Chapter – 11
Leave the home and go around the world
If you leave the home the entire world is yours. If you overcome selfishness the world belongs to you. If you leave the family, home and the native place your perspective will broaden. New places give you new experiences. If you stay in the same place where you are born, you will become a frog in the well.
Buddha left home and won the world
Men as well as women become narrow minded if they don’t see the broader world. You will understand the world only when you roam around. Buddha left home, native place and went around the world. He went on to win the world. Aryans won
Akka Mahadevi in the 9th century, Kabir, Guru Ravi Doss, Vemana in the 14th century, Pothuluri Veerabrahmam in the 17th century left their native places and went around many places thus learning many new things. They provided the society with a lot of knowledge. They awaken the society.
It is often said that you have to win at the home first, before you win the world. But how is it possible? How can we win at home with all its family bonds? It is impossible to win at home. At home there will be the dominance of father, mother, brothers and sisters. And also there will be the domination of uncles and aunts.
Leave home and win the world. Come out of the narrow periphery of the caste. Come out of the boundary of your Mandal and District. This entire universe is yours. The district editions of the news papers are confining you to your native place. They are making your personality stunted to the level of a district or a mandal. See the English news papers and weeklies. Then you will understand how much the Telugu news papers are confining your world to a narrow corner.
It is important to live in the society taking the joys and sorrows indifferently. Yoga and dhyana teachers say that such an approach will really liberate you. It is important to think of the possibilities of this.
Home is like the mother – Even the emperor of
Native place and own house are like the mother. Even the emperor of
A woman leaves her maternal home and goes to win over her in-laws home. She is always a youngster and a daughter at her maternal home. But at her in-laws’ house she will play different roles as a wife, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law, mother, sister-in-law and grand mother. But at her maternal home she is always only a daughter. If you stay where ever you born you can’t grow in life. There will be a lot of difference between the children who stay in their native village, study there and the children who leave their native place and study some where else. Students who socialize with many people learn a number of things.
In the process of winning over the world you will ultimately win over your home. Your parents and siblings and the people of your native village talk about your greatness once you win in the world.
But in fact what is meant by victory? In a pitched battle between two rival groups the question of victory arises. But your home is monolithic. Your family is monolithic. Your village is monolithic. The saying that win at the home first and latter only comes the world was born out of the idea of dividing what is monolithic and oppressing one part in order to win over the other.
If your heart is a home it will continuously be filled with the dust and sand from out side. Winning over here means to clean that every day like a housewife. So it is impossible to win over the world after winning over the home. It is easy to win over the world and thus win over the home. Buddha proved it. In the process of growing in the society a person will mould himself in a positive way. In that process of growing he will get rid of the world and outdated concepts and culture in his heart.
Many national leaders of our independence movement acquired their higher education in
If you confine yourself to home – Problems look magnified
If a person confines himself to his family and home and thinks of the problems he has within those limitations, those problems look magnified. Many cotton farmers committed suicides fearing debts of even Rs.30,000. They were overtaken by the feeling that, that 30,000 was the entire world. That 30,000 amount looked as big as an ocean or a sky. This is the problem in thinking within the limitations of the family and the home.
Indira Gandhi was defeated in
Wherever you go your native place will keep on loving you. A new life begins in a new place. You can start a fresh at a new place. That is why leave your native place. Roam around various places. Tour the country. Leave the home and win the world. Win the home with a personality and leade5rship that has won the world.
Part – 3 About the Goal
- Universal Goals – Concrete objectives
Goals are decided by individuals. They are self determined. The social conditions, theories, experiences and movements give inspiration for those goals. So in order to work for the goal people learn to form groups, organizations and movements by affiliating themselves with the like minded.
Goals are of two types. (1) Universal goals (2) Concrete objectives. Some ideas and ideals may look amorphous when they have no structural form. People might look at them from different angles, experiences, needs and hopes. But the real nature of those ideals will be clear when they are put into practice as a part of the structural form.
Should all be well – or else it will be enough if I am well?
Every one should develop and the society should develop. An ideal society should emerge – these are universal goals. I should be well off. If I am well off it is enough. These are concrete goals. Thinking that if I am honest, that is enough - that is a concrete goal. But thinking that everybody should be honest is a universal goal. Expecting unemployment to be solved is a universal goal. Thinking that if I get a job that is enough – is a concrete goal. If I am married and happy, that is enough is a concrete goal. If everybody should be married at the right time and be happy is a universal goal. My home, my family, my children and their development are all concrete goals. Society, societal progress and societal objectives are universal goals. Having street lights for your street, drainage for your street, roads for your street, trees in your street are concrete objectives. Concrete objectives generally be confined to local contemporary and personal problems and solutions to them.
Read biographies
The biographies of national leaders, writers, artists, scientists and intellectuals will provide you with rich information about their great experiences. By that you can learn how great individuals went forward traversing through troubles and difficulties. Try to emulate the leaders you liked. Take them as an example. In that process develop your personality and work culture. By studying stories and novels you could understand the evolution of the human culture and the evolution of its objectives. The more you know the higher your objectives and goals could be. Like this by studying the lives of great individuals, leaders and scientists from our society and making them as our models our personalities, objectives grow taller.
Universal goals means the goals that are formed with an eye on the future along with that of the present times without being confined to the narrow limitations of the individual goals. Such goals are wider and extend beyond the limitations of the times we live in.
Both Universal – Concrete goals are equally important
Concrete goals might mean personal goals or else goals of a class or else of a section of the people. They might be transient and limited.
It is important to achieve a balance between the universal goals and the concrete goals otherwise however greater might be the universal goals they could not change the status quo in particular sections, classes or problems. The concrete objectives or goals should not run against the universal goals. They should be in tandem with each other. For example to have a society which is peaceful (a universal goal) violent means are not the right kind of concrete means. The concrete goals should be subordinate to the universal goals. Otherwise universal goals will remain a mirage.
The concrete goals or the temporary goals should be the vehicle of the universal goals. If it is not like this the temporary goals would continue as the universal goals.
There is no society without an individual. But an individual alone is not the society. All the individuals combined together would constitute a society. The collective of the individuals, the universal benefits and interests would become the universal goals. Personal development itself should not be seen as the universal personal blossoming. If each individual tree grows in isolation it won’t form a forest. If all of them grow together they will constitute a forest. So also, even if each individual remains separate unto himself it won’t constitute universal blossoming. Their capacities will multiply if they form into a collective. Personal blossoming achieved by many separate individual doesn’t constitute the social blossoming or development as far as they remain as isolated numbers.
The personal blossoming preached by Jiddu Krishnamurthy and Rajneesh couldn’t make the entire society and its development as the goal. Achieving personal blossoming while living amongst collective could alone be the real personal blossoming.
All the goals you want to achieve in life together will constitute your life objective. Amongst them those goals which are personal would become concrete goals. Those which go beyond that would become universal goals.
Goals which are formed in accordance with the overall social development are the universal goals. Goals which are personal based upon local needs would become concrete goals.
Chapter – 2
Objective – Goal – Opportunities
Objective and goal mean the same. But they sound different. Objective will be more broader and extends more into the future. Goal won’t have this broader meaning. It is possible to grow only when opportunities come in our way. But recognizing opportunities is not so easy. We could recognize the opportunities depending upon the goal. If there are no goals we could not recognize the opportunities.
For example elections come once in five years. But those who have no objective of becoming an MLA or a Minister those elections don’t look as opportunities. But those who got the goal keep on working for months together for getting the party ticket and to contest in the elections. So also the news paper announcements for IAS and group services come every year. Many people see them and leave them aside. But those with a goal will be looking after and waiting for those announcements.
In order to mold yourself properly it is important to have higher objectives and goals. We should learn to grasp the opportunities that arise in the society. Bernard mentions as below the inspiring factors for the individuals in a society:
- Material attractions
- Personal superiority, status and power
- Physical environment desired in a work situation
- Higher benefits
- Bitterness, Prosperity and service orientedness in work
- Obedience to the system and patriotism
- Duty, caste, religion, inquiring nature
One should recognize opportunities
One should recognize opportunities. Vision is required for that. Only with vision one could recognize opportunities. A farmer will be looking forward for a timely rain. The moment rains come he will decide the crops he has to sow. Such recognition of the opportunities will become possible only when one has goals. To say otherwise, those who have no goals could never grab the opportunities before them. That is why goal and objective are important. They are like magnets. They attract the iron called opportunity where ever it is.
It is important to have values along with vision
The leadership of an institution should have values and goals. Many institutions come forward with values and goals. You should focus on the goals and values you have chosen. People asses you not on the basis of the values you proclaim but on the basis of your practice.
When building the structure of an institution or joining an organization you should ask yourself the following questions. For what goals? For what service? What is the path? Why? What is the ultimate goal? What sort of things they do? For what results? Whom they want to serve? Whom they want to reach? So there should be vision and goal. There will also be temporary institutions.
Bill Gates and Paul Allen are having a vision for their organization – “a computer on every table.” The vision of Siddha Samadhi Yoga is – “yoga and meditation at every home.” The vision of Indian constitution is – “food, clothing, and shelter along with independence, freedom and democracy for all.” The vision of Maruthi Company is – “A car for every middle class family.”
We have to create opportunities according to our vision. We have to develop our programs in accordance with our vision. First of all we should have vision. How to change people, society, cadres, culture and life style. Why should we change them at all? For what purpose? – There should be clarity in these goals. How the society will loose if our organization is not there? How far we can go? How can we derive satisfaction? How can we give people satisfaction and fulfill their interests? What is the impact of the organization on the people?
Can we create some thing new? Can we make some people and cadres committed to us? From what sections – for what sections? Is the institution meant for the members? Or else for others? We have to be clear about them.
Opportunities are as big as an ocean
According to a theory opportunities will always be there. The skill lies in identifying them. One who wants to become a king creates opportunities for himself. He develops an army. He fights wars. Builds kingdoms. Creating opportunities means that opportunities are already there in the society. That is why it is suppose that, to create opportunities is important. For example the activities like mobilizing some people by organizing a seminar, conducting a meeting and holding a rally etc come under the category of creating opportunities. So also friendship is also a part of creating opportunities for one self.
Creating opportunities for oneself, grabbing opportunities and recognizing opportunities are the key factors in the achievement of the objective and the goals. The grater the goal the more the opportunities will be and the more the growth will be.
Opportunities are as big as an ocean. They are like a river that never stops flowing. Goal is like the vessel you are carrying with you. What ever may be the quantity of water in the ocean you will get only a spoonful if that is only the thing you are carrying. If the vessel is little larger so will be the water. That is why however bigger the ocean and the river might be the water you will get depends upon the vessel you carry. Like that only however greater the opportunities may be you will grab them only depending upon the breadth of your goal. If your goal is petty you will have only petty opportunities.
Goal is also a means for personal growth
Goal is a tool for your personal growth in the society. It will help you as a tool for whatever you want to achieve in the society. Thus goal an objective help you as tools like this.
Some people don’t study political and social developments in the news papers and T.V. They just watch serials, cinemas, cricket, and business news. So they never understand the effects of the socio-political developments on their lives. They think they are not their cup of tea.
Don’t you require – food, clothing and shelter?
We have to discuss about the answer of – I don’t need them. Some people say there is no need of electricity at the home. Some others say there is no need of a bicycle… no need of a phone… no need of higher education… what ever you studied is enough. Like this every day crores of people escape the reality by saying that they don’t need it. They think they don’t need to have them. But is it a right thinking?
A person use to think that he doesn’t require a motor bike. But some how he buys one, by the pressure of others, or for social status etc. Latter on the activities increased because of the new motor bike. Not even an hour can be spent without that bike. How can the stage has come?
One person postpones marriage till the age of 30 on grounds of educating himself and settling in job. But after marriage he found it very difficult to stay on his own when wife went to her maternal house even for six months. He thought marriage is not at all required till the age of 30. But now he couldn’t wait for even six months. Why?
If we think that something is not needed, where is the progress?
The scientist who discovered electricity doesn’t know fully well all its uses. So also are radio, telephone, television and a computer. After they were invented the advantages of them multiplied beyond the imagination of the scientist who discovered them. We cannot imagine a modern society without electricity. But still if the scientist thought that there is no need to discover it, so much of progress would not have been possible. So change and progress in life are not possible if we think that the scientific knowledge is not needed.
We got telephone installed at our home in 1990. My salary was low. The expenditure of the children’s education is very high. My wife opposed having the telephone because it was an additional expenditure. But I instated on the grounds that for my public activity telephone is a must. After the phone was installed my wife used to use it more than me. She used to receive more phone calls than me. If the phone is not functioning for a day because of any technical snag she uses to worry a lot. Because her brothers, sisters, sister-in-laws and relatives used to call her on a regular basis. They used to discuss on phone even about the curries they are making. So then how come a stage has come for her where in she could not miss the phone for even a single day – from a time where she doesn’t want it to be installed at all?
Saying there is no need is anti progressive
If we thought that there is no need of all these things, so much of progress would not have been possible. We understand the taste of a mango only after we ate it. We know the taste of power only when we became an MLA, Minister, Collector or a Leader. If we say we don’t need it how can we understand that taste? So saying ‘it is not required’ is anti progressive. Saying ‘there is no need’ indicates a mentality of narrow goals, objectives and aspirations. The reasons for that may be many. May be it is lack of money. Or the feeling, that it is beyond our reach. May be the reasons are many. But all of them indicate a confined and narrow goal or objective or aspiration.
Progress and science create needs
Before motor cycle is bought, his activities are limited. After purchasing it he expanded his activities. So also he increased the means of income. Many things he use to consider unnecessary before buying the motor bike now he believes are a must to do. In that way his mobility increased. Understanding increased. In the ancient times the people having horses expanded their territory beyond the limitations of regions, countries etc. Those without horses expanded only within the limits of the walkable distance. Like that, those thought horse is unnecessary could not progress in history. They remain backward. Now we could understand how people starting from Aryans to Ghazini Mohammed extended their territory over a wide area using horses.
The changes that come about in the thinking and income after purchasing a motor bike will be many. For example an individual’s relatives used to stay near the Annapurna Cine Studio of Sri Akkineni Nageswara Rao. When he wanted to procure some land in 1979, they have shown lands to him in Banjara Hills, Madapur and Kondapur areas. He bargained for 5 acres of land at the rate of Rs. 10,000 an acre. But ultimately did not buy them. He thought that, that area is far off from his relatives place. More over he heard that there is some duplicity in the land deals in those areas. So he thought it will be difficult to protect the land which is far off from the place where his relatives stay. But by 2005 the land rate at the place increased to Rs.5,000 for sq. yard. Of late he reviewed his decision. In those days they went around for the sites on bicycles or else by walk even in summer. So a lot of tiredness. It leads to a feeling that the distances are more. If motor cycles or scooters were there at that time the distance might have looked not so big an issue.
Winning horses – Aryans – Arabs
Aryans and Arabs thought faster along with the horses. For them the distances looked small. They traveled over 2000 kilometers without difficulty. But in the case of the above example the distance between the relatives’ houses and the areas of Kondapur and Madapur (which was hardly 5 or 6 kilometers) looked like hundreds of kilometers.
There should be a magnet in our looks
Even MLAs, Mandal Presidents and Parliament Members look like being at hundreds of kilometers distance for some. This is their way of thinking. We need not worry about it. That is not our job. They confine themselves to narrow limitations by believing that the things they need to do are only possible for the upper castes and moneyed. Thus they loose many opportunities. Like this there will be lot of gap between the goals and the thinking – with a horse or a motor cycle or caste or money or without them.
Some people think that those who have nothing to do in life will alone contest elections and win them. Those who got work won’t contest the elections. Now this attitude changed. The respect and attraction for them increased. Thus people began to recognize them as opportunities.
So also thinking that I don’t need a Collector’s job. This is also like postponing marriage by thinking that I don’t need that. But after the marriage they can’t stay alone. In the same way once you become a Collector, MLA, Minister or a Leader you will understand the taste of it. If you think they are not necessary you can never achieve any thing in life. You should not be satisfied with only what you have. You need not have to stretch the legs only to the length of a small cot. You could have a new cot which could allow you to stretch your legs freely. Our goals and objectives should be higher. We have to acquire money, cadres and admirers in accordance with them. If you have a goal all this will be possible.
Planning that creates opportunities should be there
Nobody will start planning for a public meeting attended by one lakh people with ready cash. Even if the money is their in their pocket, they won’t organize the meeting with their personal money. Because it is a public matter they would think that it has to be organized with the co-operation of many others. They calculate the expenses. They will plan how much of cadre is required to organize the meeting. They will try to asses how many buses, trains, lorries, jeeps and cars come from various districts. They will try to asses the quantity of water required for the consumption at the public meeting. They will distribute the work to various groups. These groups will perform their tasks.
In that way the public meeting is organized. If we follow the saying that we should extend our legs only to the length of the cot, here there is no cot at all. If we think so we could not organize a meeting even with ten people. That is why our goal should be higher. Those who think that they should extend their legs only to the limit of the cot will remain wherever they are. Even if they find a bigger cot they tend to believe that it belongs to others and is not meant for me and stay back. This is the way opportunities are lost.
Objective and goal is the magnet
As told above even if there are opportunities before the eyes people tend to ignore them because of the lack of objectives and goals. Social movements create aspiration in the people and make them grow. They make them leaders from the level of cadres. The reason for the backwardness of some castes and regions in political leadership is the thinking that we don’t need that. So in order to grow a higher goal, objective, plan, determination and attempt should be there.
Opportunities will always be there. The complaint that there were no opportunities is because of the lack of capacity for identifying opportunities that are available. Or else it might be because of lack of proper link between the goals and the reality. Or else it might be a failure in action,
Chapter – 3
Objective – Path –
Objectives and goals are of many types. We have seen in the earlier chapters that universal objectives and concrete goals are of two types. But both are required for success. Still the matter which is more important is difficult to decide. Sometimes universal objectives look important. And at other times concrete goals look important. It is not so easy to decide which is primary in a particular historical situation.
Entire society and world will be going forward like a road. Some classes, castes and societies become backward in their progress on that road. Is it important to have social evolution? Or else is it important to take forward our brethren who are lagging behind along with us? These discussions lead to many theories through out the world over centuries. Some people theorized that the progress of the production relations continuous through the improvement in the productive forces. So other people theorized that it is important to humanize the human relations and change the production relations. They believed that by doing that the development of productive forces and social progress will be possible. Two friends started at the same place. But latter on their experiences and priorities diverged. Their paths became different. Now let us see to what developments this lead in the story below:
Path – is going on
There is forest adjacent to the path
The length of that forest is 20 kilometers. It is a forest extending over thousands of kilometers. Buses, Lorries and cars are going along the road. The forest is there itself. Nobody knows what is there in the forest.
A bird is flying across the forest. It is a free creature. It is landing on the branch of the tree it likes. Human beings are going over the forest in a helicopter.
But there is no path into the forest. That path is leading to a different place. The forest remains like that only. We have to know what is there in the forest…
If we make a path through the forest it will become a pathway. Then the importance of the road will increase. The pathway that was laid with a lot of difficulty would get connected to the road. Only after laying a pathway in to the forest the road gains its importance. With the help of the pathway we could go into the forest fast using the road.
But in order to greet all the trees like a bird we require many pathways in the forest. But that is not possible. If we go on laying pathways like that the forest will be no more.
Cars and buses are plying over the road. But nobody knows what is there in the forest. Many philosophers laid down roads for the mankind. But the forests adjacent to those roads were unchanged. Nobody knows what is in them. The road is going on. People are going on the road crossing along the forest.
How to know the forest?
How to know the forest? A person became sick. He is about to die. If somebody says bring a leaf from the forest… it will save him… go and get it. The son wants his father to survive. Inevitability is the mother of investigation. The son searched the entire forest, eating whatever is available and roamed around for days. In the meanwhile his beard has grown. He slept on the trees. He has not taken bath. He is smelling like an animal. Finally he got the leaf and started his journey back to home. Some how he came out of the forest and found the way. Reached home easily.
Does it mean that he knew the entire forest?
There were many medicinal forests like the one he was searching for. Problems like that, forest like that, “inertias” like that were many.
If you roam in the forest for the way and for the benefit of the forest you will be lost in the forest. If a problem is like the forest and you enter into that you get caught in that. The road goes on. The journey goes on the road. People reach
Women criticize men in the name of male dominance. In the same way BCs criticize OCs. Daliths criticize Brahmanism. Those who want separate Telangana criticize those who want a united state. Those who want classification go on asking for that. Those who appose classification keep on growing as an opposition force which saps energies. They go on from village to
Is the way important? Or is the
It takes decades for deciding whether those who are in the forests should come on to the road and those who are on the road should come in to the forests? Those who go on the road keep going to
Three patterns
Road means society.
