The dark ages - a possible return

by Afreeha Jawad

Interestingly, Europe's history during the last five centuries following the fall of Constantinople in 1453 signifies the advent of differently oriented man hitherto the earth never knew - very dynamic, forceful and bubbling with the spirit of inquiry.

This emerging curiosity enabled him to challenge accepted social beliefs and norms creating a cleavage between church and society. Scientific reasoning was to replace blind faith and in that tradition, church power receded and stalwarts like Martin Luther and Calvin torchbeared the social gamut into direct communication with their creator bypassing the overlordship of church authorities.

This spirit of inquiry not only dismantled the monopoly of a corrupt clergy over deity, it also took man to discovering and exploring physical territory of which he had no prior knowledge. Equipped with his inventions that revolutionised his existence along with his global explorations, he was well saddled into a state of self propagation.

This part of mankind's history marked the beginning of capitalism and heralded the mutual blood letting of nations into wealth and power. Following close upon its heals were strong nationalistic tendencies. Vying for global supremacy was each nation's aim.

The second half of the eighteenth century not only witnessed the high rise into capitalism, it was also springboard to sweeping changes across the world. The demand for raw material and markets to sell manufactured goods led imperial powers into acquiring newer territories and extending existing ones.

The scramble for power and hegemonic control was all meat for historians in penning Europe's blood splattered history. As events unfolded today's ultra nationalistic tendencies could be traced to seeds sown in the seventeenth century for the establishment of a strong sense of national identity. Right or wrong, my country is always right.

Selfishness, avarice and greed was licensed as virtuous where nations were concerned. The nation was to be the pivot around which prestigious identity revolved. The richer and stronger the nation, the greater a sense of national pride. Understandably then the thirst for national prestige.

So as France, England, Holland, Spain and the like were on a territorial hunt, it was to be an unexpected turn of events when that national identity rebounced on them in that the conquered territories agitated for freedom on nationalistic grounds. Yet matters did not however end there. In their newly found freedom, nation states with heavily centered majority rule found the emergence of ethnicity itself.

Having vested all powers with the majority communities over their respective colonial territories, they resorted to socio\ econ\ political\ medico\ legal outsourcing operative through an elite class - assuredly firm and steady income generating sources to the global political economy they founded having left these only physically. (Refer to last week's outsourcing grips colonial states).

To this end imperial power wielders worked, forging ahead with a strong sense of unity and bonding giving up the war torn path.

All powerful majorities

The league of nations was formed that later was called the United Nations. Incidentally German power was dismantled with the treaty of Versailles - this country being a strong contender to English and French power. A system was set afloat where colonies were thrust into what was outsourced who joined the collective in the league.

The indigenous system in the colonies was disjointed and an orchestra of deception and intrigue saw the birth of a new system. Within those nation states gripped by nationalistic feelings followed ultra nationalism which was positive ingredient for majority rule.

In their respective enclaves, ethnic leanings thus became rife when majority communities started discriminating minorities. Hindu India, Sinhala Buddhist Sri Lanka - just two countries among others saw majoritarianism at its helm. Majority rule came off where the greater number comprised ethnic or religious majorities.

But till recently, majority ruling was accepted quite forgetting the fact of a marginalised minority. A majority will prevailing on the entirety was taken for granted until out of it came the discrimination of global ethno/religious minorities. Majority rule was a creation of agenda setters to keep the political economy alive - an income generating money spinner to those that ruled and dominated the world economy.

Old wine in new bottle

As much as in the dark ages people were not encouraged into questioning of any sort, such deception was not to be challenged in modern set up as well. The dark age's corrupt church finds no better parallel in modern times - except through the majority centred unitary state.

The church was to be the unquestionable power and none could question the unitary state. Even when ethno/religious/economic minorities globally were discriminated resulting in terrorism, the system upheld the nation state characteristics of territorial integrity and sovereignty, proclaiming such acts as a violation of such integrity.

The global world order of inequity was further fortified when the nation state was endowed with a courts system which when questioned was, described as contempt of court - again a reflection of the dark age's unquestionable feature. The piety and virtue of the dark age's church and modern court went unsurpassed. Whatever be the law's loopholes in favour of the defence, leading to victory was to remain that way.

Another institutional mechanism that goes unchallenged in modern times is what is called medical misadventure. Surgical mishaps arising out of knowledge shortfall in professional skills are into forced acceptance by those that bear the loss.

Laws that protect the elite class remain unchallenged and under 'contempt of court' cover helps prop up the bourgeoise. For instance a Church/temple big wig hurries off in a chauffeur driven limousine.

A man in rags on the opposite side stands with his wife and child all two uncertain over his next meal watches such elitist behaviour and robs the temple till at night. A court case on this would find the guy behind bars. Why he robbed is not the court's concern - perhaps only of interest to a Sociologist.

Inequity precedes crime

Inequity is a precursor to crime. Yet inequity is socially accepted in ironically what we call a civilized world. Not to forget also the law that stipulates to be treated equal among equals.

The law believably licenses inequality. It endorses stratification and divisive tendencies if not for which the market economy itself is defunct. Nehru even refers to the barbarians among the educated - obviously a hint at the educated who licensed a system of inequity. Whither civilisation!

An all powerful executive presidency that cannot be questioned is also a leap backwards into the dark ages. The all powerful church of those times finds its presence even today in such institutional finding.

Highly secretive cabinet and board decisions coming off sartorial elegance also lack transparency and is out of bounds for a questioning mind. It also helps in politicising a people and forcing them to accept what goes well beyond the realms of morality.

Politicisation of communities also is a reflection of the dark ages for in the process of politicising, the inquiring spirit is disoriented. Particularly in Buddhist environment where happenings are attributed to fate, such fatalism props up the status quo. Blind faith gets in while reason fades off.

If the dark ages were times of suppressing man's spirit of inquiry, those very tendencies are today ever present veiled behind what is called the democratic form of governance.

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