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The specialty of the 20th century

By Ac. Shraddhananda Avt.

[Written in 1987, in India]
Only a few years are left of the 20th century. Its fourth and last leg started in the year 1976. Every century has its specialty. The specialty of the 20th century can now be inferred. Normally there are risks in writing the biography of a person during his or her life time. Only after his or her demise can something be said with authority, and some conclusions can be drawn from the main events of his or her life. We can nonetheless discuss something about the 20th century and make comments in the light of the past of this century.

If an individual starts on a journey, by looking at his or her direction an assessment can be made about his or her destination. New York may be his or her destination if it’s a Delta flight, Kathmandu in case of Royal Nepal Airlines, and Dehradoon if one boards the Doon Express. An indication of the destination is possible by observing the direction of the traveler. If a meeting is to be held at a particular time at a particular place, one may guess about the proceedings. In the same way, if an indication is received, some information is obtained, and we too can strive to stimulate the situation quickly and enjoy its pleasure. But without knowing the events correctly, of one proceeds, he or she may do so with false and faltering steps, the assessor of the situation then becomes an object of ridicule.

It is therefore first necessary to understand that what I consider to be the specialty of the 20th century is the fact that it excels the specialties of other centuries. In 2000 A.D. not only the century will end, but also a thousand years. Thus the twentieth century is at the summit of the last thousand years. 2000 years would have passed since the birth of Jesus Christ. We can therefore take stock of 2000 years. While the early years after Christ can be considered the base, which are implanted like the root under the soil of history, subsequent centuries can be called the trunk, branches and twigs. The 20th century is the fruit which would ripen in 2000 AD, when inhabitants if Earth will enjoy it. How precious this fruit would be which has taken two thousand years to grow and mature. All people are looking at it intently.

Let me now consider what is the specialty of this century. There have been and there still continuing many scientific inventions in this century. Airplanes and television have been discovered. Einstein propounded the theory of relativity, which far left behind Newton’s law of gravitation. The greatest among discoveries is the atomic energy, which has however been misutilized for making the atom bomb and the hydrogen bomb. Earlier the electrical energy was most powerful but it has become insignificant compared to atomic energy. That’s why the present age is called the atomic age. For the first time man has been able to overcome gravitational force and reach other planets and galaxies. Till recently Earth was not permitting anybody to go beyond her gravitational pull. Like a mother who carries her son in her lap wherever she goes in this solar system Earth revolves around the Sun, carrying all inhabitants in its lap. But when the son becomes grown up he gets mother’s instructions to move even without her company. Similarly people of this Earth are now grown up and they know they have the permission to go outside their home. Perhaps Earth has given them even the responsibility to acquire something from outside and help other inhabitants of this planet. Is it then incorrect if this century is called the Century of Science?

Actually, the latest scientific discovery looks all-important. Scientific discoveries were not less spectacular in earlier centuries. Discoveries if the 19th century included gramophone, fountain pen, radio, telephone, sewing machine, revolver and microphone. Just as these discoveries faded away before the discoveries of the atomic age, similarly this century’s discoveries too will fade away before those of the 21st century. When the wheel of the bullock cart was invented it was the greatest invention of that age since it thoroughly revolutionized the system of transport. Developing on that bullock cart man has now invented the airship. From the boat he has reached the stage of submarine. Therefore every invention has its relative importance. Recent inventions have taken out human beings from the forest-civilization to the human civilization. Will it not be proper therefore to call this century the Century of Science? But seen in the perspective of previous centuries it cannot be called a specialty.

Another specialty noticed in this century is that almost all the countries of Asia, Africa and South America, which were under foreign yoke, have become free. The chain of independence initiated in India, Burma and Sri Lanka after WW2 in 1945, is continuing even now. Angola also got independence in 1976. Democratic governments were formed in all these countries. People got freedom to form government of their choice. National governments were set up in all these countries. People attained various kinds of freedom – of speech, movement, business, etc. This is indeed true that when people do not get rid of poverty they have to wage war against economic slavery. Since countries attained freedom in other centuries too, this feature cannot be called a specialty of the 20th century. In 1776 AD the United Stated of America under the leadership of George Washington became free from England. Long before this happened England, which itself was a slave, had achieved independence. Therefore, this too cannot be called a specialty.

One more great event has of course occurred in this century. In most countries democracy has been replacing monarchy. Democracy might be prevailing in most of the countries of the world today, but it had been in practice even hundreds of years ago in many European countries. There was bloodless revolution in England and subsequently democracy was established there. In 1789 there was state revolution in France resulting in democratic setup there. One phenomenon however has no precedent, which occurred in this century. It is the establishment of communist government in Russia in 1917. Russia became free from the oppressive czarist rule and communist party government took over there. Other countries in the world also went communist thereafter. The communist revolution promised to eradicate poverty not only from Russia but from the world at large. It is now seven decades since but the poverty in the world remains as it was, rather it has increased.