1. Attachment to the forest – Detachment to the road / Unattachment is attachment to the road – unattachment to the forest.
Attachment to the family – unattachment to the society
Attachment to the class – unattachment to the society
Attachment to the party – unattachment to the rest of the society
2. Attachment to the society – unattachment to family, caste and class
3. Unattachment to society and the “road” – attachment to the “forest”, class, region.
4. Attachment or unattachment to family, caste, home, class, society, government, people, road and forest.
How to solve all this? If particular problems are declared as universal problems the forest will always remain in itself. If universals are alone thought about the specifics will remain only like a forest. If a relationship was development between the universals and the specifics the road will become important and the specifics will become the approach roads. The road will keep on going. Universals alone will become all embracing. The specifics will remain where ever they are like a forest. The question is how to solve this problem? Knowing such fundamental questions and societal conceptual knowledge structural science is important.
Those who traverse the known path could never know the forest
Generally all the people walk along the known paths. But they could never know the forest. They could never know the new. They can’t lay down new paths. They only know the old path. They may not know even what is there away at a kilometer off the path. The reason for that is there is no path to that place. There is a road to Kanyakumari to
Like this institutions, Universities, Industries and Forest Department build walls around acres of land. So, even though they are before us we don’t know what is inside. If the walls adjacent to the road are like this, we could never know what is there kilometers away in a deep area from the road. Those who go along into those deep areas will be the path makers. That too only in the path they made. Latter on even that path becomes beaten.
A path is required even in a forest
We could not go any way without a path. That path was laid by somebody else. And we don’t know what is there adjacent to that path. The paths laid in life by great men are wonderful. But what is aside that path is not know to anybody. So even when we know the path, reach the goal and destination there will be a lot in the society that is still unknown. There will be many things to be known still.
If a path covers hundreds of meters we could know villages, forests and walls along that hundreds of meters area. But we don’t know thousands of meters and hundreds of kilometers of area neighboring that hundred meter path. So a path is travel along the foot steps of those who already laid it. Rest of the area will be unknown. Like this the path in some ways will by-track the human beings. It will make them get habituated for it. Thus negligence in finding new paths creeps in. So the objective may proceed along the know paths. It may not create the new. We may not know the society adjacent to the path.
Path is a national mainstream. It is the entire society. So there should be objectives, goals and practice that bother about the entire society. If you go along the path and win battles it doesn’t mean you understood the entire society. It doesn’t mean you are caring about the entire society. You only understand what ever is there within the width of that road or path. That is why new paths are required. New goals are required. The objective, goal and practice should represent the entire society. Otherwise you will remain as a representative of a particular section in the forest. Because of that your effort will be constrained to a section and will never spread to the national mainstream.
The coordination between road – forest – movements
There should be a co-ordination between social developments as road – forest and history – social movements.
It is important to affect the whole society but when some sections are cared about more, they will gain more inspiration. Otherwise that effort will remain limited to that section only and will be of no use for the whole society.
Dr. B.R.Ambedkar kept in mind the whole society. He kept in mind the road, the forest as well as the walls. He attempted to change everything. But people like Gandhi and Nehru bothered themselves about only the upper caste. Ambedkar bothered about the entire society as well as backward sections and the people who lost themselves in the forest. If we don’t do like this our effort will remain confined to groping around in the forest only. We can’t affect the national politics. In the goal and objective – along with action and reaction the entire national mainstream should become the goal.
Chapter – 4
Objective – Concept – System
Swami Nityananda
A sage by name Swami Nityananda used to do meditation in
“What is the use if your knowledge comes to an end with you? If you make it accessible to the people wont’ it is fine?”
With that Swami Nityananda started a country wide journey in search of disciples who could carry on his knowledge from generation to generation. He met many people across the towns and villages. Most of them listen to him and went away some people opposed him.
What happens if the intellectuals depend on people without any other recourse to any other means?
Some of the listeners became his admirers. They gave him food. Some of them became close to him and started asking questions. They also became critics. They began to look down upon him seeing his humbleness and amicable nature. Ultimately those who gave food shelter began to behave like teachers and started teaching him this is good and this is bad.
He understood that, because he is dependent upon them for food and shelter they are trying to dominate him. In fact they did not know any thing. They are just rejecting him out of ignorance. The reason for this is their selfishness and egoism.
Because of the entire above process Swami Nityananda was forced to stop the search for disciples. He thought that it is better to become a disciple of the king rather than these ignorant lots.
He went to the king’s court and started conveying his ideas. Initially the king was pleased. Later on he became egoistic – and started to deny what Nityananda told. Because Nityananda has already such an experience, he began to speak the words that could please the king. He told that the king is great. The king told Nityananda is right. Nityananda told that the king is the representative of the god. The king told Nityananda is right. Because the king is all powerful, everybody told that what the king accepted is right.
The king respected Nityananda as a great teacher. Nityananda became the advisor of the king. All the initial disciples who heard to Nityananda were stunned. Nityananda could not initially recognize them. But latter on after they reminded their initial encounters, he recognized them. So they proudly declared that they are his initial disciples. Like this amity prevailed between the Brahmins. Kings and others.
What happened after some years?
After sometime the king declared war on a neighboring kingdom. Nityananda gave all the suggestions possible. But ultimately the king was defeated in the war. Nityananda told the king that he did not put into practice what ever he told and went to meet the victorious king. Even that king wanted to meet the strategist who gave him so much of trouble in winning the war. Swami Nityananda became the greater teacher in the new court.
The king was gone, but the kingdom was intact. A new king came in. but the old teacher was in place. He has seen that the old employees of the kingdom were retained in their jobs. Nityananda’s status increased. The employees began to rely on Nityananda. Swami Nityananda’s disciples went into thousands. His name became popular in the kingdom.
After sometime another king attacked the kingdom and won the war. But Nityananda could retain his position. Like this the employees of the government and its teachers retained their position and became omnipotent. By a time Swami Nityananda became too old. There was another war. Nityananda also was injured. He understood that he is about to die. He called his sons and handed over them all the belongings that were kept in his custody by the king. He advised them that – these kings keep on fighting and so respect who ever win the war.
Why the Gurus approach the kings?
A philosopher may go to the people. But if he goes to the king all the people listen to him in reverence. The more you grow in power the more they respect to you. Kings are searching for the gurus. Because Aristotle could have Alexander as his disciple and so he as well as his great teacher Plato got respected. Their ideas became popular. Their concepts became the law. Aurangazeb was unhappy because he could not have a teacher like Aristotle. So the new guru thought that he should grow as a good guru. So like that the kings came in and went out. But the teacher retained his position. The bravery may become extinct but the knowledge will continue. Personality and the nature will remain. The actions will remain.
Chapter – 5
Concept for the objective – Structure for the concept
All of us, while we were children made friendship with many, for the sake of talking with them and playing with them. Remind yourself of those events in order to play under the trees we used to lie with our mother and used to meet at a designated place with our friends.
We used to feel that it is an act of adventure when we stole in the gardens. These are all the objectives that were formed according to that age. Latter on the objectives changed. We wanted to study in the school and get a good job. And in the latter stage we had the objective of compatible marriage and family life.
Structure for the objective
After getting a job everybody wants to have promotions, have their children study well, be friendly with the neighbors etc. Latter on they want to do something for the society, neighbors and relatives. They join Lion’s Club, Rotary Club, Film Society, Neighborhood Association, Sports Associations, Writers Associations and Employees Associations for this purpose. In course of time they want to grow as leaders in those organizations. They want to have inspiration and co-operation of others. They join various organizations, institutions and parties. Like this the objectives and the goals keep on changing depending upon age, experience and tastes. Some people limit their goals and objectives as family responsibilities increase.
Like this the structures are formed for the sake of human necessities and goals. Ideas and theories are formed depending upon the objective. When they learn that those theories are not suitable for achieving the objective they change the theories and leave the old organizations. People join the organizations for the sake of ideals and theories. They mobilize many for those objectives. Those organizations continue with the help of those who support those ideals. When the objective becomes important and the organization is not compatible with it they leave the organization. In the same way when the friendships are not compatible with the ideals we tend to leave those friendships. So in this way structures for the sake of concepts, ideals for the sake of objectives and structures for the sake of these two as well as mobilizing many people for them are taken up. This alone is called as objective for the ideal, theory for the objective, structure for the theory. Every organization may not have great theories, objectives and structures. We work together with many people for the sake of building a road in our street. The moment that work is completed the necessity of the structure ends there. Such temporary structures and necessities will be many in our life.
Structures will be required for social practice, objective and administration. Body will listen to the commands from the mind. When we touch fire it will burn our hand. So the mind tells us not to touch fire. It stores that experience in our mind. Social structure is like a body. Objective is like life force. It will express itself in some kind of bodily form.
Concepts that are momentary
Some concepts are born out of the senses. The concepts and responses change moment to moment. We may get angry at a moment. We may laugh the next moment. We may feel love at the next moment. When we are watching a movie our feelings and responses may change minute to minute within those two hours time. Many people meet in a marriage. That meeting results in the reminding of our attachments and memories about them. Those in turn result in new concepts and responses. The different are the people we meet in a marriage the different will be the memories of the past. So also we meet different people in a meeting. Depending upon the available time we exchange many new issues with them. Like that we constantly renew friendships, relations and acquaintances. If there is no mixing of concepts and issues when we meet people; friends will remain only as acquaintances and acquaintances as unknown people. This is the reason why we talk with each other and greet each other. Like that only many feelings arise from morning to evening in the hearts of the people. When we meet people or when they talk to us on phone different concepts and feelings tend to get evoked and changed in our mind. Like this the concepts and the responses tend to be continuous as well as changing in our mind.
Organizations – Structures for the concepts
Organizations, systems and structures tend to form for the sake of concepts. Congress formed with its ideology during independence struggle. In the same period Hindu Maha Sabha also formed. R.S.S. formed for the sake of Hindu way of living and Hindu religious ideology. Ambaderkarist organizations formed for Ambedkarism. Progressive writers’ association formed for spreading progressive concepts. Revolutionary writers’ association formed for the sake of revolutionary ideas. Dalit writers’, Artists’ and Intellectuals’ United forum formed for spreading the concepts of B.C., S.C., and S.T.s. Telangana writers’ association formed for the sake of Telangana ideology.
United Nations Organization formed with the idea of Unity and amicable relations between the countries. Constitutions was formulate for the sake of deciding how the people should live. Like this institutions, systems, structures and constitutions are formulated for the sake of implementing the ideology.
Some philosophers, leaders build institutions and movements for the sake of their ideology. They try to spread their ideas by forming implementation bodies and gathering all the people who associate with them. Buddha, Jesus, Prophet Mohammed, Basavanna, Ramanujacharya, Shankaracharya, Palakurthi Somana, Pothuluri Veera Brahmam, Marx, Ambedkar and others developed structures for spreading their ideas,
Institutional structures and organizational structures which are formed for ideas and society could not change like the feelings and responses of the individuals. Once formed organizations and institutions are more or less stable over a period of time. For example Indian Constitution, Legislatures, families, marriages and relations couldn’t change as fast as individual feelings and responses. The institutions that were formed for the sake of ideas and from the ideas may not be able to change as fast as those ideas. For example there could be many dreams about how to build a house. But ones after constructing it, it is not so easy to modify it. If we want to change it totally we may be forced to dismantle it completely and rebuild a new structure.
It is easy to build a new structure rather than dismantling one
It may be easier to build a new house at new site than dismantling one and building a new house in the same site. If you want to dismantle a house your family members, relatives, neighbors may object and obstruct. The structure of an organization would be more complex. Other members in the organization and the society around may oppose its destruction. We may see in Plato’s – ‘Concept, Place and Time’ chapter of a book – how it will be easier to build a new structure than dismantling an old one.
Marrying is easier. But divorce is not. It is particularly so when only one partner wants to have divorce. After divorce they are not similar to those who are unmarried. Society considers them as divorced spouses. If they want to marry again they have to register it as a second marriage and go ahead.
Even if the marriage is with mutual consent and divorce is also so – they would be considered as people who marrying the second time. While accepting for marrying the divorced people look into the issue of how that other person lived in the first marriage. Like this the past tends to haunt. Working in an institution and coming out from it is the same. Institution may continue even if some members leave it. New members may join. Those who left may form a new institution or a party.
Like this the institutions may split and new structures might form easily than the old structures changing according to the changing concepts. The entire institution might change its very nature. Then the nature of the institution has totally changed. For example the institution of family totally changed according to the changing times. In the past the authority of the grand parents used to continue for as long as they live. Now it is not even the authority of the parents or else the authority of the in-laws that is predominant. More over the situation is so that the elders have to be afraid of the children.
Even the ideas are social – individual is responsible
Even if a MLA left the party for the sake of concepts and goals, his previous service to the party bestows him with respect. Even if an officer retires, his great services will be remembered by the people. When institutions formed for the sake of concepts and social movements individuals become members of them. It enriches their experience. All these experience will be part and parcel of the collective effort. Even if they leave the institution they will still have those experiences with them. If an individual belonging to a party commits a murder as a part of the party program he would be considered as responsible for it even if he leaves the organization. It means the punishment will be for the physical bodies of the individuals rather than to the ideals of the institution. He may leave that party and may join another party or institution or else he may become an ordinary citizen,
As long as people look forward for truth, objective and ideals and their practice expands in order to pursue them new structural forms will be required. Structural forms reveal thinking, practice, division of work and expansion at the same time.
Chapter – 6
The relation between the Perspectives – Structure of the Institution
Structure is the truest kind of practice. Structures are required for whole hearted practice. The relationship between the ideals and structures continues perpetually beyond the limit of the perspectives and structures.
Any theory is like a sword in your hand
Any theory is like a sword in your hand. It becomes a weapon. It becomes self confidence. It becomes knowledge. It becomes structure. It becomes leadership. Ideology is the ultimate. That is why perspective becomes the primary thing in the structure. Structure and the leadership advance the society forward. They rule the roost in the society. The weapons will be in the armory. People take out the weapon they need from that armory.
A contradiction and conflict arises between the consequences, experiences, responses that arise out of practice through the structural forms and the ideals. It is baby born to the parents of theory and practice. This is new born baby. This baby will grow and develop new theories and new structures.
Executive bodies are a must for the expansion of the organization
When an organization or a structure expands with many members and branches the structural forms like division of work, distribution of responsibilities, declaration of rights, central committee, state committee, district committee, mandal committee, village committee etc. become a must. Co-ordination amongst them also becomes compulsory.
In every committee a President, Vice President, General Secretary, Secretaries, Treasurer, Publicity Secretary, Executive Members and ordinary members will be there. These positions denote their responsibilities, structures and their status in the organization. The relationships between the upper committee and lower committee and the formalities pertaining to the election of the ordinary members to the higher posts, to higher committees would be decided upon. As a part of the co-ordination between all the aforementioned the objective, concept, theory will be practiced.
Is theory better than the practice?
There would be many people who say that theory is better than the practice. Theory could not express itself properly because of distorted practice, or else the structural mistake. So others believe that theory is right, so also the structure, but the individuals and the leaders are not up to the mark.
Those who see the theory and perspectives in their concrete expression say that, that structure, those leaders, their practice and its results are nothing but the practical expression of that theory.
Ideals have no form. So it is easy to eulogize them. After structural forms develop the ideal, perspective and the path proliferate into all the structures and express themselves.
I am fine – but my husband is not
When it fails in practice the ideal disowns its own structure. It complains that what I thought is different from what has happened. This structure has distorted my ideals. These people couldn’t be self righteous, sacrificing etc. So the responsibility for the failure is ultimately on the shoulders of the leaders and cadres. New structures are to be developed, so that I could show my true potential. Like this the theories and perspectives may utilize the services of the individuals and structures and may disown them when things go wrong. Theories, ideals and perspectives want to have freedom from the ups and downs of practice. They want to roam around freely leaving aside structures and forms. This is an eternal conflict. Theory always tries to prove that it is greater than the practice.
Some ideals and theories become outdated. They might remain confined to museums as part of the history of philosophy. It is better to build new ideals and theories rather than condemning the outdated ones.
Theories are the creation of the human beings
Why the mind is refusing to accept the responsibility for the experiences of the structures conceived by it like it is doing in the case of the experiences of its body? This is fundamental question.
Ideals could be classified in to two kinds – 1. The experiences those emanate out of our own sense organs. 2. Experiences that were learnt from others, books, society and the movements. Both of these lead to different consequences in practice.
Are the ideals you think that belong to you are really yours?
Did the ideas you have received from the books and other people make you part of them? Will you become the goal and journey of those ideals, theories and perspectives? When would you yourself become the goal that becomes a part of the theory and the organization? If it is not so what ever concepts, theory and path you have taken from outside was not received as its own.
Decide your objective for yourself
Objective is not like that. It is decided on ones own. The perspective, paths and structures are being decided upon the objective. Then you won’t have the suffering that you have become a victim of the theory. You will leave that theory, structure and path and will go ahead with other theories, paths and structures. Those theories and structures may be old or new. They might be built by you or else they might be transformed into what ever already exists.
Like the above when you advance forward for the objective or else when the organization you are working for rejects your experiences you could go ahead leaving the organization. People who do not decide the objective by themselves will remain as dependents and followers of inspiration from others. It will lead to a situation wherein the organization blames you for the failures or else you would blame the leadership and the organization. That leads to a paralysis of the activity.
Diversity in ideals should be welcome if it emanates from experience
Diversity in ideals should be welcome if it emanates from experience. Then only comprehensiveness will follow along with diversity. When different opinions and conflicts arise within the organization; pertaining to the matters of experiences, lessons learned and theories those who were a minority might stop where ever they are. This is because of the lack of proper objective. When the objective is higher the individual will go ahead on his own path. Then they could share their experiences with the people as well.
In the other cases where there is only practice without a higher objective people will undergo depression. This indicates an immature stage of depending on others. Such people would only be soldiers in the army of those with theory, ideal or path. After you receive the theory or concept, it becomes a part of your knowledge. That becomes a weapon in your hand. That becomes a part of your objective. That becomes a tool for you. That gives vitality for you. With your practice that gives raise to new knowledge.
During the course of practicing and the path the organization should make the “new concepts” internal to it. The concept, theory and the structure should be always ready for such a change. It leads to comprehensiveness. Otherwise people who have self propelled objective would leave the organization. They would form new structures in accordance with the objective. New leadership will emerge. Then a conflict will arise in the stead of a situation wherein the old leadership and the new leadership will work together. So the inconsiderate rejection of the new ideals will lead to two different structures, despite the fact of the existence of the same objective.
………………………..
While going along as a part of the objective with a theory and a path, the new ideal, theory and experience which were born as a part of the social practice would not have an organizational structure. The new ideal is born in the mind of a single individual in course of his working with others. That is like a single voter. Theory is like a M.P. It will be in power like an MP who was elected by a many. A single voter may not be able to defeat an MP. Difference of opinion is like a single voter.
The old concepts and the new theory are like the mother and the child
If the new idea is defeated in the face of the old one it is like the defeat of the present in relation to the past. The political parties and society would become rigid and ossified when they could not absorb the new ideas. It is like burning a finger repeatedly when a child did not learn the lesson that touching the fire will lead to burning. It is like a family feud.
The new concepts or ideas that were born out of practice were like the mother and the child. When the mother did not receive those ideas the daughter will be pushed into the inevitability of convincing the mother. Daughter is like the present, compare to the mother who is more like the past.
Chapter – 4
Nobody is a born leader
1. Origin of the leaders – Historic necessity
Social necessities will themselves create the leaders. Human beings create social necessities, social relations, science and technology in accordance with their objectives and goals as science, agriculture and knowledge grow society leads to have a mechanism to transfer that knowledge from one person to another person and from generation to generation.
In the past ages kingdoms were formed out of the necessity protection. The tribal leaders and the clan leaders elected by the people at the beginning slowly got transformed into the kings. A necessity was created amongst people for the sake of the kings and the kingdoms. Like this individuals and classes influence the social history. On the other side society influences the individuals and social classes.
How the leadership will emerge?
Some leaders emerge out of personal blossoming. They advance the society forward. Some people emerge out of the social necessity. The leadership that satisfies the social needs and advances it forward is the great leadership.
Nobody is a born leader. In order to emerge as a leader continuous study, great personality, dedication to the goal and calm inner self are a must.
This is also like education in a school. Like we practice writing in a school for improving our handwriting, leadership also grows with practice. Leadership emerges out of 3 - 4 patterns. One - The above mentioned great personality, objective and continuous practice. Two – When opportunities emerge. It can be compared to chaffing the grain when there is wing. Three – Some people continuously grow and blossom and create opportunities for themselves. It means they go ahead in a planned way by molding their objective and path in the right direction. Four – Some people are made leaders by the circumstances. Movements and social necessities create such leaders.
