
Shabana Naaz
Abbas Khan College
83
Tasassu Fathima
Abbas Khan College
84
M Rukhsana
Abbas Khan College
85
M C Krishna
C/o Kiran
No 876, Geetha Road,
Chamarajapuram
Mysore 5
86
Mr Ruth Manorama
Director
Women’s Voice
471 St Marks Road
Bangalore 560 001
87
Prof Krishnaswamy
88
Fr Alluyu D'Souza
63
Samuel Jesupatham
ISI
Bangalore
64
J Backianathan
Sunanda
Krishnarajapura Via-O’Pet
Peddapally PO, KGF 563 121
65
66
67
Sr Celestine
MAITRI
T Gollahalli
Bangarpet Taluk 563 1165
68
Sr Jude
Maitri Sagar
T Gollahalli
Bangarpet Taluk 563 116
69
Mahendra YA
Family Counsellor
SUNANDA FC C
70
T Poornima
Abbas Khan College
71
Hajera Tasneem
Abbas Khan College
72
Jyothi Lakshmi
Abbas Khan College
73
Rasheeda R
Abbas Khan College
52
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