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This is an attempt to summarise, using a broad sweep, global events over the past few centuries. Viewpoints may differ, of course, but it is hoped that the summary does capture the essentials.
The period has been marked by vigorous, brutal world-wide conquests radiating out from Europe, bringing enormous depredation upon those who could not defend themselves. Many European countries participated, their collective conquered lands lying all over the world. Better ships and weapons, credit-based finance, duplicity, deceit, back-stabbing, cruelty and other such ‘tools of the brutal trade’ achieved the conquests.
Examples are found all over: the western hemisphere, fate of the native Americans, Africa, Asia, the African slave trade, the Opium wars in China, and so on. Until WWI, the Ottoman empire protected itself from depredation, but the war brought about the end of that empire.
Europeans seem to harbour a supercilious attitude towards Slavic people who, by and large, did not participate in the bloody feast of European conquests. For Europeans, the Slavic lands were simply that many more territories to conquer. They tried more than once to conquer Russia, the largest and richest of Slavic lands, but Napoleon and Hitler both failed miserably.
The phase of history commonly described as ‘colonization’ is better described as ‘brutal conquests and subjugation’. In parallel with their conquests, and as inevitably as night follows day, the cruel global marauders also fought amongst themselves. Their brutal internecine wars culminated in the two World Wars. Since then the recently migrated ‘trans-Atlantic’ erstwhile Europeans have taken the lead in global domination.
Sophisticated global financial and soft power techniques have marked the period after WWII, which is also marked by unending misadventures – in Vietnam, Afghanistan and elsewhere. It seems as though the physical courage of the warrior has been replaced by financial cunning, dirty tricks, slick story-telling and propaganda. Fearsome warrior spirit is long lost; what remains in its place is cunning, deceit, double-dealing, bluff and bluster, all in the service of unending greed and lust.
Huge technological advances have marked this period, but the scientific discoveries underlying the technology came earlier. To understand this, one only needs to think about the difference in character between great scientists such as Maxwell, Faraday and Darwin, and prominent businessmen such as Henry Ford, Rockefeller and Bill Gates.
But things have changed rapidly since the financial crash of 2008 and, more recently, the start of the Ukraine conflict. The post-WWII global order is breaking down, and with it also the long period of western hegemony. There are many strands in this unfolding tectonic change. We are considering only the changes occurring within western countries, and what the changes signify.
Surveying these countries, one gets the feeling that their own past deeds are beginning to haunt and confuse them. Descendants of ruthless robbers may wish to live differently, more peacefully, more sensibly; they may not see themselves as ruthless robbers. For some time, financial shenanigans, PR and bluff can obfuscate reality, but that strategy has its limits.
In the Internet era, old-fashioned PR doesn’t work too well. The ‘return on investment’ of recent western misadventures has been negative. Goings-on in the world’s second largest democracy – the so-called ‘promised land’ – say that all is not well. The age-old trick of currency debasement is being employed, in a desperate bid to shore up the economy and create a mirage of wealth.
The rest of the world is beginning to catch on. To bear fruit, even God’s promises need the soil of sound human character. It is not so difficult to distinguish between fast-talking scam artists and true well-wishers. Who will come to one’s help in a time of need? A humble local resident, who belongs to ‘the Global South’, or the captivating foreigner one meets at a party?
A time of great change is the time to reflect upon one’s long-term self-interest. Does one really wish to participate in ‘casino capitalism’, or does one believe in ‘right livelihood’ and reliable communities? The truth lies deep within, and not – as the PR megaphones claim – within think tanks, media houses, or Ivy League universities. One must not let others pontificate about where one’s self-interest lies. Nobody cares about children a tenth as much as their parents do. A whisper deep within oneself is far more reliable than propaganda pumped out through megaphones. Is it not obvious that the megaphones are desperately hawking something?
What is happening ‘over there’ seems antagonistic to the spirit of सत्यमेव जयते। It appears that falsehood and cynicism carry the day; but that is false perception. Inevitably, empires collapse. What eventually happens ‘over there’ will re-inforce our faith in सत्यमेव जयते।