Political leadership – social leadership
Today “political administrative capacities” are called as political engineering. There is a relationship between studying political science and political engineering. Studying political science is like studying bachelor of fine arts. Political engineering is like leaving an individual mark in painting after completing the bachelor’s degree. I wrote about the political strategies, tactics and conspiracies in one of my books. I explained them in detail in that book. Here I would explain the concepts in brief…
Social movements – Political movements
Social movements are different from politics and political leadership. The capacities required in these two fields are different. Leaders who are successful in the social movements may fail utterly in the political arena. Some people who could not build social movements may be successful as political leaders. The leadership of the social movements, Dalit movements, BC movements, Naxalite movement and RSS etc., may fail as the political leadership.
Successful opposition leaders may fail in delivering goods once they become the leaders of the ruling party. Their capacities as opposition leaders may be limited to their capacity as a critic. The other is the practical administrative capacity displayed when one becomes a leader of the ruling party.
The leaderships of the literary, cultural and employees’ organizations are often confused with the political leadership. This is not proper. Success in one field may not ensure the success in another field. Some of the leaders of the social movements in the post independence era had failures as political leaders. They failed in converting their social leadership into political leadership. On the other side those who have no social leadership skills became political leaders and ministers through various tactics. This is a main deficiency of the social leadership.
The main deficiency of the social leadership
There is a fundamental difference between the social leadership and political leadership. In social leadership it is only the giving but not the receiving capacity that matters. A Sloka from Bhagavad-Gita describes this well. It says that – keep on working, don’t expect return. But the political leadership doesn’t like that. Here what matters are the capacity for getting votes and gaining popularity.
Those who want to give their best to others may feel that receiving support from the others is an inferior aspect. But this is actually like looking down upon the decision making capacity of the people, their capacity for expressing their opinions etc. The inability to win across in the political game is the reason for the failure of the social leader in the politics.
Political movements and social movements are not alike. They influence each other. They are almost like twins. But in fact they are not similar. Some people have an illusion that social movements are like the political movements and vise versa. Even some leaders will be under this illusion.
Different skill sets required
A good horse rider may not be a capable motor cycle rider. Those who drive small vehicles like a car and a jeep may or may not be able to drive heavy vehicles like the bus, lorry, truck etc. Those who play foot ball may or may not be able to play volley ball well. Like this the skill sets required in the political leadership are different from the skills required in the social leadership. A lecturer who explains politics extraordinarily well may not be able to win in an election. A great Vice Chancellor may or may not be able to be a successful Minister in a Cabinet. Leadership in different fields is of different kinds. Being a leader of a group of scientists is different from being a leader of the students or the teachers.
In the society hundreds of different kinds of leadership skills are required. Such experiences were classified into different science. Administrative science is different from the science that is taught to leaders or else the science that is taught to sales personal. This is the reason why some people demand that there should be an Indian Political Science Examination for the political leaders.
Those who emerge as leaders in the social evolution influence the social developments continuously. The moment those movements were dissipated that leadership also might go into the oblivion. Or else that leadership may create new social movements may grow more in strength. If the movement dies down but the leadership remains it is like ‘the operation is success but the patient died’.
Leadership that created the identity movements
Identity movements emerge for the sake of social recognition and identity. These movements gained momentum in 1980s in
Feminist movement originated as the movement of ideology and latter it spread into literature and other areas and finally turned into a women’s reservation concept in the political field. That movement gained victories though without central leadership, by working as different groups and formations.
Leadership created by the Dalit Movements
After the incident of Karamchedu, in Andhra Pradesh, dalit movement started as a resistance movement and the movement for the self respect of the dalits. In the initial stages broader democratic forces joined hands with that movement. Latter on the Dalit Mahasabha was formed as an interdependent platform. In this process dalit leadership, dalit literature, dalit arts etc. emerged. After Karamchedu, Chundur, Neerukonda atrocities on dalits the society realized the agony of the dalit mahasabha. Atrocities on dalits came down. The objectives of the dalit movement i.e. resistance to oppression and self respect were partially achieved. The objective was partially fulfilled. The leadership of those movements became powerful.
Leadership will create movements
Even though there were no movements the leadership that emerged as such was a resource in itself. The movement continued with some other objectives. Latter on it took some rest in course of time though there were no movements, leaders continue to grow. Through this grown up leadership, movements are getting proper equations. The existence of the leadership expanded because of the lack of movement between the leadership and the social class.
The way leading personalities create movements and institutions
Expanding in above said way, the criticism is that in the second phase individuals and personalities of the leading individuals became primary and the role of the social classes, castes became secondary. In the third phase of the movement – leadership got united again. Leadership was born out of the movement. The objective here is the movement. Movement got confined to dalit rights and self respect.
The coming to an end of the organization, party structure, movement which started with an objective doesn’t mean that the movement, objective, party have successfully completed their tasks.
In such a second phase the criticism will emerge about the leaders that they made the organizations as their tutelages forgetting the objective, equation, path and goal. The main defect here is that; the movements, cadres and the people were mobilized here in accordance with the leader.
For the above reason only a new kind of structure and equation are a must between the leadership – movement – society – objective. New kind of institutional structures were born when leaders as individuals took the initiative. People like Buddha, Jesus, Prophet Mohammed, B.R.Ambedkar, Jayaprakash Narayan, Kanshiram etc dedicated their lives for building movements as a platform for the forces that joined them initially. People and the cadres will nurture such hopes about the leadership. They follow the leaders like that. When leaders stopped abruptly on the way people are denied an objective, path and the path finder society will suffer with internal contradictions. It won’t go ahead towards the solutions. There will be an overall crisis amongst the people.
In the first phase leadership – individuals emerge from the social movements. So also the cadres and the people. In the second phase; cadres and the people from the leadership and social movements. In the third phase new objective, path and leadership with structure – movements, programs – people – cadres – new youth – leadership.
Some of the cadres who worked in the communist movement grew up as leaders. Movement came to a stand still. Leaders went back to the people with new objectives, path and structure and programs. They created cadres and the leaders from amongst the people. Naxalite movements emerged like this.
The way Dalit Mahasabha Cadres grew up in various fields
Cadres and leaders who worked in Dalit Mahasabha are working in different fields with their own objectives and programs. When they grow in to a movement they will become powerful. This is the way the leadership will develop or stop developing or else going forward with new energy. As told before hand by working continuously in the society a leadership can grow up even without movements. The development of such a leadership will be of a different kind. Parliamentary parties focus on the structure and propaganda thus creating cadres, leaders and objectives afresh all the time.
There is a national movement pattern in the generation of Gandhi and Nehru. The leadership that emerged latter may not have such a pattern of the movement. Some people might have come in to politics only for the sake of politics. But the objectives of the national movement were not fulfilled even after independence.
RSS gives importance to cadre building over leaders
The working style of RSS will be totally different from the above patterns. RSS give priority to theory and organization over and above the individuals and their leadership. The program of RSS is developing cadres like in a parliamentary party. But the leaders will be away from the lime light of publicity.
RSS always maintain a distance from elections. But in course of experience it decided to have affiliated organizations for the sake of the movements. RSS declared Hindu Samaj Sanghatan and National Reconstruction as its objective and expanded its branches. As a continuation of this BMS, ABVP, Seva Bharathi, VHP were formed. The point to be recognized here is that all these affiliated organizations expanded as a part of the objective of spreading the RSS ideas. Because of the unity between them the strength of RSS multiplied many folds. When there is unity between the Naxalite and Dalit Movement their strength could also grow.
Leadership that develops when opportunities were provided
Leadership that grows when opportunities were available is like that of the IAS cadre and govt. employees. People grow in any field like lecturers, professors, doctors, engineers, leaders, scientists or else artists when there are opportunities. Most of the people belong to this category. That is why the concept of equal opportunities came forth. For this purpose only there were caste based reservations.
Why leadership is not emerging from the poor?
Growing up as a leader by capturing the opportunities will be possible only for those who got the opportunities in the first instance. Those who got no opportunities could not grow. Any person could work as a full timer or a part timer in RSS. Most of the time available for the poor will be spend for earning livelihood. So they live in search of food in order to survive. The life of the women is confined to the kitchen and child rearing. In such conditions ordinary people or women could not grow as leaders in the political parties. It is possible to grow in any walk of life only when they sacrifice their near and dear. Even this is possible when there are opportunities. For this special consideration is required.
Special opportunities are required for some classes and people
Even when opportunities were provided leaders would emerge only from the upper castes and classes in the society. The employments like IAS, all types of Govt. jobs and private employment also would be available only for them. Equal opportunity for everybody means the availability of opportunities in accordance with the ratios of various castes, regions and classes in the population.
Opportunities should be specially created for the backward people. Only then they would grow when opportunities knock on the door. For example dalits and women are growing as leaders mostly because of the reservations. Realizing this Chatrapati Sahu Maharaj created 50 percent reservation for non-Brahmins in his government in 1902.
The opportunities like reservations, financial aid, scholarships, free education, free medical facilities, social welfare hostels and training classes are meant for making the opportunities available to all. The political parties like Congress, Janatha Party, Janatha Dal, Socialist Party, Telugu Desam, DMK, ADMK, BSP etc. are trying to make reservations as a part of their party structure and government formation. But BJP, RSS, Communists and Naxalites are not prepared to do so. Because of that those castes and classes which are privileged in the society are getting more leadership opportunities in those parties.
When leadership that is emerging from the identity movements, trade unions, teacher and employees’ federations and also from BCs, SCs, STs and minorities’ institutions is provided with special opportunities and training; national leadership could emerge from those sections.
In the post independence era there was no growth of any special leadership. The leaders of the various parties and movements are thinking only within the confines of the interests of those organizations but not in terms of national interest. This is a national calamity. The solution for this is the growth of youth leadership to lead the country. For this; leaders and movements who think beyond the boundaries of the parties and organizations are required. For this integrated personal blossoming is a must.
1. creating opportunities – social limitations
Victory – defeat – personality
In any society – organization there will only be limited opportunities for some people. The winners are those who grabbed those opportunities. But it doesn’t mean those who did not get those opportunities were defeated. That is a limitation of that system or the organization or the society. That should not be considered as an individual failure.
Social limitation should not be considered as a personal defeat
For example a society needs 400 IAS cadres. Those who get selected should be appreciated. But one need not feel depressed if he doesn’t get selected. For example you might not be selected if only 400 people were needed. But you might have the opportunity if 600 people were selected. What does it mean? You have the talent. But there is a limit on the number. So it is not your failure.
In games like kabbadi, cricket and coco good players will be hand picked from even the defeated teams to play at the division or at the district levels. So also players would be selected even from the defeated teams to play at the state level. It is the same case with the MLCs. Even if they lost the election as MLA candidate they may be selected to become MLCs if they have talent.
Life is a long journey
It is important to have clarity about victory – defeat. They belong to the same category.
You are going on a scooter. You will overtake somebody and go forward. Suddenly a youngster overtook you on his new bike. That doesn’t mean that you are not a capable driver. If you increase the speed, perhaps you might cross him in another two minutes. And if you continue at the same speed you could overtake many.
Your journey is continuous. Your fellow travelers may stop when they reached their destination. If you keep on working life long, your effort might result in the achievement of your grand objective.
Opportunities that come with the seniority
The writer Kaloji lived till the age of 90. If he would die at 70, perhaps he might not have been so popular as today. After the Telangana Movement expanded Kaloji became a symbol of that, in the process of preserving the history. Like that time helped him. So also P.V.Narsimha Rao and Man Mohan Singh. If they would have died early they might not became the Prime Ministers. Their seniority got this advantage.
Like the above if you go on working sincerely, success might be yours. Those who joined a department as clerks or junior assistants may retire as Deputy Collectors based upon the promotions. Recognition in the literary field may arrive late in life. But in the field of sports, one could become successful at an early age. In the film industry both the above patterns will be there. But it is important to keep on working tirelessly. Otherwise you would remain where you are.
One will come up only with effort
There were people who joined in employment as primary school teachers and retired at the same level only. There were people who started in grocery stores 30 years back and are doing the same thing now. There were those who 30 years back started as fruits vendors and are still doing the same. In these instances those people stopped where ever they started. A person who started as a fruits vendor could become a wholesaler of fruits within 5 to 10 years or he may extend into another business with that experience. In the same way a groceries merchant could become a super market owner. A primary school teacher could become a lecturer or a degree college principal by taking the exams. It is important to have an objective in life.
More growth in life is possible only through hope – objective
Objective will show the way. Without objective there won’t be a way or a destination. A person called Gangaiah started cloth business in 1955. It is continuing at the same level by 2005. It means it did not grow over a period of 50 years. Another person by name Venkaiah started cloth business in 1985. He extended other three shops by 2005. All the shops now are running in the own buildings. But Gangaiah’s shop is still is in a rented building. How it happened?
Gangaiah answered like this. Way back it is very difficult for the Padmasalies to procure capital. What ever profits were gained was utilized for the household expenses. The marriages of the two children were done with the income on that shop only. But all the expenses were there for Venkaiah also. When this aspect was pointed out Gangaiah explains like this – Venkaiah was born in a business community. But padmasalies used to treat the guests with non-vegetarian and liquor when guests arrived. These types of expenses are not there for Venkaiah. They would offer the guests whatever they have. Because padmasalies are non-vegetarians they would spend at least 200 rupees when guests arrived. But the people belonging to the business community won’t spend even 20 rupees for that. For this reason only their wealth went on increasing. Our profits went for expenses. More over I don’t have desire to earn more money as Venkaiah has. Even his sons were of help in the business. So, each of them started a new shop. My daughters went to their in-laws’ house after marriage. My desire for earning more also got reduced. So I dedicated myself to social service.
What Gangaiah told is right. He did a lot of service to the caste association he belongs to. More over he contested as Municipal Chairman and lost the election. Like this he extended his objective into other fields. Venkaiah went ahead with the objective he has chosen. Like this the defeat and victory will be determined basing upon the objective.
Patterns should not be equated with the judgments
In Bhagavad-Gita Krishna preached to Arjuna as to fulfill his duties and leave the results aside. Doing your duty is more important. Though there is a contradiction in this is a great truth in life. RSS, Communists. Naxalites and Terrorists are working according to this preaching. An old man is planting trees. He doesn’t know whether it will bear fruit or not, but he still keeps on working. The end goal of the human life is the work. Life is a long journey. Victory – defeat are matters that pertain to the end result after traveling on that path. They are only judgments of the journey. Depending upon the judgments there might be mistakes in analyzing the path and the pattern.
1.If one wins all the mistakes may look like victories.
2.If defeated all the right things might look like failures.
So it might not be proper to analyze a thing basing upon the victory or defeat. Analyzing with an eye on the pattern, path, program and the objective brings out the truth more properly.
Even if there are social limitations your journey should continue
You are standing in a queue at a cinema theater. You failed to get a ticket along with two others who are standing before you. House full board was put at the counter. Is it your defeat? No, that is not a defeat. That is the limitation of that theater. Like the same way, when 50 people go for an interview, only one might get selected. Is it the defeat of the rest of the people? No, it is not. Because the employer needs only one employee, so, they selected a person who got 99 percent in the exams. That is the limitation of that institution, society or system. It is not the individual failure. It could not be called as personal defeat. You need not have to worry about it.
A good story may not get the prize
In the same way a Magazine gives prizes, by organizing a story contest. They got 500 entries. About 5 stories got the prizes. Another 20 stories were accepted for general publication. Rest of them will be sent back even if they are good or bad. That is the limitation of that magazine. It doesn’t mean that those stories which are not printed are bad. More over the understanding, personality, capacity and aptitude of those on the jury would determine the result. Some were rejected because of the lack of space. It doesn’t mean that only those stories that were selected were good and the rest were bad.
There is a role for both the parties in victory – defeat. If umpires change in a game the victory – defeat would change. Their decisions will determine victory – defeat. If a person becomes Vice Chancellor of a University he will fill all the posts with the members of his own caste. It doesn’t mean that the members of the other castes are not capable. In the same way a Chief Minister appointed members of his own caste in hundreds of posts. It doesn’t mean that the member of the other castes have no qualification.
Even if qualifications are the same, everybody may not get the opportunity
There were vacancies for the sweeper posts in a municipality. Municipal councilors distributed the posts amongst themselves. Pamphlets were printed condemning this fraud. An agitation was also made for justice. The selection process became a topic for discussion. It is apparent that those who applied for those posts are poor. What are the standards to select a few from hundreds of poor people? There was no answer to this question. Some people suggested for a running race. But in that race those who are hungry would loose and those who got at least a little food would come first. After thinking about this problem from different angles no conclusion was made. Some people suggested that those who studied fourth standard could be selected. But the question arose that those who did not go to school are more poorer.
So like this when all are equal it is very difficult to decide victory – defeat. Everything depends upon the number of vacancies available. So it doesn’t mean that others are defeated.
There is always a limitation of the numbers. It doesn’t mean that those who won only are leading the society. It also doesn’t mean that there were only few leaders in the society. They will divert their leadership into other fields and areas. Victory – defeat are nothing but the names of patterns that are transient while going forward with objective and program. They will reveal the result rather than the journey.
Clarity is required about the theory of victory – defeat
There may be a variation of only two votes between victory – defeat. There might be a variation of only two marks between success – failure. For example it might be considered as a success in the exams if one gets 35 marks. A Person gets only 33 marks. That would be called as a failure. This failure pertains to only two marks. Not a total failure. He could write the exam again and get success. If one gets 59 marks in the exam it would be considered as second class. 60 marks are eligibility for first class. So the person missed first class by only one mark. This is the method we developed for our self. So, it doesn’t mean a failure.
Even the success is not permanent. This is our experience in the sports. Many people won’t like playing with those who always win. Nobody likes to be defeated always. A game should give joy for the both parties. But the method of victory – success gives joy only to a single side. If victory – failure are rotating both the sides could derive joy out of the game.
If one person is prepared to rotate victory – failure gives joy to all
If a person is prepared to loose at least for some times he would give opportunity to grow to others. If a team always go on winning in a game, that doesn’t give happiness to all. In elections, a party wins once and another party wins the next time. So also a candidate wins once and looses the next time. Winning should not be an obsession. Loosing should not lead to phobia. We should not raise our head at the wrong place. In a big flood even big trees are washed away. But the bamboo tree will bow and survive. It would again stand erect after the flood recedes.
If victory is ensured for life negligence will prevail
If a person always wins it is a danger to the society. Such people slowly will become dictators with too much of self confidence. They would make their life and the society full of suffering. If victory is ensured for life negligence prevails. The ability to respect others and receive others properly would degenerate.
For some people the first victory may continue in some fields for ever. For others it may not be so. Those who contest in the elections may not win every time. Abraham Lincoln was defeated many times. For some people in some fields the first victory may continue. For example the qualification of the graduation once secured may continue for life long even after forgetting what ever is studied.
A job once secured will continue till retirement. But it is not the case as of now that a person has to secure graduation every five years like in elections and employment would continue only if a person is re-selected every five years. That is why a victory secured once in such fields will continue. But in the arena of elections it is not happening.
If the right to property was confined to five years like in the case of elected posts
In the area of economics there was no regulation that a property will remain with a person only for five years. More over the right to heredity in the property is still there. Like this the inequities are continuing in many fields. If it was decided that a graduation, employment and right to property will be there only for five years like in the case of the elections; equal competition, equal working methods, equality in deciding victory – defeat would be there.
If the government imposes its employees and the teachers to be elected every five years in the areas in which they are working, they would also become closer to people like the politicians.
Is the RSS practicing what it preached?
RSS preaches that by birth everybody is Sudra. But it doesn’t practice that. If Brahmanism is great it has to be accepted through the elections every five years. There should be an opportunity to rotate castes every five years. Any one could be a Brahmin. Any one could be a Kshatriya. Anybody could be a vysya and anybody could be a Sudra according to them. But in practice this is not happening. There were no written exams or certificates to determine who through his effort has become a Brahmin, a Vysya and a Kshatriya. If the tenet that everybody is a Sudra by birth was practiced through certification only it could be considered as genuine. But it is not happening in practice. The caste and the creed are being determined by birth.
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Like the above the first victory may continue forever in some fields in the existing system. So also the victory may be pre-determined even before the birth. The upper castes are being attributed with greatness even before birth. Even caste should not be valid beyond five years. Later on if the caste could be changed the real equality of victory – defeats could be practiced.
How the first victory is continuing?
Like the above with the first victory continuing some people are settling down in the success. Of late Satyam, Infocis and Vipro are continuing their success. TATAs and Birlas are continuing their success over 150 years. The family of Motilal Nehru is continuing its success over 100 years. The upper castes that too in particular Brahmins are continuing their first success over 2000 years. This is not fair. Anybody has to achieve success within his life time, but not survive on the basis of success achieved 2000 years back.
