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Vol. XXIII, No. 1
Evil of militarists
To bring this about, the world needs an international group of convinced and consistent anti-militarists, who understand clearly that violence breeds further violence, and is thus an evil to be shunned at all costs. A study of the economics of militarism would make the position further clear. Billions of dollars are being spent to keep the war-machines of nation-states in a state of readiness, while millions of human beings go without neat drinking water, food, shelter, medical aid, education, minimal decencies of life. The communication revolution has reduced the world into a global village and the day is not far when with the advance of Democracy, the evil forces of Tyranny shall surrender to the forces of Peace and World Commonwealth They are already in retreat. Political Democracy depends on Economic Democracy
On Political Democracy and the representative form of Government which obtains in certain countries too the views of Har Dayal are equally carping and critical. It is self-evident that there can be no real Democracy without economic Democracy. Says Har Dayal, "Parliaments are now moribund institutions of decadent Capitalism. They are the sanctuaries of middle-class adventurers. They have created a new tin-god, viz., the M.P., for the worship of the simpleminded citizens... They are hot-beds of intrigues and corruption, of snobbery and sychophancy. (It may be noted that Dayal was writing before this tribe descended on India. His observations arose from his experience in the West). He goes on to say: "Demos may now rlse in wrath and say, 'Away with these hucksters and tricksters, who draw big salaries for deceiving and duping me, why should 615 mercenary talkers make laws for 48 million? (Evidently, the reference is to the British Parliament). Who ordained these political priests and mediators that have turned my Temple of Wisdom into a den of thieves? This circus must now be closed for fever. I will legislate directly in future, and thus be mistress in my own house." "Dayal said that Democracy in the world-state would be direct, not representative. Does a citizen eat by proxy, drink by proxy, marry or die by proxy? Why should he then make laws or choose policy by proxy? Thus he advocated Participatory Democracy and what is in modern idiom called Democratic Decentralization. "If you do not wish to go back to dictatorship, you must march forward to the Poll of the People. Government by Parliament is only camouflaged slavery. Only the permanent and universal Referendum can make each citizen a free voter and a free man," he said.
Certainly, Dayal was ahead of his times.
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