Two world wars did occur in this century, which never happened before. Bloody wars were fought in other centuries, but they were not bloody world wars. In the history of this world the First World War stated in 1914 and the Second in 1939. Virtually all countries of the world were involved in these wars. All countries also felt after-effects of these wars. Inflation spread everywhere, and this phenomenon is continuing. It cannot be gauged now where it would end up. It is not only significant that for the first time a world war was fought on this Earth in this century, but an event also occurred after the war, which had no parallel. This event was the formation of a world organization. After the First World War a world body – the League of Nations – came into being and Geneva was selected for its headquarters. The function of the League of Nations was to resolve all disputes among the conflicting nations of the world. All international disputes were consequently brought before it.

But, the League of Nation proved to be a very weak organization. It was quite unsuccessful in preventing international wars. In 1939 Germany attacked Poland, but the League of Nations could do nothing. Many countries severed their connections with it. At the end of the Second World War another world organization was therefore formed. It was named the United Nations Organization (UNO) and its capital was established in New York in the United States of America. It is true that the UNO is stronger than the League of Nations and is now working for several years, in spite of the fact that its work is not satisfactory. It is also clear that the people of the world now realize that for the entire world a new world organization is needed. Precisely for this reason and in the backdrop of this psychology world organizations were formed following the great wars.

In the 19th century there was great industrial revolution in Europe. For the rising production of good European countries needed market. It resulted in the coming of imperialism in the countries of Asia and Africa. Imperialism was the inevitable result of capitalism. In order to get rid of imperialism, nationalism developed in the colonies. Waves of nationalism dominated all those countries, which were under the bondage of slavery. A good consequence of slavery was that the masses of those countries who were sleeping for so long got awakened. The agony of slavery aroused their sleeping manliness. It stirred up their sentiment to fight against and get rid if oppression and injustice. The imperialism established as a result of the industrial revolution in the 19thcentury, thus gave birth to nationalism in the 20th century and through this strong sense of nationalism the masses shattered the fetters of slavery and won freedom.

The meaning of the Sanskrit words samsara (existence) and jagat (world) is “that which moves, which revolves”. This movement causes some changes. The changes bring in problems. In ancient times Earth was divided into several parts. People were scattered here and there due to mountains, deserts, seas and forests. They lacked mutual contact. It was not known that two Americas existed in this world. Columbus discovered these continents. Due to railways, telecommunications, ships, motor vehicles and airplanes there is not part of this world that is now inaccessible. The world has been squeezed and has become small, as if the world is one nation.

Having been separated for a long time, human beings of one region are anxious and restless to meet and mix with brothers and sisters of other regions. When science has afforded them the means, they want to utilize them. However, natural barriers like rivers, seas, mountains, forests and deserts have not so much segregated human beings today as the barriers of their own creation, one being the barrier of nationalism. Therefore human beings are desirous to break through or jump over this boundary of nationalism and meet their brothers and sisters on the other side. Having lived in isolation for thousands of years they are longing for freely mixing with another.

From the viewpoint of geography, the world is now one. The whole world therefore now needs one government – one administration. That is, the demand today is world government. Although, in this century there were two world wars and world organizations were also formed, yet the world government could not be established. The UN is functioning like a village council (panchayet; an assembly of people who decides disputes). It cannot govern. Hence there is the need for a world government whose policies, whose commands, will have to be obeyed by all the governments.

Secondly, in this world there are governments of all kinds, which in their respective countries act despotically. Ironically, people are being suppressed in the name of the people. A government may oppress people of its country to the maximum but another country won’t intervene because this is considered the internal affair of the former. If one government interferes in the internal affairs of another, there looms large the threat if reciprocity. As such there is an impious understanding amongst governments of the world today that none will interfere in the internal affairs of another. Every government has thus the license to act despotically in its own country. This results in serious oppression of masses at places.

Countries in Asia and Africa which have broken the fetters of slavery and gained so-called independence, are called Third World countries. Europe is the First World, America the Second, while newly independent countries are the Third.

Actually people in the Third World got freedom only for namesake. They are mostly under the clutches of fascist governments. Freedom is in books only, not in actual practice. Their economic condition today is worse than during the slave days. The present situation in the Third World countries can be called counter-evolution, because the wheel of the social cycle has moved backwards instead of going forward. Their so-called freedom can therefore not be called evolution, but counter-evolution back to the rule of pre-colonial forces.

Time has now come when the control and administration of the whole world should be centralized and the authority to act whimsically taken away from local governments. These governments misuse their authority excessively. Many governments do not even know what is their responsibility towards the people. When kings were despots and perpetrated various atrocities on subjects during the monarchial form of government, administration was taken away from their hands in the evolutionary course of social movement and democracies were established. Today everybody realizes that democracy is not the ideal system for administration. It can therefore be said that there ought to be a great reason behind the two world wars occurring in the 20th century, which has of course no precedent. No happening is without a distinct purpose. There must be a special reason behind it. There must therefore be a specific reason behind the incidents of two great wars. And it is the formation of a world government. This is truly the main specialty if the 20th century.
Taken from The great universe
Published by Ananda Marga Pracaraka Samgha, India.

Copyright Ananda Marga Publications 1999