Nirma Powder which started as a cottage industry grew up successfully facing the competition of Hindustan Lever. Reliance Company also withstood the competition of hundreds of organizations. Some victories would become outdated. They can be compared to ex- captains or Ex MLAs or Ex Ministers. Once upon a time in one area Bizili Beedi, Diamond Beedi, Ganesh Beedi, Charminar Cigarette and Barkely Cigarette were popular. Now they are not so popular. Gold Flake replaced Barkely . New leadership will emerge continuously in cinema field as well as politics.
Leadership will continue in 4 – 5 phases
Leadership would continue in 4-5 phases or standards. The leader who indicates the objective, path while showing the way was also a visionary. This is the highest form of leadership. Another kind of leadership is the leadership that grows as team leadership. Team leader is a person who carries with him all the people in his circle. Such leaders encourage the potential capacities in others by giving them appropriate programs and allowing them to grow to the peaks without unduly criticizing the negative aspects in the followers.
Dividing one into three is the specialty of the group leaders
The specialty of group leaders is that they would divide the members working in an organization or a movement in to three sections. If a leader mobilizes ten people he is a group leader. The leader would mobilize 4 people out of those 10 and would divide the rest of 6 into two groups of 3 each. Those four members would be happy that they are a majority amongst 10. But these followers could not attract ten members into the organization or movement like the leader could do. Lazy people disintegrate the organization for the sake of their leadership as group leaders. They would lead a single organization into two or three separate sections.
Many organizations and movements fail because of such leaders. Such leaders won’t work and also they won’t let others who work for all to work. They also won’t let such people to grow into leadership positions. They would try to portrait victory as a defeat and thus try to insult the true leaders. They would be happy if the true leaders feel bad and distance themselves from the organization. They would send out all their opponents from the organization. Because of such leaders organization would become impotent.
Like this some people grow as group leaders. They could not mobilize all the people in their periphery and lead them forward. They could gather only a part of the people in their periphery. Because of such people groups develop in the organization or the movement or the party. There will be seething discontent throughout the organization. Unity will disintegrate. Instead of correcting each others mistakes there will be high lighting of those mistakes. Like that the objective and the enthusiasm will get diluted.
If not leaders at least be managers
Even if a person could not grow as a leader because of his incapacity in attracting people, he could at least be a manager rather than a factional leader. If that stand is taken it will be beneficial to the organizations and movements. Carrying on the duties that were there within his preview is the characteristic of a manager. Administration means mobilizing people and leading them forward by inspiring them. If a bank manager is good at his duties, if means he is a capable manager within his purview. When innumerable number of people gather at a place such a manager could address them for hours together by keeping them well attuned. But social leadership or political leadership means mobilizing lakhs of people from different corners of a country or a state for a mass meeting.
The mobilizing capacity of the good leaders is immense
If lakhs of people gather when a leader is going to address a meeting, that is an indication of his moral leadership. That is an indication of his inspiration and popularity. If a singer could attract lakhs of people that is an indication of his moral leadership. This mobilizing capacity is the true leadership. Many people read books and theories. Many people give speeches. But the distinguishing characteristic of a leader is the capacity to mobilize people. Such leaders would get social recognition.
Leaders with such charisma get recognized as the leaders of the masses. There another kind of leadership. That is leadership which could build up cadres and leaders. Such leadership provides the organization with enthusiasm, spirit and objective. Leadership of RSS is developing such a leadership from the grassroots level. Their objective also is to build up cadres. In the underground movements the leaders build up the cadres and the lower level leaders and lead them. Like this the two kinds of necessities would be fulfilled.
The leaders admired by the people would remain within the masses like a fish in the water. The leadership that develops cadres and leaders would mobilize the people and make them into a formidable force. There is another kind of leadership. They are like the teachers. They would dedicate their efforts for training classes and building personalities and leadership qualities of the cadres. Though they won’t author any text books or theoretical works their role is immense in the movement like that of the teachers in a school. The need for such teachers would remain always.
There will be three levels in the leadership
There will be three levels in the leadership. Some leaders may not be able to develop cadres and leaders but they provide the movement with intellectual leadership. Such leadership also would have a great impact as a moral leadership. So also writers and artists in various movement show immense impact on the social and political equations.
A coarse teacher will also teach. A more coarse teacher would only complain. A mediocre teacher explains. A good teacher would bring about a visual imagery in the student. The best teacher would inspire. This could as well be applied to a leader. A coarse leader would teach and order followers to do the work. A more coarse leader would threaten or else complain. A mediocre leader would assign the work and provide inspiration for doing that work. A good leader would make the followers self motivated. The best kind of leader would provide the greatest kind of inspiration and enthusiasm in the followers. A good leader will be a good teacher also. So also a good teacher would be a good leader within his purview.
Selfless leaders work above the factional limitations
Selfless leaders would work above the factions and would attract everybody. The personality, talking style, character and dedication of such leaders should make everybody enthusiastic and make them feel like following them. Those leaders who grew up from the lowers levels of the organization always poke up at the mistakes of others. They could not allow others to grow an would only be impatient. In the past the primary school teachers use to discourage backward students by criticizing them. Even the leadership of an organization which is like such teachers, is a rigid leadership. Such leaders should put a lot of effort in order to overcome such negative traits.
Leader should not share his desperation and agony with others. He should keep it within himself. And he should have courage to keep all those things within himself. Only those leaders who could lead the people till the victory is achieved are great leaders. Great leaders would control too much of enthusiasm, too much of anger and too much of impatience with their will power. They would be stable and balanced.
Those people who think that I am separate and my cadres and followers are separate won’t grow beyond a limit in the organization. Those people who could mobilize all the follower and work on behalf of all by providing them inspiration and sailing with them during tough times alone could become great leaders. They would forever live in the hearts of the followers. They would be the life blood of the organization.
Leaders would inspire and provide example for the people and the cadres
Leadership should mesmerize and impress the people by providing them inspiration in the performance of their duties. It should be able to allow the people in its purview to grow to the higher levels by providing them with an objective and path. It should make the followers humble and good natured. It should allow them to over come their egos or at least control their egos. The specialty of such leaders is the ability to correct the mistakes of others and let them grow.
Those who complain persistently could never become good leaders. If complaining nature persists that takes the form of group leadership or faction leadership. There should be a discussion to rectify the mistakes but not to point them out. Those people who point out the mistake in others in public could never inspire as leaders. A good leader should be able to generalize the mistakes and convey them to the followers. If there is no rectification even afterwards the matter should be discussed in private at the individual level.
Great leaders will turn a stone into a statue
Great leader would develop many other leaders to lead the organization. They would turn the stones into statues. They would mound the mud into a beautiful object. They would keep on adding new experiences and explorations in the objective, path, slogans and programs so that the people in their purview grow into leaders. Those leaders who encompass the whole country would care about all the necessities, difficulties, hopes, emotions, sentiments and culture of the people of the entire country. They would give them pertinent programs. They create new sentiments, emotions and culture. They would inspire the creation of the new literature, new processes and new methods of work.
The level of the great leaders in history
Leader like Buddha, Jesus, Prophet Mohammed, Karl Marx, Jyothiba Pulay, Gandhiji, B.R.Ambedkar, Peryar Ramswamy, narayana Guru, Hegdewar. M.
S.Golwalkar, Ram Manohar Lihia, Jyapraksh Narayan, Chandra Rajeswara Rao, Puchalapalli Sundaraiah, Kondapalli Seetharamaiah, Devulapalli Venkateswara Rao, Kanshiram etc. could be considered as the great leaders in their particular fields.
Experimenting – Rectifying
Leadership – experience are mutually inter related. Leadership means gaining experience, understanding and maturity. If they have no experience they would learn through trial and error. Such process may lead to troubles and failures. If there are experienced people there could be an avoiding of the trial and error method. They could train others into doing right things through their experience. It is better to have a experimentation and confirmation method rather than a trial and error method. That would minimize the damage to the organization.
Victory – Objective are not one and the same
Victory – objective pertained to two different aspects. Objective is a long term process. Victory – defeat are those that temporarily come in the way of that objective. Those who go ahead for the objective never look forward for victory. Victory is not their only objective. Naxalites go forward for their objective. They die in encounters, they suffer torture. They face difficulties.
So also RSS cadres, propagandists, Buddhist Monks, Christian Missionaries leave the family and invite difficulties. These are al common sacrifices in the journey towards the objective. For those who undergo those troubles such difficulties even won’t look like sacrifices. They believe them to be their duties. As a part of such duty only they would become suicide bombers. Such people won’t even survive to look back upon whether their objective is achieved or not. Bhagath Singh went to the gallows for the sake of his objectives.
The victory and defeat are like small intermissions on the path towards the objective. When the objective changes the perspective may also change. For example when freedom, equality and socialism are the goals some people may choose the armed struggle instead of peaceful methods.
`like that only the world view might change the objective. The objective may be discarded for the sake of the perspective. New objectives could be formed in accordance with the new perspective.
In the next chapter we would see about victory – defeat and also about how defeat would become a milestone on the path.
3. In the journey and destination
Defeats are milestones
We have seen in the previous chapter that victory without defeats is harmful to an individual as well as to the society. In the journey and reaching the destination defeat is a milestone. Through continuous effort we partake various milestones. An old man in
Kanthamneni Radhakrishna Murthy who wrote many books on personal blossoming says like this : “Many people, after traveling for some time in the life would start feeling bad that I have reached such an age, but till now I could not achieve whatever I wanted, or else posses whatever I wish to have, I have always faced defeats”
Abraham Lincoln – Winston Churchill
People like them and many intellectuals in history suffered troubles till a late age and achieved success only later in life. For example Wiston Churchill became the Prime Minister of England at the age of 62. Till then he faced many ups and downs and failures in life. He could prove his intelligence only after he became a senior citizen.
Now let us turn to the life of Abraham Lincoln. He –
1832 – Lost his Job
1832 – Lost election to Legislature
1833 – Got bankrupt in business
1834 – Got elected to the legislature
1835 – Sweet Heart expired
1836 – Loss the election for the post of Speaker
1843 – Defeated in Congress election
1846 – Got elected for Congress
1848 – Lost nomination to Congress
1849 – Faced rejection to the job of Land Officer
1854 – Defeated in Senate Election
1856 – Lost nomination to Vice Presidency
1858 – Lost Senate Election again
1860 – Got elected as American President
See the innumerable failures of Abraham Lincoln on his way to American Presidency. Also let us see the examples of Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison who are being considered as great geniuses of today. One of them is being considered as a great mathematical genius and the other has a great inventor today. But they have many trials and errors, failures, blunders, discouragements before the ultimate success and recognition. But they never got discouraged. If they got discouraged by failures they would have never achieved the immortal success. One wonderful thing is that the society remembers only their success and not all the failures they faced before that grand success.
A person who got 50000 votes won the election and became a MLA. His rival who got 49900 votes got defeated. This defeat is not a real failure. It is only a milestone along the journey and path. He crossed the 49,900 milestones on his way to completing 50,000 milestones. That is why defeat is only a milestone on the way, journey and objective. Here in this case there is an opportunity for declaring only one person as the victor. The person who got defeated by only a margin of only 100 votes still got almost the same public acceptance as the person who won.
The gap between victory – defeat might be only one vote. The person who won by a narrow margin might have won because of – caste factor, rigging or else the votes that were rejected during the counting. The voter might have committed a mistake by stamping on the symbol that he actually does not wish to vote for. Such a defeat is not a real defeat. You are just only a step behind. Lenin explained this in politics (1905) very well. Kanshiram took another step forward and showed that defeat is in fact not a defeat, it is only a milestone in the journey towards the destination. He has shown how his party is getting more and more votes with each election. And also has shown that which party’s vote share is declining and how because of that those who have to actually win are loosing the election.
Even if defeated – it in fact is a victory
Kanshiram proved through his statistics that how his party even if it could not win, came to a stage where in it could prove decisive in deciding victory – defeat of other parties through its increasing vote percentage. Thus he enhanced the self confidence of the cadres of his party. He also explained how they could win some more seats in the legislature through garnering some more votes. Prior to him nobody did such an analysis of the voting patterns. Before him parties as well as news papers took the defeats only by face value. Kanshiram proved that such an analysis is wrong and has shown how the voting percentage for his party is increasing. By increasing its vote share Kanshiram’s party got the recognition as the 3rd National Party by the Election Commission (though the number of seats is less). His party also got the credit as the party that has become recognized as a National Party amongst the parties that were launched in the post independence era. As a consequence of this many changes came about in the political equations and alliances.
It is inevitable to take a risk in the process of learning to swim. If you keep on discussing about swimming by sitting on the shore you could never actually learn to swim. You have to get in to the pond first to learn to swim. Those who can swim will teach you for some time. They will bring you out if you are drowning and will suggest you some tricks to keep afloat in the water. You could use a rubber tube in order not to drown in the water. But in reality theory is one thing and practice another.
However longer you might listen about swimming but it is not equivalent to real practice. Practice begins only when you step in to the pond. Stepping into the pond initially may be risky. Children when they started to learn to walk would fall down many times in the beginning. But they get up. While learning cycling it is common to fall down many times. Those who fear this risk could never practice it. So step into the pond. Learn swimming. Keep on swimming across the pond called society. Go around it. Grow as leaders who serve the society. Without learning to swim, without mobilizing people, groups, cadres and developing leaders you would only remain a chatter box and would never become a leader. Great leaders are also great geniuses.
Don’t pity yourself in the defeat. It is important to study psychology in the matter. Kanthamneni Radhakrishna Murthy says like this: “don’t nurture self pity – it could ruin your life. If you keep on pitying yourself you would remain idle and could do no work.
Remember. You, yourself alone – could help you. If “You” start pitying yourself you would remain where you are. You could achieve nothing. That is why push aside yourself pity and be a action oriented person. Here in this matter nobody could help you – you have to help yourself.”
The cautions to be followed in personal blossoming
“Don’t listen to the advice of one and sundry – there are many in this world who leap forward with advice. If you ask a person for advice he might think he is greater than you and may feel proud. It satisfies his ego! So don’t look for advice from the unworthy. Those who are seasoned in life, those who are your well wishers – those who got the eligibility to give you advice - look forward for advice only from such people. If you listen to the advice of one and all you might be misled. That could only do damage to you.”
If you tighten the rope too much it may tear out
“Don’t try to control others. Many people will have this defective idea. They always think about controlling others or else want others according to their wish… This indicates the wickedness in such a person. One day or the other such an attitude would lead to self ruling. You have to be very careful about such people in the society.
If you have such a wicked nature in you push it aside immediately. Instead try to control yourself. If will be greatly beneficial to you. If a person has a mindset, which wants to control others maintain a distance from such a person. This applies more so to the stupid housewives.
Invite friendly criticism – don’t react negatively when your friends who are your well wishers criticize you. Think of the appropriate aspects of that criticism. By that you could understand how you are being viewed by others. You could also know your defects and the aspects wherein you have to strengthen yourself. Then it would be possible to correct your mistakes. So don’t worry about constructive criticism. Encourage such criticism. Then only you would become a person who is living positively.”
Don’t postpone any work. Do tomorrow’s work today itself. Do today’s work now and now itself. If you can’t do a work immediately though you wish to do it now itself at least develop a program of action in the present. Think alone. Don’t waste your time and energy thinking about the work.
Making no choice is also an essential weapon
Making no decision is also a decision according to Ex-Prime Minister Sri P.V.Narsimha Rao. The secret behind this is – silently observing the on going developments without interfering in them. Every thing will take its own time. It requires a season to arrive for a plant to bear fruit. So for every process to be completed there would be a time span that is required.
Sacrifice might look like defeat. Defeat might be sacrifice. The leaders who ended tragically are failures. But that is not the real failure. The love of Laila and Majnu is not a failure. Sacrifice should not consider as failure. Let us see the difference between sacrifice and failure in the next chapter.
4.
Selecting the tasks – priorities
Defeat should not be the aim of life. Some leaders suggest the paths of defeat in life instead of paths of victory by creating an illusion that defeat is the sacrifice. They grandly name such defeats as sacrifices and struggles. It is important to know the difference between sacrifice, defeat, struggle and their consequences.
The personality that considers defeat as sacrifice is a weak personality. It is a personality that is living in illusions. Let see in this chapter the story of strong Bheemanna who got transformed into weak Bheemanna. The story clearly illustrates, how sacrifice changes into defeat. There would be people who create the illusion that defeat is sacrifice. But for themselves they want to win. There are many leaders, organizations and movements which deliver defeat and preach it as sacrifice.
All works are equal but some are more equal
What ever work you do in an organization, party or society that might definitely be important for the society. But all the works are not having the same value. Prime Minister will have the same time available to him as is the case with the common man. But Prime Minister could do many things in a day. The impact of all those things would be there on crores of people. The value of an individual will be judged basing upon the impact of the work and its value. That is why all works in a party, government, organization or the society are not equal. A persons value and life time (history) would be judged basing upon the work that person does.
That is why some people perform only specific tasks. Some people refuse to do some kinds of works. Some others do all kinds of work. Those who do all kinds of works are great people. Society will be indebted to them. But those who could do all works would face some problems. It is important to keep them in mind.
The strong Bheemanna who could do any work
A rural farmer called Bheemanna loves to do any work. More than that he likes to do the work that nobody else can do. Like that he became popular as a nice man. Once a woman named Gangavva jumped in to a well to commit suicide unable to bear the harassment of the in-laws. That is very deep agricultural well. It is suppose that there are snakes in that well. Nobody is prepared to rescue that woman by jumping into the well. The strong Bheemanna readily jumped into the well, killed two snakes and ultimately saved the woman. Later on a buffalo fell in that well by accident. The owner of the buffalo requested Bheemanna to rescue it. He readily accepted and jumped into the well. Ropes were tied to the buffalo and it was brought out of the well.
Later on somebody asked him to get out a golden necklace from that well. He obeyed. With a lot of effort he brought out the necklace.
Later on when ever villagers see a snake they would call strong Bheemanna. He would carry a stick and would kill the snake. Slowly his name got transformed into snakes Bheemanna.
Nobody came forward to marry their daughter to snakes Bheemanna. They are afraid he may die any time by snake bite. The woman who jumped into the well refused to go to the in-laws house and stayed back with her parents. The in-laws spread a rumor that, that woman is in love with snakes Bheemanna and that is why she is not coming back to them.
Gangavva did not forget the favor
Gangavva developed affection towards Snakes Bheemanna who rescued her. After knowing about the rumors and also knowing that nobody is prepared to to marry their daughter to Bheemanna she felt pain that all this is because of her suicide attempt. If she does not jump into the well Bheemanna would have had no need of jumping into the well and kill snakes in order to rescue her. Because he is killing snakes from then, now nobody is ready to marry him with their daughter. Gangavva felt bad that it is all because of her. When Gangavva’s parents requested him ultimately snakes Bheemanna married Gangavva.
Snakes Bheemanna who turned into cook Bheemanna
It used to be very difficult to carry on big cooking jobs in the functions of the village. Snakes Bheemanna took up the responsibility for that and proved it is not a big task. Everybody appreciated him. When ever and where ever there is a need for cooking on a large scale he was being invited to carryon the task. Like that snakes Bheemanna became Cook Bheemanna.
Later on Cook Bheemanna joined an organization. Once during the meeting of that organization there arose a problem of the cook. Cook Bheemanna came forward and offered to do the job. Everybody appreciated the food he cooked. Bheemanna felt very happy.
What remained when he looks back?
Latter on after some time Bheemanna observed that he could not listen to anything in the meetings because he is busy with cooking. Those who joined the organization after him became the Presidents of the organization. Some became even district leaders. So he requested the organization to relieve him from the cooking responsibilities. They consoled him that those who do the cooking job are also very important for the organization and the cooks are like the mothers in a family.
Then he asked if it is so why he was not sent to the district committee. They replied that his understanding has to increase and he has to groom his leadership qualities to become a member of the district committee.
Bheemanna couldn’t stand any more that his confinement to the cooking job. So he asked that, he too should be let to listen to the classes in order to improve his understanding. Then he started to learn from ABC. Latter on he was sent to the district committee. In the district committee office everybody used to use the toilets. Nobody use to flush them properly. Unable to bear that, Bheemanna used to clean them once in a week. After some time people began to feel that cleaning toilets is his job. If the toilets are not clean they used to question him. But he used to bear all that and do that work.
Whenever there is a need for cooking in the district office Bheemanna used to do that job. One day a person objected to Bheemanna serving the food because he is cleaning the toilets. That person stopped taking meal half way through. Bheemanna felt very insulted. He used to perform all the tasks in the office including sweeping job. He became angry that that those who are not doing any thing are posing up as great speakers and leaders where as he, who is performing all the tasks is being insulted. Then he declared that he won’t do any menial task from then on.
When he wanted to do good how he faced bad?
