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32
Its Applicability
such a concentration of power as to set It has been said that non-violence may
up and maintain an adequate peace be an infallible weapon, but whether it is organisation throughout the world, it will possible for man not to resort to arms certainly not be admitted by the easy and fighting. It is also pointed out that road of non-resistance. The Pax Romana Lord Mahavir and Buddha tried for a was the outcome of acquisition and time to lead people along the path of conquest and the Pax Muindi will surely Ahimsa, but what happened after them ? call for as steadfast resolution and as firm Society went back to its old ways, forget a treatment of recalcitrants." But we ting their teachings. A few persons can be have shown that if peace is sought by inspired to study Ahimsa and not the violence, it cannot be a permanent one society as a whole.
rather it will be an imposed peace and a Fighting is not an instinct and its
suppressed conflict. It will be unstable
and will contain seeds of its own destrucdevelopment depends on circumstances &
tion. In such a peace there is always a conditon in which a man is brought up. If
conflict between the external and the non-violence can be accepted as an infal
inner conditions. But in peace secured lible weapon then there is nothing in this
by non-violent resistance there is no world to match a man who has achieved
longer any conflict between the inner non-violence to the fullest extent. More
and outer conditions and therefore only over, if we turn our eyes to the records
such peace is enduring and none else. of history it would be clear that the world has been progressively and steadily advan- Objections cing towards Ahimsa since long times as Others have objected it in other ways. we have already seen in the historical Certain modern writers have undermined analysis of the world events. The very the value of love and universal brotherargument that the war and violence has hood. Lames Harvey R failed to solve the problem of the recur- that it has proved compatible with slavery rence of war and violence, weakens their and serfdom, and wars and industrial force. The world has to progress towards
operations. He opines that only a very it still further.
rare soul can dare profess that he loves H. G. Wells in 'A Short History of the his enemy, otherwise suspicion and dislike World' admits that there is a wide dem
are much more congenial to our natures and for coordination and a widespread
than love. While on the other hand, craving for something called 'peace', but
Archibald Robertson emphasises a change he regrets that there is no self-sacrifice,
of head rather than a change of no great urgency towards a sane, vigorous
heart. Though he believes that on the and creative life. But we have seen that
whole people are peaceable, desiring only self-sacrifice is an essential quality of a to live and let live, the root of mischief non-violent man and therefore, there is is not sinfulness of these people but the nothing to be regretted. He further points social relations in which they and the rest out that even if at last men do achieve of us live and move and have our being,
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