District committee discussed the matter seriously. The leader who told he won’t eat if Bheemanna serves the food was made to apologize to Bheemanna. Even then Bheemanna was not consoled. He told that he won’t do all sorts of menial jobs and questioned that why others are not doing any menial work. He also demanded that, he be allowed to speak in the meetings and write. He asked then to be assigned with the responsibility of doing such jobs. The committee discussed the matter positively. But he was left there in the same tasks.
After some time Bheemanna’s wife Gangavva also came to stay in the district office. From then on both of them used to do various tasks together. They used to get a small salary. After some time they came to be recognized only as menial employees. Tasks were assigned to them like that of to the servants. Some people used to sak Gangavva to wash their cloths even. She used to do that work. Ultimately she became a servant maid who washes the cloths of others and arranges for water for taking bath. Many people forgot that they are senior cadres.
What happened to Bheemanna after he left the organization?
Finally Bheemanna left the organization. He was not recognized as a leader anywhere outside, Because of poverty and also because of coming to the district office leaving the house hold jobs, he got nothing in his village. He was forced to go to daily labour work. Bhemanna used to do heavy tasks with ease. But he used to get the wage only on par with others. Once a heavy stone fell on his leg while working and his fingers were crushed. He could not walk properly. From them on he was called as handicapped Bheemanna. Nobody used to call him for work.
Gangavva used to go for work and get some food for her children. Bheemanna used to look after the children. Like that Bheemanna got confined to home in course of time. A person asked to be a watchman at a building site. Bheemanna accepted the job and went to the building site with Gangavva and children. There he learnt that, that building belongs to a leader who worked in the same organization as he did, but was very much a junior to him. Bheemanna began to question himself why his life became like that? And why this leader’s life was like that? But by that time a lot of his life was gone. He could not do anything else. He remained as a watchman. He joined his children in a government school.
Why Bheemanna’s life became like this?
Like this a courageous Bheemanna became Snakes Bheemanna – Cook Bheemanna and ultimately a watchman Bheemanna. Because he could do many things and took up on himself every menial task as a challenge ultimately such menial tasks became his life. It doesn’t mean that you should not know how to perform a variety of tasks. But some people perform only some kinds of tasks, they won’t go for all kinds of tasks in the existing system. That is why those who do all kinds of tasks are facing insults. In such a situation and in such a society it is important to be selective in matters of tasks that one performs. Those tasks should be in accordance with the objective.
After coming out of the organization Bheemanna was no more a leader. The leaders used to propagandize that Bheemanna after all was a cook and a sweeper. What is the moral of the story? All though all jobs are equal and their value is the same, only some jobs will help you in growing as a leader. If a person is questioned that what he did in the organization – if he says I developed the leadership – would be more respectable. The person who cooks won’t command such a respect. If Bheemanna is in the task of building leadership in the organization, he would have been able to generate new leadership from the youth after leaving the organization. In the process he would have grown much taller as a leader.
The political parties starting from the Congress Party to the Communists and Naxalites assigned small and menial tasks which doesn’t command respect; to the down trodden, lower castes and women. Only some sections of the society and only members of some castes grew as leaders.
Only those who got wealth became the sacrificing
History is going ahead like this. Sacrificing Bheemanna’s life became a defeat. Organizations and movements suggest the paths of defeat to many in the name of sacrifice. Ultimately that even doesn’t look like sacrifice. Nobody recognizes it as sacrifice. Nobody will give value to that work. So it is important that even if you treat all the tasks with the same respect you have to give importance only to the tasks that are useful for your growth. Then only you could come up in life.
After some years the owner of that house gave up his house for the party office permanently. Everybody appreciated that he did a lot of sacrifice. But Bheemanna’s sacrifice went unnoticed. That is why even the sacrifice has different connotations. We should not take the paths that make our life a defeat in the name of sacrifice. In order to sacrifice you have to grow taller in life in the first instance. You have to “earn” a lot. Then only you would grow as a great leader and would be considered as a sacrificing individual.
What is meant by sacrifice?
So it means to sacrifice is to come up in life. To sacrifice more means to grow in terms of a higher objective, higher level in leadership, higher knowledge and higher capacities.
What is meant by sacrifice? How will be the real sacrifice? The life that takes sacrifice as the lifestyle would be different. It is a different matter to make them, those who come into the organization in order to win life take the paths of so called sacrifice and make their lives a failure. Many organizations, movements and parties create the illusion that defeat is sacrifice and make people a failure in life in the name of sacrifices and struggles. If such cadres suffer in poverty they are left to themselves. Their lives will become miserable. The time that is lost and the life that has by gone won’t return back. That is why if your objective is to sacrifice; take care that – that sacrifice doesn’t become a failure.
2. What is meant by sacrifice?
In the last chapter we have seen that how sacrifice turns into failure. Real sacrifice is not a failure. Even if the entire life is a failure that would be considered as a success. In order to understand this paradox we have to know something more about the sacrifice.
We often listen about the sacrifice. People say Buddha sacrificed his kingdom. They also say Gandhiji did many sacrifices. Jayapraksah Narayanan sacrificed the opportunities to become a Prime Minister or a President. Ravi Narayana Reddy sacrificed hundreds of acres of his land joining the Communist movement. Bill Gates gave away thousands of crores of dollars of his profit for the sake of the health of the people of the world.
I have a desire to give away and sacrifice, but…
When a person grows up for selfless service to the society that is called as social leadership. Bharthru Hari told like this – those who live for others are the best, those who live for others and for themselves are the mediocre, those who leave for themselves are the inferior. That is why the value of the sacrifice and selfless service is immense. But…
Donating means you should have something. Sacrifice means giving away something you have. In the sacrifice, donating is one aspect. Teachers donate the knowledge. They take salary and do that. If they take salary for donating knowledge is it a sacrifice? A Guru and Sage preach wisdom. This is giving away what they have.
A person wanted to donate and sacrifice in life. But he has no money. He has no job. But still has a clear objective and path. His objective is to do many sacrifices for the society and the country. Some how finally he was able to donate hundred crore rupees every year to the experts in various fields. Over a span of 30 years he donated 3,000 crores of rupees. The story is continuing like this. The stories about donating and sacrifice go on like this. The main aspect of this story goes unnoticed. What is the real dimension of such stories? What is the basis for their sacrifices and donations? We have to look into that.
Creating wealth – Earning – Sacrificing
Is your life meant for your family members? Or is it meant for society? You have to decide. Many people talk about the wealth distribution in the society. In real life wealth could be classified into three stages.
1. State One - Earning
2. Stage Two – Creating wealth
3. Stage Three – Distributing wealth and sacrificing
It is possible to earn only when wealth is created earning wealth means gaining wealth created by others. A society will advance only wealth is created. Bill Gates and others created a lot of wealth. Latter on they gave away 80 percent of that to the society. Many theories became popular about the distribution of the wealth. But more important is creating wealth and increasing it.
Wealth is not a vote confined to only money. Wealth is of many types. Some people called it as of 7 types. Some people called it as of 8 types. Some others called it as hundreds of types. Starting from the knowledge, character to social respect every thing is a wealth. So it means earning means gaining knowledge, creating knowledge and donating knowledge in the fields chosen by you. So also developing leadership capacities and creating leaders is also a wealth. The great people like Alexander, Gandhi, Ambedkar, Nehru, Nelson Mandela etc. are all examples of the fact that the leadership capacity is the best of all kinds of wealth.
It is possible to sacrifice only when you have something
It is possible to sacrifice only when you have something. You cannot sacrifice what you doesn’t posses. So sacrificing more is possible for only those who have more. So in order to sacrifice more you have to earn more. The more you procure knowledge the more you could donate it. The more you procure wealth the more you could donate it. The more you could procure in terms of power and image the more you could sacrifice them. In the previous story of Strong Bheemanna – Weak Bheemanna we could see these two kinds of natures. His sacrifice was not considered as a sacrifice. He was considered as a failure.
Sacrificing life is the greatest of all sacrifices. Those who have everything, if they sacrifice all that along with life their sacrifice would get equated with those who have nothing. They would get more recognition than those who have nothing to sacrifice. The more a person earns and gives away the more sacrificing he would be considered. That is why it is important that even those who have nothing should also “earn” more.
In order to sacrifice and donate also one has to become more knowledgeable, wealthy and powerful. They also should posses character and popularity. Like this it is possible to sacrifice more only if an individual is “wealthy” in one or many fields. In history it will be written that – Buddha sacrificed his kingdom for the sake of the people and Bill Gates donated thousands of crores of money.
Nobel Prize is continuing as the highest award in the world. A Scientist by name Nobel gathered a huge wealth by inventing dynamite. But he suffered a lot, after seeing the immense loss of human lives in the wars by the use of that dynamite. As a result of that he made a fixed deposit of what ever money he earned and decided to award Nobel Prizes in different walks of life through the interest money he got on that deposit. Like this, it is important to understand how the money that was earned is being spent. It will determine whether wealth is an end in itself or a means to a higher goal.
To what class do the people who talk about sacrifice without teaching earning
Those who are talking about only sacrifice are in fact talking about those who already got something to sacrifice. They are talking about only those people in various fields who already “earned” something. So it is important for the poor, poorer castes, and women to learn to earn. They have to improve their leadership. They have improve their personalities. They have to improve their education and knowledge. They have to improve their authority, respectability, character and culture. They also have to improve in the sports and literary fields. Then only they would come to a level of equality with those who already have grown. Then only they would be able to sacrifice even the posts like the Prime Minister ship and Chief Minister ship.
So sacrifices are some thing that come to the forefront after you achieved something. When achieving something itself becomes a goal that is not sacrifice. But when achieving becomes a tool; donation and sacrifice become a part of the objective. The important thing here is that – whether earning is itself a goal or is it a tool. When earning becomes a goal that helps in a personal blossoming only within the limitations of the selfishness that is involved in it. When earning is a tool there would be selflessness and the denial of “I” involved in it. From these kinds of earning selfishness and selflessness could be defined.
If there is a higher objective people pay the taxes even if the taxes are high. When the objective is the selfishness of the rulers people look to methods by when they could evade taxes. When hard paid taxes are used for extravagant expenditure and wastage people won’t be prepared to pay taxes honestly. In evading taxes poor and the middle class think like this only. When the money is properly utilized they may be ready to pay the taxes or donate money enthusiastically.
When people go for collecting donations the amount they could gather would depend upon the integrity and character of the people who go for collecting the donations. When people believe that the money that was donated would be properly utilized they would donate heart fully. When they believe it might be misused they may not be so enthusiastic in contributing. But still they might donate some money under various kinds of pressures. That is different matter. Putting pressure like that is another kind of black mailing.
Who gave the definitions of Selfishness – Sacrifice – Selflessness?
In this chapter selfishness and selflessness were defined according to the existing situation. That definition applies only to those who “earned” something already. That definition teaches to the people who have nothing to give away to do sacrifices which leads to nothing but failure in life. That definition is being changed here from now on. Competitive spirit is very much required. Sacrifices are possible only when you have something to give away. Even charity is possible when you have something to donate. That is why it is important to grow to the highest possible levels to sacrifice more. That growth will create the qualifications for sacrifices.
An individual who does wage labor couldn’t sacrifice much. His sacrifice in terms of giving up his life or his wage based work looks only like a very insignificant sacrifice. He would get nothing by sacrificing his life. One has to grow to a stage where in one keeps on living and at the same time gives off his everything for the sake the cause. Sacrificing should not be a weakness. It should result in some positive benefit.
Your goal would determine the walk of life in which you want to grow. Reaching the peaks in a walk of life and growing as a leader, is the testing stone for your objective and sacrifice. The more you grow like that the more the society would respect you. Growing to higher levels is also a kind of earning. So you have to continuously try to grow to higher levels. The higher you grow, the more you could sacrifice. The higher you grow the more service you can do to the society.
Sacrifice for the sake of goal –Leaders with tragic ending for the ideals
Let us now see though a story how some leaders end up tragically.
Prameela is weeping in a hospital room.
“Brother! You lost your life for your ideals. You life has ended. Many or your colleagues have stopped long back. Now they are enjoying many times the return of what they have done. So now stop doing what ever doing. What ever you have done is enough. Now it is time youth continue what you have done.”
Complete silence in the room… Prameela who is about to die on the hospital bed… Ramesh sitting on the stool besides… He wiped off the tears on her face.
“Pramee! See the stars. They show the way when there is no moon. But they could not be seen in full moon. So also some flowers blossom in the night and whither away by the morning. Some blossom in the morning and whither away by afternoon.
“Brother! I learned what death is by being on hospital bed for two months. I have no regrets for myself now. My heart is calm and peaceful. I am very younger to you. But I will ask you one question. You have learnt that that you are going to die in the next moment. What you will do? Do that now it self. Your sacrifice, your ideals should not become your self inflicted punishments.”
“Pramee! What is meant by life? What is the use of asking this question at the fag end of one’s life? This question won’t arise as long as we are living. This is the paradox. Pramee! Why do you feel that you have lost a lot and lost your life. That is your perspective… I gain more than what I lost. Your love is many times more than what I have done. Let me at least have the satisfaction that I have not failed, rather I have won the life.”
“Brother! If you take it as such a bigger issue I don’t want to ask you anything.” Looking straight into the eyes of her brother Prameel wept. The eye lids closed. Flow of tears on her cheeks. She felt sleepy. Many memories…
Would a human being feel jealous of the sacrifices he doesn’t like? Would that jealousy express itself in the form of sympathy and pity? Prameela got the doubt for the first time. Her brother Ramesh did a lot for the family. He did a lot for the society also. He worked in many movements. He led many movements. The moment the movement took a organizational form he slowly stepped aside from the competition for leadership. Competing is not his nature. Getting aside from the competition became his natural characteristic. Leaving aside the competitive arena he used to lay down his own new paths.
Ramesh did not like to win over “Rajyam” in this competition. He turned his love and affection towards Rajyam into indifference. Rajyam also could not express her love towards him. More over she murmured that Ramesh is not loving her. She took fault with him. She told she is loving Laxman who is competing with Ramesh in getting her attention and love. She ultimately married Laxman.
From then on he lost interest in competition and competitive exam. He felt satisfied with the job he got and helped the family members in coming up in life.
The words of her brother are resounding in the depths of her heart. She doesn’t know how long she slept.
It is already night. She opened her eyes with an effort.
Ramesh is looking towards her. He smiled when she opened her eyes. She got courage again.
“Brother… why you are not marrying at all?”
“Pramee! I Don’t assume that marriage is the ultimate thing in life.”
“Rajyam is feeling sorry that you have not married at all.”
“My intention is not to make her suffer. But that doesn’t mean I have to marry in order to make her happy.”
“Pramee! My ideals are keeping me alive. What ever doing for the society is ultimately meant for myself. That is my happiness. Asking me to leave my ideals is like asking me to die.”
It is the first time she is arguing with her brother. She is thinking that it might also be the last time. She looked away from him
She is seeing through the window. Stars are glittering in the sky.
She closed her eyes with satisfaction. Ramesh groomed her head with affection. (From a compilation of stories called – Ratri Poolu – Bathuku Payanam)
Both of the above are the live which are tragic. One of them is a inevitable tragedy. The other is a self chosen tragedy. The tragic ends of these brother and sister should not be seen as failures. Those who lay down new paths in the society may end up as tragic leaders in course of social development.
1. Importance of the leaders
Personal capacity – Diversity
A leader will build an institution, movement and party when he uses his personal prestige and capacities. He would have a sentiment towards that organization like that of a mother towards her children. That may lead to the feeling of personal property. If the junior leadership and those who does not work compete with such a leader, he might loose initiative and give up the organization for them to run on their own. Than the activities of the organization would cease and its prestige would be lost. This problem is like a twin edged knife.
Movements should expand into various branches for the sake of youth leadership
The leadership that builds the organization with aid of its personal prestige and capacity should promote youngsters into leadership positions. When such a leadership keeps on growing and lets others to grow and thus allows the organization to expand there won’t be leadership crisis. Instead the movement would expand. If the senior leadership had the ego when it comes to sharing leadership with youth and co-leaders the organization would enter a phase of crisis. Some people would grow as leaders taking advantage of the organization. They compete for the leadership position. They would grow as leaders when the organization and the movement expands its branches like a tree. And thus the organization also grows.
For example when RSS is growing leaders who are equals in that went to different areas and made the organization expand. Like that around 70 organizations grew up. The secret here is creating as much work as the leadership could do.
If there is no expansion there would be divisions and crisis
If organizations and movements did not continuously expands they would split up. They would enter into a stag of crisis. There won’t be enough space for new leadership and cadres growing up within the organization. Many an organization collapsed because of its inability to accommodate youth. There were internal rumblings because of the lack of expansion. Many organizations and parties are an example for this. After the split if both the splintered factions grew up – there were friendly relations between those factions. But such instances are rare. Some factions are growing while others are declining after the split.
Like this, if socio – political movements and their leaderships grew up continuously by working amongst people and thus attracting new members – and getting elected as leaders by them, it is an ideal process. This would effect the social development.
But in the socio-political movements and organizations if the role of the individuals is too high, they would enter a phase of crisis and would end up in turmoil. They would split up into different parties. This process is continuing over decades in all the parties and organizations through out the world. This process is not too severe in
The promotion method of the government departments is the best
The nature of the officials of government departments and their working styles would be different from that of socio-political movements and organizations. Because of the transfers and promotions of the officials and the lower cadre there would be a continuous change. The working styles would keep on changing over time. An officer who was nominated only two years back would make those employees who are working from the last 20 years, work with co-ordination – which indicates a great skill. But in the social movements and organizations the mechanisms where by the people with such skills were selected to the pertinent posts was not being practiced. Even if that was put into practice, the others in the organization may get offended and they may quit the organization. So the promotions should be carried on with a lot of tact in the socio-political organizations.
Higher level government officers in general would have a good administrative capacity. Their objective would be that – which was decided by the ruling political party. The role of the official is to understand that policy and implement it. Still they suggest the objectives to the government. The leadership of the socio-political movements may not have so much of a skill and capacity. Some might point out that if such leaders had that capacity they themselves would have become higher officials. But the higher officials may not posses the skill of mobilizing the people and building organizational structures. Those who could do this would alone grow as the leaders of socio-political movements. When government officials have this capacity they would command a lot of recognition and respect from the people. Even if they were transferred to another place they would be remembered by the people of the area where they worked previously.
In the past government officials used to behave egoistically. Now that style of functioning has changed. Now it is being considered as an art to run an organization or a government department by properly coordinating the activities of all the subordinate employees and colleagues. In the past government officials used to carry on the administration by punishments, humiliations, insults and finding faults with. Police department still is following the same methods. But the other departments, industries, parties and voluntary organizations are taking up new styles of functioning. With the increased political interference, the role of the people’s representatives and media – the officials of the government departments are learning to work in a humble way.
Government officials – Leaders
Along with having administrative capacity like that of the government officials; social, political leadership would be considered capable only when it could attract the people and mould them into cadres, leaders, literary persons, intellectuals and artists. All these characteristics may not be found in a single individual. Or else they might be in equal proportion in an individual. These duties which in fact are to be carried on by an individual as a part of the organization’s collective structure might be carried on by a group, which thus could get the reputation as the capable socio-political leadership. We could see in parties and organizations like Congress, BJP, Samajvadi, CPI, CPM, Telugu Desam, Naxalites and RSS etc. a group of people emerging as a collective and capable leadership through such division of labor.
If leaders didn’t dissolve their egos and adjust with each other movements will be destroyed. Such mistakes committed by the leaders would be considered crimes and historic betrayal by the future generations. The selfishness, egoism of the leadership would lead the country and the nationalities from unity to total ruin. In such a case government officials would be considered more exemplary in their work style which is in accordance with the people who came into power. Their personalities are amicable. They dissolve their egos and work for the people, leaders and governments as changes keep on happening.
Like this in the organizations as well as the movement’s collective interests of the organization are more important than the individual prestige. The group has to work like a single person. It is like the parts of a human body or else mechanical of a bus working together. Then only such an organization would develop a single entity.
The failure of the Janatha Party – Egoism of the leaders
In 1997 Janatha Party came into power at the Center in
Over a period of 30 years it got divided more and more and lost its credibility and capacities. But those leaders have not assimilated those experiences properly even of today. Even Communists and Naxalites divided into splintered groups and lost their capacities. Imbibing experience from this BJP ruled the country full time at the Centre with a conglomeration of about 23 different parties. Taking it as an example Congress Party decided to form a United Government of the various parties. These experiments indicate the need of working together by resolving the problems and conflicts in a friendly and amicable way of give and take.
This might be new in politics. But every government official works on a daily basis with employees, people and people’s representatives who are having diverse objectives and opinions. This sort of work requires a lot of skill. Higher officials achieve their objectives without sacrificing their egos and imprints. But the leaderships of the socio-political movements get divided because of the incapacity to keep these egos and imprints within control.
That is why leaders of the socio-political movements should be trained in the same way as the government officials are. Chandrababu Naidu understood this well. His administrative capacity is a proof for this. But the reasons for his defeat in the elections are a different matter. People defeated TDP because Chandrabubu’s objectives brought pain to the people.
A river has to flow continuously
Leadership should flow like a river continuously amongst the people. If the hearts and the minds of the people were not won over continuously a political party will be defeated despite the fact that it has a capable leadership. Because the leadership won’t be elected by the people in the social organizations and movements but will be chosen by the followers such a leadership would continue in its position despite the fact that it has alienated it self from the people. The main reason for this is the promotion of the people who are in the good looks of the top leadership for the other leadership positions and as cadres. Because of this undemocratic process many socio-political movements and organizations get ossified. Slowly such organizations get disintegrated.
The true test for social leadership is the continuity of the administration of an organization at the maximum possible level even if a leader is not there in the organization or else he expires.
Many people worried when Nehru died that what will happen to the country. This in fact reflects the abilities of Nehru. But later on Lal Bahaddur Sastri and after that Indira Gandhi filled that gap and ruled the country successfully. They also left their own mark on history. The secret behind this is the strong organizational structure that is in place. Now many forgot Nehru. This is an example for the right kind of administration. Like this the role of the leaders is immense. Let us see this elaborately in the later chapter.
2. Importance of the leaders
Diverse Personalities – Work Styles
The role of the leaders in the structure of an organization is immense. The capacity to administer is a great wealth and a great capital. Such leaders would take the organizations and movements they are in to the peaks of glory. Even a great organization would achieve success only with the right kind of leadership, right kind of programs, working styles and human relations. This is very very important for the growth of the organizations. The role of leadership is immense since its inception to the stage where in it becomes bigger and greater.
The role of leaders is great in the growth of organizations and movements
A person by name Ramesh Gelly led every bank he worked in on the path of development. He himself became an organization and built up Global Trust Bank. Latter on that bank was merged into Oriental Bank of Commerce. That is different story. So also, ABK Prasad an editor worked in almost all the Telugu dailies and introduced novelty and variety in all of them and helped in increasing their circulations. He proved himself in every news paper he worked for.
The organizations like Satyam Computers, Infosis, Wipro etc started with a small amount of capital. The role of their leaderships in their growth to the international levels is immense. Many organizations resembling them were created during the same period. But most of them remained as it is without expansion or else got destroyed. The difference between them is the difference of leadership, administrative capacity, appropriate decisions at the right time and the collective effort.
For any organization leadership is vital. Individuals grow into organizations. Organizations grow through the individuals. In order to maintain the status quo of success in an already grown up organization, managements skills are sufficient. For example establishing Maruti Udyog is one thing and leading it on the path of progress is another. It is also another matter to administer it after it has grown up. These three are different phases. In the stage wherein growth has reached a level it is enough to have management skills. But, starting as a new organization and growing into a great organization, facing the competition of the old and established organizations is possible only for a great leadership. Such people are called as pioneers or harbingers or path finders. They could also be considered as visionaries.
Sustaining the victory requires continuous effort
It is not such an easy matter to sustain the victory that was already achieved in a competitive world. For those new plans, research orientation and new principles of administration are continuously required. Because of the lack of such many organizations disintegrate after growing to a level. Many families which are economically sound disintegrated in their wealth within three generations. Sustaining a particular level of growth is equally important to that of growing to a higher stage.
The role model of Ramoji Rao
Ramoji Rao had many dreams while he was working as a paper boy. He sold off his entire farm land for starting the business. The Kamma caste is growing up since Sir Arthur Cotton took up projects over rivers to the period of Tripuraneni Ramaswami Choudary and Justice Party. In that process the social forces of the Kamma caste, Leftist Parties, intellectual and other classes helped the people like Ramoji Rao who are going ahead with a grand objective. They helped them in growing to greater levels. In this way Ramoji Rao started Margadarsi Chit Fund Company. He diversified it. Eenadu daily was started. Now the
Ramoji Rao who started with a small organization extended into a small daily by name Eenadu with its Visakhapatnam Edition in 1974. Later on
Even if success was achieved in all these three phases an organization may disintegrate after the initial leader has gone out of the picture, if organizations or parties continue with individual leadership and individual working styles. It means that the individual has dominated the scene and the organizational structure was not strengthened. Such organizations revolve around the individuals. Social reformers generally come into this category. After their death those organizations either wind up or become rigid and thus fail. So also if an organization collapses after the leader quits it, such an organization could be considered as individual dependent. Such instances also prove the capacity of a leader and his need.
3. The importance or the personalities of the leaders
What are the reasons for the - diversity in working styles?
There would be diversity in individual personalities as well as leaderships. In this chapter let us see some more personalities, leaders and their working styles. Many people held the post polio of Railway Minister. But the imprint left on that organization by Lal Bahaddur Sastri and Lalu Prasad Yadav was of a special kind. Lalu Prasad Yadav ordered for the purchase of hand made cotton and earthen pots made by the potters and spent hundreds of crores of rupees for that purpose. By that lakhs of poor workers got employment.
Like the above if decisions were made in all the fields in the interests of the poor a leader could serve the people what ever may be his position or power. This is matter pertaining to the personality and perspective of the leader. Other people could not do those things. Many Collectors and officials are already proving that to show a special mark is possible in the collective effort. Lalu Prasad Yadav also has left a mark of his own. That diversity in the working styles of the leaders is primarily because of their personalities, objectives and goals.
How Families grow into organizations?
Reliance Company of Ambani was initially a family based organization. Later on he went into the share market and made the middle class people into investors in that company. Though the company grew into a stage of turnover of thousands of crores ultimately the leadership belongs to Ambani. It is the rule of a single individual. It went forward with the plans of the experts in various fields. Ambani put up a lot of effort in order to get the government policies and political decisions made in favor of him. Perhaps he might have given donations in order to further his cause. The experts have shown management skills in running the Reliance Companies. They continue to do so even now. That is why, though the brothers Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani divided the companies amongst themselves the business is continuing as usual. In fact their businesses are expanding.
Ramoji Rao’s rule in Eenadu is the rule of a single individual. He is building up many organizations and expanding them with the help of experts. Like the Ambanies of Reliance he is also building up his business by influencing government policies and politics. Now his family members are running the businesses.
TATAs are a corporate democracy without importance to the individuals
The decisions of TATA group are democratic. TATAs and Reliance belong to the same category of the institutions that are run by experts. But TATAs are reputed for their respect towards their employees. Tatas are surging forward in the industrial arena and at the same time are preserving the ideals and values without compromise. Ambanies of Reliance achieved rapid expansion by influencing the politics and government policy.
Administration of LIC and full scale corporatization
The administration of LIC would continue as that of government machinery. They built up a system where by those who do more business would get more returns. So, by this agents and development officers would receive the amount commensurate with their business. On the other side there would be the administrators of the organization. They come in and go out. There would be a nominated body. There would be political interference. The Central Government would supervise it. But it goes forward with collective decisions.
Railways which work as a combination of political leadership and industry
Railway department works under the leadership of the Railway Minister. It has no independence to change its policies on its own. The policies will be decided by the Railway Minister, Central Cabinet and IAS, IRS officials in the Central Secretariat. The working style will be in the ambit of the department. The travel fares and rates of goods transport would be decided by the Central Cabinet. 13 railway zones coordinate the movement of the trains across the country.
The working style of
The structure of Hindustan Lever, a multinational company resembles that of it’s parent organization. It will be in accordance with the working style of its parent organization. It is an affiliated organization of United Lever Corporation. The managing board of the multinational company would take decisions about Hindustan Lever. The managing board in
The working style and structure of Maruti Udyog Limited continues like that of a industrial products corporation. It has a technology and financial agreement with the Japan Corporation. Indian government invested in this company. But still the company continues as a private industry and works like a corporate organization.
Take over of companies built by others
In some instances companies built by some people would be taken over by the others. It means the structure will be hijacked and enjoyed by others. In the industrial arena the companies started by the original industrialists would change hands in the form of takeovers. For example a cool drink company Gold Spot was taken over by another company. The new company merged all the properties, machinery and employees within itself and made the old company totally redundant. It is like the case of a temple built by somebody, which was taken over by others as trustees and priests.
After the leaders mobilize hundreds of employees and create an organization some people join it and try to hatch conspiracies in order to send out that leader. As long as he is young and energetic that leader would fight back the attempts to hijack his company. But in the fag end, wherein a gap develops between the youth and the leader, the leader tends to loose his leadership position.
The agony of such leaders who were displaced after they built the organization from the scratch would be immense. The likes of K.G.Satya Murthy and Kondapalli Seetha Ramaiah built the Naxalite Movement but were displaced at a later stage from the leadership positions. Puchalapalli Sundaraiah lost his leading role in Marxist Party. After his death only Marxist Party restored his position as a leader of the party. Kondapalli Seetha Ramaiah could not have even this sort of respect.
When leaders built up organizations like a family, they hope that the cadres who are like the children would come to their rescue in the old age. But instead if they were expelled from the organization at a later age their agony would be inexplicable. So the leaders would expect their leadership to continue, over the cadres and movement; like in the case of a father or mother in the family.
Some other people try to make the cadres, followers and people dependent on them because of selfishness. They keep a tight grip over authority. They create a situation where by no work could advance without their nod. They concentrate the assignment of work styles, opportunities and duties in their hands. They try to create a situation, where in they are needed at every juncture. They make it inevitable to have their advices for carrying on every task. They make the people queue up at their house for getting things done. The landlords, rich class, karanam, police patel, priestly class and such leaders of the exploiting classes in the rural areas follow this working style. They continue the talking style every moment where by their psychological as well as physical dominance over the people continues. Their working style continues as individualistic. They couldn’t tolerate those who question them back.
A state leader of an employees’ organization doesn’t do any work at all. So the district leadership got the G.Os. issued after a lot of going around the Secretariat. After some time the state leader came to know about this. So he questioned back that for what purpose they are there as leaders of the state organization and created obstacles on the path of the district leadership from further getting the G.Os. directly from the Secretariat. In fact he behaved against the interest of the employees. He used to closely move with political leaders and the people in government. But the time won’t remain as it is. Finally he became a nameless person.
The eternal question that haunts leaders is the question of how to keep the cadres and colleagues within their camp. Every time some colleagues or else followers are lost from the camp, the leader would suffer the question that, whether I have failed? Even the children reared by the parents leave them once they reach an age. But the still would have respect for their parents. But here in this case even that respect is not there. Why it is happening?
Some people get respect from followers and colleagues through out their life.
Puttaparthi Saibaba is an example for this. Even Dr.C.Narayana Reddy could retain his colleagues, followers and disciples since decades. But for many people it is not possible. Why?
1.Continuous growth 2.Continous writing 3.The need to keep himself continuously abreast in terms of power and knowledge in comparison to the colleagues 4.To stay in positions of power which could not be attained by other colleagues. 5. Respecting others and maintaining friendly relations with others however taller one grows. 6.Not boasting about the favor he did to others. 7.Not humiliating anybody and thus not hurting the ego of anybody. 8.If somebody is not to his liking, leaving the discussion aside about them and remaining calm – and praising those whom he likes. 9.Developing the creativity in the followers. 10.To get aside from the leadership position; when that is required in the competition for leadership and remain as a teacher and adviser.
Will it be possible for everybody to grow continuously in the cultural, literary, social, political, industrial and employment arenas? History has shown that it is not possible for everybody. That is why some leaders have gone to the other extreme and converted their organizations and movements into their private property. In such organizations there won’t be elections. The cadres they like could be nominated to any post they want. It is like an appointment order for a job. In such organizations there won’t be democracy. It would only remain a personal fiefdom. Many organizations and movements in our state are continuing like this. They are continuing in the name of their leaders.
There is another problem with leadership. That problem pertains to lower level leadership – and higher level leadership. If a lower level leader comes to the aid of a higher level leader, that won’t have recognition. When a lower level leader builds up movements and arranges public meetings with a lot of effort the credit for that goes only to the top leadership. In fact the state level leadership might not have done any thing in arranging that meeting or building the movement. But when the higher level leadership helps the lower level leadership it would get a lot of recognition. There would be a feeling of indebtedness when a person is appointed as the district president by the top leadership. Such a district president would be humble with a feeling of thankfulness. Why it is happening?
How to manage the situations where in those who received the help got distanced from the leadership. If such an instance is kept in the back of the mind and no further help is extended to any body, what will happen? Those who received the help are different people from the people who are coming for help now. Should the negative culture of those who received the help in the first instance, but distanced themselves from those who helped them affect those people who are now looking forward for help? Why should we think that helping itself is a blunder?
An old man is moving slowly on the back of a horse in a desert. He has a seen an young man who lost his consciousness on his way. He got down from the horse and checked up whether that young man is alive and found that he is still alive. He sprayed some water on his face and made him come in to consciousness. He later offered him some water and bread. The young man came into full consciousness. He looked around. There is no trace of a single man around other than those two. So the young man thought of killing the old man and running away with his horse and possessions.
He killed the old man. But the old man signaled with his hand while the young man is mounting the horse and told like this – dear! I have no regret that I am dying. I am already 80 year old. Promise me that you won’t reveal one thing to any body in your life. That is, don’t tell anybody that you have survived by killing a person who has helped you. If the other human beings know it they would loose faith in humanity. Nobody else would help others. So in order to let the human feelings remain in others, don’t reveal your act of betrayal to others.
The bad and the negative should not be propagated. A great writer called Premchand told once that – in any age there would be ten people who are good amongst the hundred. If the bad and the harmful that was being perpetuated by the senior people is propagated – the ordinary people would come to the conclusion that – even the great people are doing that, then what is wrong if we do that. Some people hesitate even in conveying to others the bad they personally know. But some mass media and opposition give propaganda to bad over the good.
The personality of the leaders itself grows into ethical leadership. Let us see this in the next chapter from different angles.
4. The Importance of the personalities of the leaders
Personality itself as leadership…
We have seen in the last chapter that how personality itself would emerge into leadership. This is called as ethical leadership. In a family the personality of the father, mother, grandfather and grandmother itself would be the leadership. Their leadership would continue even after the children became independent. This could be called as ethical leadership.
Those who go forward with an objective in a field and gain recognition and prestige grow into ethical leadership. The experts and intellectuals in various fields would be respected by the society, government, political parties and movements. Their suggestions and opinions would have an impact on the people, government and the movements. Some people even grow into social forces.
And advertisement participated in by a popular cine star or a cricketer would influence the people. This is the reason why they are being portrayed in commercial advertisements. If a cine actor gives support to a political party it would also have a lot of impact. Many such examples could be cited.
Individual experience a lesson for social change
The individual experiences and insults faced by the Mahatma Jyoti Rao Poolay were recognized by him as social problems, thus making him to look forward to finding solutions to those problems at the social and theoretical level. Like that his personality, objective and leadership grew up. He exposed the Brahminical theories by writing a book called “Gulamgiri” (Servitude). He led the working class movement and ideological movement with his Satya Sodhak (Searching for Truth) Movement. He brought about a great turn in the history of
Individual effort would provide national spirit
Anna Hazarey turned a village called Ralegam in
The personal insult to Gandhiji – grew in to a National movement
Gandhiji is an inspiration for Anna Hazarey. Congress party and the national movement were highly influenced by Gandhiji. When a person is insulted – he could take it personally or else as a social issue. When such an insult is taken as a social issue, the result would be different Gandhiji faced insults from the whites in
The experiences of Ambedkar liberated the oppressed castes
Ambedkar has seen the individual insults he faced in his life as a social problem. So he went forward to solve the problems the oppression of the dalits and the humiliations that are being forced upon them on a social level. Like this the more the objective and the personality grew taller the more a person grew as a leader. The individual insults they faced made them take the path of liberating the oppressed people. They searched for the theories, concepts and paths for such liberation. They practiced what they told. They struggled for what they believed. They built new structures and paths for achieving the goal. They created new theories. They brought forward Buddhism with new vigor. In this way personality, leadership and objective went forward.
The ethical leadership of Anilsad Gopal – Medha Patkar
Many people worked in various fields taking upon specific issues like Anna Hazarey. People like Anilsad Gopal and Medha Patkar belong to this category. Anilsad Gopal is a scientist. He was tormented by the Bhopal Gas Tragedy of 1984. in that tragic incident lakhs of people affected. An organization was formed to fight for the disbursement of compensation to those victims. Anil Sadgopal is the leader of that organization. The story of
In the same way Medha Patkar has taken upon the agitation of Narmada Bachavo. She is protesting that, by the construction of a big dam on
All are Prime Ministers – Respect in accordance with personalities
Jawaharlal Nehru, Guljarilal Nanda, Lalbahadur Sastri, Indira
Gaandhi, Morarji Desai, Charan Singh, Chandra Sekhar, Rajeev Gandhi, V.P.Singh, Deva Gouda, I.K.Gizral, P,.V.Narsimha Rao and A.B.Vajpayee acted as the Prime Ministers of India till 2004 since 1950. Expecting Vajpayee all the rest of them started with Congress and grew up in different ways and became Prime Ministers of India either on behalf of Congress or on behalf of the other parties. Though all of them are Prime Ministers each of them got his or her own style of functioning. Their leadership as Prime Ministers continue depending upon their personalities. Though Congress is a single party and Prime Ministership is the single Office there was a lot of diversity in their functioning and the respect they commanded in that office. This respect they commanded is not a matter of the structure they led. It is a matter of their leadership, personality, political party and the social situations they are in. That is why though the structure and the leadership position are the same their nature and impact would change basing upon the personalities and styles of leadership.
The role of personality and leadership is immense in social movements, political parties and families. The leadership has an important role. That is why everybody looks towards the leader. The movements , parties and organizations are assessed and judged basing upon their leadership.
The personal imprint of a leader is unique
During the struggle for independence there were many leaders in the Congress Party. Each of them got his or her own personality and leadership style. When we listen to the names of those leaders we are reminded of their unique personalities and styles of leadership. People like Lala Lajpathi Roy, Gopala Krishna Gokhalay. Balagangadhara Tilak, Gandhiji, Moulana Abdul Kalam Ajad, Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhogaraju Pattabhi Seetharamaiah, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhai Patel, Morarji Desai, Guljarilal Nanda, Lalbahadur Sastri, Indira Gandhi etc worked in the Congress Party. But each of them got his or her own unique recognition. This indicates the specialty and concreteness of their personalities, leadership and objective.
Nehru is known as a person who carries all the people with him in a democratic way, a person with a liking for the heavy industry, urban development and commitment to secularism. Vallabhai Patel is supposed to be the man of steel. Gandhiji is known for his inclination towards cottage industry, rural development, swadeshi and moral principles. Subhash Chandrabose is known for his deep desire to liberate the country with the help of anybody through an armed struggle. He built up an army called Azad Hind Fouze. The personalities and leaderships of Gadar Heroes, Bhagath Singh and Mohammed Ali Jinna were unique in their own way. When we listen to the name of Acharya Kripalani we will be reminded of a person who is very soft. And when we listen to the name of Chakravartula Rajagopalachari we might be reminded of a personality who is pro-brahmin, anti dalit , anti progressive and conservative.
N.T.Ramarao grew up in the film industry and utilized his experience in that industry in building up the Telugu Desam Party and Government. He also observed the working styles of C.Annadorai, Karunanidhi and MGR of Tamilnadu and molded those styles according to his need.
The emotions and responses that will be there in an artist or a writer determined his leadership and personality. When the Kamma caste grew up politically and is looking forward to grow further by capturing power their support became handy for NTR in coming into power. He ruled the state and took decisions according to the wishes of the people, and his own passions rather than that of the suggestions of the MLAs. With the moral leadership of the artist in him NTR was successful in capturing political leadership and the leadership of the state government.
The teachers would suggest objectives, goals and paths for the students, disciples, cadres, leaders and the people. They won’t expect leadership or positions or power. Those who suggest the objectives, goals and paths without expecting the leadership role in turn are the teachers. The great men like Buddha, Poolay, Gandhi Ambedkar etc grew to this level.
5. The Relationship between Hope – Experience
Profession – Nature – Consciousness
Some organizations and movements remain without any growth for decades in the social and political fields. Those organizations and movements should be closely studied and analyzed. It is important to know in which organization does once growth and achievement of objective are possible. One has to choose which organization is best suited for him. There is saying that – tell me who your friends are, I will tell who you are. If you tell the organizations you are working in, what you are could be told. That is why a unity will develop between you and the organization in the matter of social perspective. You will be assessed depending upon the organization you are working in.
What happens if an assessment is made basing upon the job?
You will be assessed basing upon your job also. But it is very difficult to get a job you want which is in accordance with your qualifications and aptitude. Despite the fact the before mentioned is true the respect and the value you get will depend upon your job. That is why people work in organizations and movements those which are in accordance with their qualification, tastes, objective and inspiration. Many people spend more time in such activities rather than on the actual job. Many of them allot more time and give more priority to their home and family. Some others give priority to social, political, cultural programs, leadership and excelling in the arts. Some others give importance to cinema, TV, cricket etc.
The inequities that arise out of theories and structures
There might be a contradiction between the professions – nature. Even if one chooses the profession of his liking his aptitude, nature and priorities may change after some time. He may forced to do the job or continue the profession he doesn’t like. Nobody likes to perform the profession that is looked down upon. But still he may be forced to continue in the profession out of necessity. Like this the relation between the profession – hopes – objective breaks down. So in order to achieve the hopes and the objective other paths may be needed.
The theories of Karma, Rebirth, the preachings of Hindu religion, Manu Dharma Sastra and Bhagava geetha etc stifled all the hopes and objectives of growing higher by insulting the individual and asking him to perform the caste professions in the name of the previous birth and its Karma. The hopes and the objectives of the humanity were degraded in order to perpetuate the domination of the higher ups in the caste hierarchy. So the opportunities and higher goals were limited to those who are higher up in the caste hierarchy of the Hindi religion. Thus the entire society got submerged in a kind of psychological slavery. Initiative was trifled. Country became subservient to the foreign rulers.
Even the religion proposed structural principles which determine who has to come up in the structures and the society. Religion is a strong structure that is surviving through various systems and all the structures. Buddhism led the society based upon democratic principles. But all the religions that emerged later continue differently. After the political system got transformed into democratic governments the recognition that all the human beings are equal emerged. After the formation of the democratic system, the concept of equal opportunities for all the human beings took root.
There were many people in the world who dedicated themselves to social – political, cultural, artistic, religious and scientific activities leaving their profession or job. They sacrificed their personal happiness for the sake of the goals they have chosen. It is possible to go forward with higher objectives and dedication in any field and at any age. There were many people who dedicated their lives for the activities which are closer to their heart even after retirement from their jobs.
Like the above the structures, jobs and objectives might keep on changing depending up on the experiences and the age. There is nothing wrong with that. If a person keeps on changing the jobs or organizations continuously, he may look like the one who has no stability. The answer to that criticism could be given through your personality and higher objectives. When the selfishness become the objective criticism is common. When the objective is the service to the society, it is not so easy to criticize you. The others would decide for themselves that how much value has to be given for such critics. That is why you should not be afraid to change the organizations, objectives, perspectives and programs because of the fear of criticism. If you do like that others would be your leaders and you would continue as their follower.
Would people resort to careerism at the fag end of their life?
A person worked in an organization and its programs for 25 years. He was a leader there. But rethinking began in him because of social developments. External pressure increased on him. There was a conflict of theories. He came to the conclusion that a new organization and new programs are correct. But despite that he could not leave the organization he was working in. Many people sacrificed in that movement because of his teachings. So now he could not decide what to tell them of his new enlightenment. His leadership became a burden for him. His popularity, structure, followers became a burden for him. Now the major issue is what he has to decide in that situation. He made a decision after calculating the matters like his age, capacity to work and the damage that would befall his popularity etc.
In the above situation an ordinary member of the organization could leave it easily even if he worked for that organization for over 25 years. But it is not so easy for a leader who built the organization. It is not so easy to change the structure or the organization according to his new enlightenment.
There would be eternal conflict between the old ideas and the new ones. The organization would split up into two camps. Nobody knows which camp will win. But despite that some people split up and form a new organization. Some people would change the existing organization itself. Those who doesn’t like the organization leave it.
Some other people who doesn’t like a lot of mess join another organization along with their co-comrades. Some people would resort to compromise and will stay back in the same organization. This lost category of people are prone to hypocrisy and self hypocrisy.
There might be many senior leaders in the various parties and movements which are continuing over decades. They could not reveal their real feelings to the others in the organization. That is pathetic situation. They compromise with the organization and movement like that of an employee who compromised with the responsibilities of his job. Because of such people the organization couldn’t grow. It remain where ever it is. It looks like as if it is going forward. But that is not true. It is important to smell such a situation in the organization at the earliest.
How difficult – How difficult?
Jagajivan Ram quit the Congress Party along with his followers and joined the Janatha party. V.P.Singh left the Congress alone and joined the Janatha Dal. Jaipal Reddy left Janatha Party and joined Congress. The Socialist party of Lohia has undergone many splits. Lalu Prpasad Yadav built up a new party. Even Mulayam Singh and George Fernandaz did the same.
Nadendla Bhaskara Rao split up from TDP and joined Congress. Chandra Babu Naidu mobilized a majority and became Chief Minister splitting the TDP. Chennamaneni Rajeswara Rao who continued as a Communist leader for 50 years joined the TDP . Desini China Mallaiah who was an MLA of the Communist Party for almost 20 years joined TRS.
CPI(M) split up from the CPI in 1964. Naxalite groups formed after a split in the CPI(M). K.G.Satya Murthy came out of a party because of difference of opinions. Kondapalli Seetharamaiah was expelled from the same party which he build. He split up into a small group along with his followers. Like this many examples could be seen in socio-political developments. By observing them we could have an understanding of the kinds of relations and limitations one should have towards the organization, objective and oneself.
Organization always would be stronger and greater than an individual. The role of the people in leadership would be immense. An organization would get the recognition basing upon its leadership. But some organizations and structures would continue as it is irrespective of the fact who ever the leader is.
Let us see in the next chapter the importance, diversity of the leadership personalities in building the organizations and movements.
6. The importance of the personality of the leaders
Diversity - Contradictions
“Many philosophers proclaimed that if a person becomes a slave, half his kindness and good qualities are dead. They also told that the problem of hunger questions all other values. That is why an individuals personal blossoming is possible only in the course of fulfilling his needs. Don’t be a slave to anybody. The ideological slavery also is a true kind of slavery. The psychological slavery is more inferior to physical slavery.”
The politics, the structure of the socialist party, theories and working style of Ram Manohar Lohia are of a special kind. He supported the cause of the oppressed castes and at the same time described Rama and
It is often said that Morarji Desai failed in receiving the collective opinions of his followers and thus failed in providing a unified leadership for the Central Government by following the Gandhian and Sarvodaya Paths. During his tenure the criticism that often was made is that, the Central Government sleeps by
People like Lalu Prasad Yadav. Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sarad Yadav, George Fernandaz etc came on to the political arena following the path of Ram Manohar Lohia’s Socialist Movements and Parties. Each of them got his own working style. They did not do much theoretical work after Lohia. Even the theory was not propagated much. Theory took a back seat after they captured the power. Because of that a theoretical leadership came under the criticism of being only a political leadership struggling for power. Because of the diminished importance of the theory in the objective, they became objects of criticism for many. Only thing that remained is power and the struggle for power. Because of that leadership and personality turned more and more into political leadership. So they lost the moral capacity to provide ethical leadership and inspiration to the Country.
So like the above even if the theory is great, unless the personality and the objective grow taller, the theory would lose its prestige in course of time. So also it would lose its ethical leadership.
There is no power to ethical leadership
Dattopanth Thaengdi who is a RSS follower and the builder of the Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh expressed his opinions and experiences about the ethical leadership like this:
“The experience in the case of Jayaprakash ji is such. In the General Elections of 1977 people followed the dictat of Jayapraksah Ji and voted Janatha Party to power. But the formation of the Janatha Party did not take follow a proper method. There was not even a All India level working body for that. The name Janatha Party is nothing but a name for a big whirl wind. People in fact voted to Jayaprakash Ji. But after capturing the power Janatha Party leaders began to ignore Jayaprakash Ji. Finally when that great leader was on the death bed in
Both Gandhi Ji and Jayaprakash Ji were the leaders with personal ethics and ethical strength. But there is not a unified people’s front which is self dictated and has the consciousness of a united country behind them. When these two conditions were fulfilled only there will be a dawn of the collective ethical leadership. Then the situation would be totally different.” (RSS Member – Dattopanth Thaengdi – Page 40)
So he says that RSS should be a self-governed collective people’s front with ethical leadership. That is why RSS does not participate directly in politics. Its aim is to remain as a collective force with ethical leadership. 40-50 organizations were formed in accordance with this objective of ethical leadership. Those organizations together are called as Sangh Pariwar. The pressure of RSS on BJP is supposed to be ethical leadership.
There were difference of opinion as to maintaining mass organizations and trade unions in affiliation with the political parties Thaengdi explained that and analyzed that as follows:
“There were people even in the contemporary times who trust the idea which our culture proposes – i.e. that the people should be self dependent rather than being dependent upon the authority of the government. The discussion as to, whether a political party should be allowed to control different social organizations was continuing since the days of our independence struggle. There were leaders who thought about this issue in accordance with our culture. Now let us see one or two examples.
Ethical leadership? Physical leadership? Affiliated Organization?
This question first arouse at the Lucknow Congress in 1936. Nehru wanted to propose that Kisan Sangh and Mazdoor Sanghatan should work as affiliated wings of the Congress Party. But Gandhi ji refused to keep that proposal before the conference. Gandhi ji’s opinion is that, social organizations should remain independent and self governing.
Not only that. Even the organizations that were formed for the sake of constructive activities were not allowed by
Gandhi to remain under the control of the Congress party. When the Kisan Mazdoor Party and the Socialist Party United and a new Praja Socialist Party was formed the question arose that – what should be the fate of Hind Mazdoor Sabha.
Ram Manohar Lohia told that “My opinion is that a trde union should be affiliated to some political party.” Then Acharya Kripalani who is a Gandhian told that – “In that case I cannot be with you.” At that time the strength of Kripalani is more in the party. So Hind Mazdoor Sabha remained with independent existence as long as the Praja Socialist Party was there. Even there was discussion pertaining to the Bharateeya Mazdoor Sangh many times. It is natural for the political leaders to think that, it is good if ready made cadres could be mobilized from any walk of life. But sri Guruji when he was preaching the path for us always suggested that social organizations should always remain separate and independent.
But the people like Gandhi ji, Kripalani and Guruji did not come this conclusion while sitting together. They expressed their opinions at separate occasions and before different kinds of individuals. By this we could understand that these three great leaders rightly perceived the age old living style in this country and the inner nature that kept this centuries old culture alive. These great leaders knew the limitations of the politics and the authority of the government. So they did not like the social life to be controlled by the government authority.
The chances for the degeneration of the individuals who belong to the ruling political parties are more. It is known saying that – “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Because of the moral degeneration and tussle for the sake of political interest, political parties may get split up. In that case the social organizations that are affiliated to those political parties may also split up out of inevitability. So, the social organizations should not be linked to the political parties.
Living together is a cultural value
We always wished that the social life should not be totally dependent upon the power of the state. Instead we wanted social life to get path finding and control from the ethical leadership. The eternal vigilance that emerges out of the national consciousness of the ordinary people won’t posses any political strength or material strength. It would only be an ethical leadership in the form of a nationalist force. It will only have an affectionate duty bound ness towards the society… law should only be a servant to the society but not the master. The duty of the law is to serve the people but not to constrain them.” (RSS member – Dattopanth Thaengdi – Published – 2002 – Page 36-38)
RSS cadres and leaders want to see that the role of the state in the society is reduce to the minimum. It is like that of some people saying that the state should wither away. But despite that philosophers and theoreticians in our world got divided into two camps in this matter. Ambedkar preached that political leadership would come about through social movements. He put the social movements before the political power. In this matter the ideas of RSS and that of Ambedkar are closer. But Communists advocate that everything could be achieved through the power of the state. Ambedkar differed with this. On the occasion of his conversion to Buddhism he told that – Religion is necessary for the sake of individual culture, individual personality and societal building.
Are the leaders who have no imprint of their own – are like writings on the water?
Are the leaders who have no imprint of their own – are like writings on the water? Leaders without their imprint of leadership on power would be forgetten the moment they are out of power. History will count them just as one more in terms of number. It won’t discuss much about them. It is very clear in the case of social, political, literary and theoretical fields.
But there will also be fields where in a special imprint of the individual would not be required. But even in those cases if the ethical leadership of the leader is great, he will be remembered. Are the leaders and officials who got no special imprint are valueless? No. They will also command immense respect. They are like drinking water. When the poet Sri Sri questioned that – who were the workers who carried stones for the construction of the Taj mahal – Another poet replied that – The construction i.e. Taj Mahal won’t have enough space to write the names of all those workers. So it is not important to leave an imprint. Not having imprint is also a great matter.
The Historic of individuals in the world
But from the RSS parivar there were different opinions. Thaengdi said like this in the same boo9k – “all the historic changes that came about in the world were because of the self confidence of a few individuals. Lenin calls them – “A minority with self determination.” The defeat and victory would be determined by not the strength of numbers but by the self determination and heroism of the cadres.
Cadres are like the vehicles of the objective. The reason for this is that an individual when he forgets his “ego” would merge up with the objective. Then his power would be boundless. If he behaves with ego he would be a lonely individual. His capacity would be useful only for himself. But by merging “ego” with th objective he would also become a vehicle for the internal power of the objective. People may wonder that where from Baji Prabhu, Vetansius got so much of inner power. They may also wonder that how those people could carry on such heroic tasks. We have to recognize that they became so powerful only because of being the vehicles of the internal power of the objective.
When cadres overcome their “egos” and be one with the objective then in that case the power of the organization would multiply many times their actual number. That is a qualitative leap. As per ordinary numerical calculations 1+1 = 2, 2+1 = 3 and 3+1 = 4 and so on and so forth. But when a group of egoless cadres unit together the effect will be totally different. In such a case 1+1 could be 11, not 2. When a 3rd member adds up it would become 111. When a fourth member joins the group it would become 1111, not just 4.
Because of such an egoless and objective oriented psychology the cadres could work without losing heart even under highly adverse conditions.” (RSS member – Page 131)
Could everybody keep away from publicity?
Keeping away from publicity is one of the important aspects of the working style of RSS. It is not so easy to be egoless. The gathering into camps of the supporters of the Vajpayee and L.K.Advani of late indicates that it won’t take much time for the politics to become individual centered. It is difficult to assume that the statements and activities of Narendra Modi and Viswa Hindu parishad are egoless. Narendra Modi’s role as the Chief Minister of
Personality is like water – it will take the form of a movement that is in
Personality is like water. It will take the form of the vessel called the organization it is in. The characteristics of the leadership would reflect in the organization. That itself would look like the nature of the organization. Like this the role of the leadership is immense. The personality, objective and path of the leader would lead the organization. In fact their personality itself may look like the personality of the organization. Whenever the leadership changes, it may look like that there is a change in the nature and working style of the organization. When ever a District Collector changes and a new Collector takes over there might appear a difference in the style of functioning and the priorities assigned. A Brahmin Collector visited temples and secured funds for their development from the people and the government.
The respect to the power and its nature would change depending upon the individual
A dalit Collector who took over later improved the government schools, hostels, percentage of students who passed in the exams, DRDA schemes, DWAKRA groups and the functioning of the teachers and the employees. He also conducted special training classes for the people’s representatives belonging to BC, SC and ST categories at the mandal level for improving their leadership skills. Organized the birth anniversaries and death anniversaries of Ambedkar and Jagajivan Ram on a very big scale. Published a booklet that informs the public about the “SC Atrocities Act” in thousands of copies and distributed them. Solved the problems of the villagers pertaining to law and order the moment such problems came to his notice. This shows that, though the post is the same the functioning style, priorities, objective and the personality vary from individual to individual. Because of such variations only the respect for those posts either increases or decreases.
Though the position is the same the working style would change depending on the objective
When a person belonging to BC category gets elected as a MLA his working style and priorities would be different. When an OC person gets elected a MLA his working style and priorities would vary. A BC MLA naturally attends to more of the BC functions and will be more available to BC people. A Velama caste MP mingled with hundreds of Velama and upper caste groups during his five year tenure. He went to many functions. Like that he became closer to all of them. They could get their works done through him. He was not available to BCs and SCs even twice an year. People started wondering whether he is really an MP of that area.
After the death of Gandhiji Congress Party continued as a ruling party. Through the leadership of Nehru and as a party that has brought about independence, it continued in power over a long period. After the death of Nehru, Lal Bahadur Sastri had made his own mark over a period of one and half year of his rule.
Later on the leadership crisis began in the Congress Party. By that time it was already two decades of the achievement of independence. All those people who participated in the independence struggle who are equals and seniors have to adjust themselves in the hierarchical system of government formation. The rest of the leaders felt discontented because of the lack of importance and lack of opportunity to work. There was crisis in the leadership. At the same time there was scarcity in the leadership that could address the nation and lead it. In fact many leaders could not grow into the top leadership positions because of the lack of opportunities. It means the opportunities for leadership were limited. In this phase, in 1967 Congress Party lost in the elections to the Legislatures of many states.
This happened in two ways 1. Individuals and forces who are away from the Congress and grew up in stature. 2. The obstacles that developed in the Congress Party for the development of leadership. Added to this, the leaders who got addicted to power began to look after their own selfish interests leaving aside the main objectives of the struggle for independence.
How juniors get rid of seniors for the sake of power
In this stage Indira Gandhi emerged as a leader. She tried to get rid of the seniors in the party. In 1969 in the election to the Presidentship of the country she got her candidate elected against the official party nominee in the name of the call of the conscience. So a junior leadership may try to get rid of the senior leadership in the party in order to capture the party for itself. Because of that individual crises look like party crises, political crises and national crises. The senior leadership that has split out of the Congress party came into power after 10 years in 1977 under the name of Janatha Party. The developments that took place like that remained ingrained in the history of the country. Indira Gandhi declared Emergency for saving her power and leadership.
There would be such instances and crises in every organization, party, social reform movement and social movement. They start as a part of the leadership struggle and don the mask of theoretical differences and ultimately get recorded in history as ideological struggles. Such things happen when the people who got the capacity for leadership did not get enough recognition or else those who got no capacities but want to dominate the party compete for the leadership at the top level. A person by name Ramesh Gelly worked in a Bank, later left the bank and started his own bank by name Global Trust Bank. After that bank stabilized the obstacles began to emerge he committed many mistakes. Many people are waiting for him to commit mistakes. They started to move the pawns when the opportunity arose. Ramesh Gelly became a culprit. Global Trust Bank got merged in the Oriental Bank of Commerce.
Such crises would arise even in the social movements. The crises of leadership and crises of structure are more common in the social movements. Social movements influence the society, politics and the government. That is why those who oppose them try to misguide those movements through the agents of them in those movements. They try to make such movements get disintegrated. On the other side the leadership competition would intensify because of the leaders who grow as a part of the desire to have their own leadership. When the programs for the expansion of the movement were taken up at the right time and a democratic working style that satisfies everybody is practiced and also many affiliated organizations were formed with equal status as a part of the expansion process, this conflict would manifest itself in a healthy way.
Organizations – Movements are like families – they should expand by continuously dividing
It is important to marry a daughter a son, a brother and sister who reached the age of marriage. Then a family would expand into five families and they would have a relationship of love and affection. So also is the case with the social movements. As the movement keeps on expanding new organizations should bud up and new leadership responsibilities should be assigned. Then only those movements keep on growing.
For example RSS was born in 1925. As the leadership kept on growing in it, new organizations were formed and the parent organization expanded. The seniority of all the seniors continued in different areas. The senior leaders commanded the respect that is due to them. Bharateeya Mazdur Sangh leadership grew up from the RSS.
In the same way the party called Jana Sangh was born under the leadership Shyam Prakash Mukharji. The leaders like Deendayal Upadhyay, Vajapayee, L.K.Advani etc grew up to become the leaders of BJP and NDA Government via the RSS and Janasangh. On the other side 30 – 40 organizations like the Ithihasa Sankalana Samithi, Viswa Hindu Parishads, ABVP, Seva Bharathi, Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, Saraswathi Vidyapeeth etc branched out.
In the same way the parties in the power created the posts of Chairmen of the Railways ad Telephones; Members of the PSUs, Governors, Members of Planning Commission and Representatives of the party etc in order to accommodate all the leaders. But the problem here is that, the moment the party loses the power those posts are also go on. In that way the party loses its expansion and will go into a crisis. That is the reason why many parties look more weaker and develop internal crises the moment they lose power. With the loss of power the opportunities for accommodating all the leaders is gone. RSS is resolving the leadership problem by creating new organizations continuously without concern for the politics of power. Such an attitude is not to be seen in the other parties and movements. In this matter RSS is remaining as an ideal organization in the country in terms of building up branches and resolving the crises in the early stage itself.
The organizations – Movements which won’t learn lessons from history…
Where as the organizations of RSS have remained united, on the other side organizations following Ambedkar got divided on the lines of individual. Congress party got divided. Social parties have their own divisions. Communists and Naxalites got divided. Some leaders of the RSS and its affiliated organizations also got divided but soon joined back the parent organization.
The same nature is reflected in the Congress Party. Going out of the congress party and returning to its fold again have become a part of the congress culture. The rest of the parties could not remain as liberal as the congress party. Congress Party is like a departmental store. It respects the consumer when he buys from it. But it doesn’t blame anybody for not buying with it. It doesn’t criticize the individuals who left the party and joined another party. It will welcome them whole heartedly when they return back. Because of this grocery shop psychology of the congress party it could with stand many ups and downs.
RSS also tries continuously to take into its fold the people who left it. It extends a hand of friendship to them. But some other parties behave differently from this. They campaign negatively against those who left the party. Because of this mutual slander both of them lose their leadership stature.
In the case of business organizations when the partners divide, one of the partners retains the old shop and the other starts a new one. They would forget the conflict that made them separate and meet as usual after 4 or 5 months. They take care that none of them propagandizes about the conflict between them in the public. Because of that the reputation of the both the shops increases and business prospers. They tend to say that we have children, our expenses increased, so we have started separate shops. If the problem is resolved like this it will be beneficial to both of them.
In the political arena the behavior is totally different. In the corporate sector they separate as friends. In the social movements, social reform movements and politics the role of the leadership is more. That is leading to a seething crisis in the whole structure of the organization. It means they are working according to a old paradigm. In the feudal times there used to be a king, a minister and an army chief. The wars used to be like that if there is a victory it is the conquest of a new territory and if defeated the defeated king becomes the subordinate one. The movement the kind died his army used to float a white flag and surrender. Some political parties, social movements and social reform movements are still following the same kind of working style.
The leadership has to build up organizations, structures and parties. It does so. In some other organizations the pattern will be different. After the organizations and parties were built up and developed the junior leadership expels the senior leadership and takes over the organization. Indira Gandhi captured the Congress Party expelling the senior leadership. Such instances were there even in the Communist parties and Naxalites.
Perpetual conflict between leaders – organizations
There will be a perpetual conflict and relationship between the leadership on one side – organization and party on the other side. There were some people who started new parties on their own and made them grow after separating from the leadership of the old organization. Parties like the CPM and Naxalites have grown up like this only. Even Lalu Prasad Yadav and Mulayam Sing Yadav also split up the socialist party and grew up independently.
If ash was questioned that what its past was – a poet told that it would be angry. It means it burnt up and gave light. So it will definitely be angry if questioned what it has contributed. So also people who are old and who contributed to the organizations, parties and movements their whole life, would be angry if asked what they have done. In the same way if the parents were questioned by the children – what they have earned? They will also be angry and sad. They dedicated their whole life for rearing the children. The children are the wealth they created.
In the same way if a senior leadership is questioned to prove itself at that ripe age – is it appropriate? That is why ruling political parties appoint their party seniors as governors, board chair mans and members. For the employees it gives pension and gratuity. Organizations which cannot take care of their seniors like this would remain as ones which could not respect their own history. At the same time some organizations decayed because of the people who wanted to remain as their leaders till they die. New leadership could not be developed. There were many instances of caste organizations which could not grow up because of the aforementioned reason.
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The construction and administration of the private schools is of a different kind. They have to provide education and discipline in accordance with the hopes of the parents. So they have to remain in continuous contact with the children and the parents. They have to face stiff competition. The school would get a good reputation only when the staff extends their fullest cooperation. This is a collective structure. The organization would extend only when teachers, school environment and the co-students are conducive to growth. Policies alone could not build up a good organization.
An individual who managed a school for 10 years very well could also be a good administrator of a corporate organization or else a political party. Like this the leadership capacities acquired in one field would also be useful in the other fields. The experience of N.T.Rama Rao as an actor, Producer and father were immensely useful in building up the Telugu Desam Party and in the Government administration.
Leadership would work in 3 phases. Giving programs with its own objectives. These are called as the basic objectives and programs of the party. There would be many other programs which flow from these main objectives. In the same way some programs have to be taken up depending upon the situation. Some programs won’t be taken up at all. They would only be confined to propaganda and slogans. They could be described in the below said way.
1. Basic objectives – Programs – Actions
2. Programs to be taken up because of others, reactive programs – reactive action
3. Remaining indifferent to reactive action
4. Preserving character, ethics, personality, leadership
5. Aspects confined to propaganda
So if leadership capacity was acquired in any organization or walk of life could be extended to the other fields. It is a different matter if an individual mobilizes people and grows as a movement or an organization. Running an already existing organization is completely different for example a District Collector, RDS, MRO and MDO etc are the people who run an already existing organization. But starting a school or college or literary organization or a political party on ones own and making it grow and stabilize are matters capacities pertaining leaders who have capacities of the above three phases.
6. Social systems – Developments
- The history of the structure of the system
Blood relations
We have seen in the second chapter how the coordination and conflict go on between the theories and concepts and the structures. We have also seen how organizations split up when they could not receive new experiences and concepts. In the last chapter we have seen how the individuals influence the organizations, theories and world history. But some structures are continuing without concerning themselves with the theories and concepts. Let us see them in the present chapter.
The objectives and theories themselves became structures
Structures became theories and theories became structures. Behind every structure there would be an objective and theory. For example launching a bank is an objective. Starting a bank is building the structure. We have seen in the many chapters before how the relationships and the patterns are continuing amongst the objective, theory and structure. In course of history after theories got converted into structures; the theories that were there behind them would appear in a different form. But behind those structures old views, objectives, goals, programs and culture are continuing.
Though they started as theories at the first instance in the history now they are continuing as structures. The relationships of the clan, caste, race, and country come into this category.
Our country, our state and our race are at the same time the structures as well as the theories. So also our village, our theme, our district, our class and our class are structures and theories at the same time.
Like the above the country, the language, the region, the race, the culture and the class are all theories. These theories propagate the concept that these relations are like the blood relations which continue despite other theories. The impact of them on the people is immense. Let us now see how some structures like that gained form in course of history.
The theories, structures and bonds of blood relationship within the family, clan and caste will have a tremendous impact on all the fields. If one member of that family or clan or caste grows up in life he would give a lending hand to the others. If one or two members of a caste advance in life they could inspire or provide cooperation to the other members of the caste. For this reason only members of some castes are growing up beyond their percentage in the population. If the members of the other castes have grow like that there should be proper cooperation at least to some members of those castes. That is why, theories have come forward suggesting which castes are in the leadership position and which caste have not won the elections. Many castes have no proper representation in the assembly and the parliament. The issue of unrepresented castes should gain representation in the legislatures is as important as the issue of the daughter of Nehru becoming the Prime Minister.
Many structural forms like this evolved in course of history in order to provide the content to the theories of the blood relation as the population is expanding. The theories of blood relation and structural forms did not come like a bolt from the blue. The relations between the clan and race slowly expanded into the ruling system, priestly system, caste system, rural system, social-political system and democratic political system.
The theory of blood relations influences the social-political movements, organizations and theories. It makes it possible to have hereditary leadership. Jawaharlal Nehru the son of Motilal Nehru became the Prime Minister. Jawaharlal Nehru’s daughter Indira Gandhi became the Prime Minister. Her son Rajeev Gandhi became the Prime Minister. His wife became a leader of the stature of the Prime Minister. In the same way we could see the growth of the blood relatives of Karuna Nidhi, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Devilal, N.T.RamaRao Etc in the socio-political fields. Though that growth was through the popular mandate, we could see the importance given by the people to the blood relations.
1. Blood relations are a structure as well as theory
Some people appose hereditary politics. In the economic arena hereditary right is continuing. It is getting reflected in the politics. If hereditary property right is removed from the economic arena may problems could be solved. A person is provided with a job based upon qualification but not heredity. In politics, sports, literature, arts and science the representation is based upon the qualifications. Like that only if hereditary property right is removed, a better society would develop. But still the impact of blood relations could not be under estimated. There were people who got public recognition as the sons, wives and daughters of illegitimate relationship and got elected as people’s representatives or even Ministers. Like this the blood relations would act as lobbies, fractions in the organizations, socio-political movements, literary and art fields. It is important to analyze them and study them in detail.
Blood relations are nothing but the structural forms that came developing from the structural forms that emerged during the ancient period in human society. During those times the blood relations are the only kind of structural forms. They would then be called as the clan, tribe or structural form. Later on these blood relations in
Some people emphasis the role of theory in the social and political fields. They refuse to recognize the fact that the theories got converted into structural forms and continuing as blood relations and relations of friendship. They are ignoring the impact of the blood relations and the caste and clan relations. Some people could get a lot of mileage out of them. An officer or a leader could do a lot to make the members of his caste grow at many levels in the society. It is important to take it into consideration. When members of particular castes were either officials or leaders the growth of the members of those castes and their blood relatives in all the fields shows the structural impact of blood relations and the castes.
2. Tribe ……….. – Clan
Human beings lived in groups since ages. The ancient human groupings are called as tribe or clan. ……………………………………………
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……………………………….(page 183 – 184)
Even in the human society mother was leader in most of the cases during ancient times. She used to continue hunting and food gathering along with the children. She used to distribute the gatherings of the food. Women were the first to tame the animals and she was the one who invented agriculture. So women are the first scientists as well as the leaders of the society.
Women appointed men for taking care of the animals. They let the race by food gathering and rearing the children. Latter on they invented agriculture. Men were assigned with the jobs in taking care of animals and agriculture. Men slowly established their dominance in these two areas. While women are busy in child rearing, food gathering and as well are resting during some periods because of the demands of their nature, men learned to led in taking care of the animals and agriculture. Slowly the leadership of he men became predominant in the first human groupings. In that way the matriarchy got replaced by patriarchy. Initially it led to some conflict. This entire process as well could be compared to the conflict between the new daughter in law and the mother who turned into mother in law. The change from matriarchy to patriarchy took thousands of years. In course of development of science and technology patriarchy got consolidated. But still in some tribes and areas matriarchy is continuing. There are also some signs of matriarchy even within the patriarchal system. This is more so in case of culture. In the case of the concepts like the mother tongue and mother country this is visible. Like this the tribe, class, matriarchal system and patriarchal system developed as structures in course of history.
3. Matriarchal system
In the beginning the animals were bred for the sake of their meat. Later on agriculture was invented. After some time people learned to use animals in agriculture. In the first instance human beings themselves would do the tasks of agriculture without animals. So in the past there was no relation between animals and agriculture. The tribes that breed animals and the tribes that do agriculture were separate. When Aryans entered in to the Indian Sub-Continent they were mainly dependent upon animal breeding and the meat of the animals. There was an agricultural society in the Sindhu civilization. There were wars between the animal breeding and agricultural societies. These wars were recorded in the Vedas and Epics. If we see from the perspective of the Vedas we could understand that Aryans by the time they entered into
The development of the matriarchal system was a natural out growth of history. Where as patriarchy developed out of a willful attempt. Vedic Civilization was a patriarchal civilization. Vedic Society was a patriarchal structure. All the epics, laws of Dharma were developed to facilitate the domination of men and their leadership. In this way the family turned into a structure dominated by the father. Buddhism and Jainism developed as a part of the patriarchal system. They elevated the male celibacy to a higher level. But in the case of the matriarchal system there was no place for such a celibacy. If women follow celibacy there won’t be any chance of human race surviving. So women could not imagine such systems. Producing of children also is a wealth. So the matriarchal system considers that as holy act. The sexual relations between men and women were considered holy.
A woman who could conceive children would be held in high respect. A woman who fails to do so would be degraded. The high respect given to the woman who could conceive children was also a part of the continuation of the matriarchal culture. But the patriarchal system reflects itself in the domination of the father over the children and their lineage.
4. Patriarchal system
The religions like the Vedic, Buddhism, Jain, Christianity, Islam and Sikhism are a related to the patriarchal structures. So the structures, leadership and the concepts in those religions were conducive to the growth of men in all walks of life. Culture, family system, tribe, right to property came under the domination of men. If women could grow on par with men under a patriarchal system it is possible only through a greater effort than that was put forth by the men. The builders of the structure would themselves determine who has to grow up and to what level of leadership in the society. So the patriarchal system favors the men in terms of growth in various fields and leadership roles. The structure, culture and the division of labor of the patriarchal system are responsible for the failure of the women in having an equal role in the society. But now the women as well as their parents are trying to get rid of this system of inequity. The concept of feminism took roots in this backdrop only. The origins of the patriarchy lay in the science and technology invented by the women during the ancient times. Where as the new science and technology laid the foundation for the feminism and the desire for the equality of women.
5. Caste System
In the course of tribes and clans merging together into a larger society the caste system evolved. Patriarchy is there even in the caste system. But at the same time we could observe some aspects of patriarchy and its culture in the caste system. The origin of the caste and the development of the relationship between them continued as the
Later on a fourth
If we see from the Anthropological angle the body structure of the members of various castes in a region would be the same. So we could say that the division of
6. Family system
The system of family that is existing now originated after thousands of years of human existence. In the beginning the society was composed of groups of people who later converged into tribes. Later on came in the Janapada and the Rajan systems. The system of family originated from the tribe. With the formation of the castes system the family system was constrain by it. In
Later on people began to migrate because of jobs they have to pursue. The link between the occupation and the caste also was gone. New occupations were taken up. Like this a nuclear family system emerged. The system where by the parents and children live together will be called as the family in
The problems like the dowry were born out of the pattern of the continuing of the family as a unit of the caste. One of the real solutions for the problem of the dowry is the equal opportunity for women in the property of their parents. The confinement of the nuptial relations to the limitations of the caste leads to the aggravation of the problem of the dowry. Discussing other issues while leaving aside this reason is nothing but favoring the status quo.
The relationship like the siblings, uncles and aunties, cousins, their relatives, grand parents and the lineage of the families do show the impact of the theories of the blood relations and the structural forms. The aspects like the values, tights and responsibilities which preclude the equal treatment of all the children by the parents, respect to the elders by the children, taking care of ones parents during their old age, the elder son taking care of the family in the absence of the father are all part of the structural forms of the blood relations.
These theories, structures of blood relationships later on expanded to encompass the structural forms of the organizations, movements, castes, politics and the democratic system. Like this the system of the caste was deeply entrenched as a theory, ideology and structure. The consequence of that was the emergence of the people who were dictated by the caste system as the leaders in various walks of life.
In the family father is the head of it. This is a patriarchal structure. Mother will have the role of the home minister or the welfare minister. The sons, daughters, grand children, son in laws, daughter in laws etc would be the close blood relatives.
The ritual which lays it down that the uncle on the mother’s side should tonsure the new born child shows one aspect of the theory and structure of these blood relationships. So also is the practice of the first child being born at the home of the wife’s parents. The saying that even the emperor of
- Some Structural Forms in the Modern Society – A Study
We have seen the structures, systems, blood relations and their theories which were formed in course of evolution of the history in the last chapter. We Have also seen the pattern where by the theories themselves evolve into structures. Now it is also essential to study the structural forms, their theories and needs in the modern society. In the next chapter we will examine the structural forms of the society and the constitution of
1.The Relationships of Classmates as a structural form
In the modern society children enter the school after the friendships of the early childhood. The personality of a child blossoms in the school amidst other children. So the relationship of classmates plays a crucial role in the initial social relations. We could see the relationships of classmates and early childhood continuing throughout life over and above the limitations of the caste, religion and class. In fact in the life any relationship or friendship could be easily broken. But in the friendships of the classmates it is very difficult to break up a relation because of the deep affection that underlies those relationships. We could also see such a phenomenon in the friendships of the early childhood.
In the school a structure would evolve in the relationships of the students and teachers. School itself is a structure. The teacher training courses would train people in how a school should and what is its importance. The first step in the process of the personal blossoming is the being together with the other classmates. The friendship, understanding and affection of the classmates continue even if diverged into different fields and have different opinions.
The friendships that form during the school and college age turn the life in a totally new direction. The friends and friendships continue in all the twists and turns of the life. Friendship is a wealth the value of which could not be expressed in material terms. Friendship is not constrained by any limitations. It would continue above the limitations of the caste, religion, region, country, race or language. The friendship between the men and women may turn in to love and may lead to marriage.
2. The relationship of colleagues as structural form
The co-employees and workers are called as the colleagues. The relationships that develop out of employment are called as the relationship of colleagues. The colleagues co-operate with each other like the members of a family as long as they are in the employment. Those relations and friendships would continue even if a person leaves the job or else goes on transfer. They provide an individual with special favors. A person who was transferred to a new place may be able to procure the help of an old colleague who actually belongs to this new place where he was transferred.
Like this the relationship of colleagues influences the human relations, friendships, politics and culture as a structural form. An artist develops a group of artists around himself. After these artists leave to the other places they themselves would develop groups of artists around themselves. Like this members of a caste gained domination over the Telugu Cinema field. If the relationships of the colleague were added into by the relationship of blood or caste they would further be stronger.
3. The co-worker, employee, teacher relations
All these continue as the relationships of colleagues. Some people call them as class relations. Some people say that these relationships would change with the change in the occupation. But ion real life such a thing is rare. A lecturer who gets selected through the Civils to become a Collector won’t forget his old friends, colleagues, teachers etc. The old acquaintance would help all of them. Society won’t respect the people who are not prepared to help their old acquaintances. Such people would be isolated in the society. It means the relationships of colleague are also continuing as a structure in the society. The personal friendships may continue even after a person leaves the job in an institution. Such relations could influence the life in a larger way.
4. Nationality – Nationhood
The words nationality and nationhood are being used in many ways. Those who propagate the Vedic culture would talk about the Hindu Nationhood. The words like the Telugu nationality, Telangana Nationality, Tamil Nationality and Marathi Nationality etc are also used. The word nationality also means caste in the Hindi language. the main aspect of the nationality theory is the psychological unity. This unity is also more important in the caste. So the caste would posses psychological and cultural unity like the Nationalities. The Structures of nationality promote those people who belong to that nationality.
5. Caste organizations - structure
The organization of the castes continues on the same lines as that of the nationality. In the beginning there was prominence for the kings, rural administrators and those who are in the good looks of the upper caste members in the structures of the caste organizations.
In the modern times caste organizations are continuing as the groups of those who are rich and well connected. This was not so in the beginning. Those who work hard and efficiently used to be the leaders of the caste organizations. Slowly in course of time those who are rich and well connected took hold of these organizations. The structures of the caste organizations got ossified.
The caste organizations became so narrow that it is easier to become the Chief Minister of a State than the State President of a Caste Organization. Because of this those organizations are failing in bringing about social development and change. Like the trade unions they also got confined to some narrow demands and activities.
6. Organizations of profession, trade - Guilds
The organizations of the trade and Guilds are continuing over centuries. So also are the professional organizations. They developed out of the need for contacts with the members of the same profession or trade, which are a must if one has to grow in life. Even the trade unions formed like this only. So also the employee organizations. All these kinds of organizations work for the collective benefit of their members. They are not concerned about the benefit of the entire society. So their objective is limited, sectarian and selfish. The collective force of them would limit itself to the struggle for the benefit of their members. For this reason they couldn’t serve the whole society even if they have a great leadership.
7. Clubs, Student and Youth Organizations and Voluntary Organizations
These organizations work in various walks of life. Clubs are formed for the sake of sports. Clubs even organize medical camps with a goal of serving the society. Even the youth organizations mobilize youth for various programs. They also will have an attitude of service to the society. Some youth and student organizations work with political-social consciousness as independent organizations or as organizations affiliated to the political parties. The voluntary organization will confine themselves to serving the society. The spiritual and religious organizations provide some services to the people. All these kinds or organizations go forward with some limited objectives.
But even within these organizations stronger structures developed. Those structures influence the whole society, politics as well as culture. The Hindu religious organizations like the RSS, some Muslim organizations and some Christian organizations influence the socio-political arena in the form of religious propaganda. In the structures of such organizations there would be sympathizers, cadres, part time workers, full time workers, village committees, mandal committees, district committees, state committees and national committee. All these work under the guidance of the central leadership
8. The structures of the Police – Military Systems
These structures are continuing in the same fashion over thousand of years. Though their role has been re-defined in the modern society the old relics did not completely die down. The aspects like the authority and the weapon are more important in these systems even today. We could see under the Military Dictatorships the domination of the military over the civil society. Why such an authority is becoming possible? The reason for these are the structures where in there is place for only obeying and there is no chance of questioning.
Of late the police and military are being trained with a humanitarian perspective towards the civil society. If this humanitarian perspective is absent these structures which are authority and weapons would behave cruelly towards the society. The police and military are trained with an eye on the social responsibility and a strong discipline. The rude and indecent way military people behave in the bogies of the train would smash the respect for the military amongst the common people. The way police behave will create fear and hatred about them in the public. For this reason only many people won’t come forward to marry their daughters to the people who are working in these two structures.
