“It seems to me that the word 'liberalism' is the most banal and vulgar word in the entire political vocabulary. It excuses any laissez-faire, economic as well as moral. It has become a device to blur the difference between concepts. Our foremost task is the rebuilding of the concept of moral authority and of the belief in values. A lack of values is mortally dangerous to a nation. But since our liberals so hate the notion of authority, our task will not be easy” (Zbigniew Herbert)
Frankly this blogger doesn’t know much about liberalism but realise it as part of American narration that hedonist elites in poorer societies have embraced with much gusto not seen in recent times. That it coincides with advent of free market and that this process is referred to as liberalisation is not a matter of coincidence. It is clear that market and liberalism goes hand in hand. Liberalism clearly follows the pattern of market, it is a kind of intellectualisation of market-a deification that the elite in developing countries encourage and thrive. It is loaded with terms like freedom and choices. In reality it is an alibi for richer section to splurge in their hedonistic lifestyle, a justification of greed and waste. In pseudo democracies of poor societies it masks feudalism as governance. In the surroundings of limited resources this criminal waste and irresponsible behaviour is celebrated as choices. That these accentuate class divisions and depletes limited resources isn’t anybody's concern. Tolerating these choices is eulogised as liberalism, and it is constructed as values on which democracy is hinged. What can be more vulgar and insulting?
Western societies in particular USA have had a polarising social reality; Believer – Nonbeliever became Church-State construct with State being replaced by Market-therefore force of secularism, Religion seen irrational. These acquired Market-Communal mask places Market/ wanton consumption as harbinger of good and religion/thrift as irrational evil force that need be ridiculed and chastised. Market is therefore a liberalising force; fountain of liberal thought is what emerges. Since Market is constructed around primal human nature also referred to as competition, so it needs adversary to survive and so more you celebrate vulgar more you could classified as liberal, more you ridicule faith more it seems you acquire hallo of secularism.
That innovation needs competition is fallacious and primitive thought. In very rare circumstances it creates positive space, it generally degrades into insidious and reactive behaviour, in lax surroundings manipulations. Therefore to succeed in market one clearly will have to enter primitive premise or perish. The reason why things get crass, and cruder people have more say in public space. Values and ideals get redefined from market utilitarian perspective.
Recently with rational and sane voices asserting itself from the grip of market in an ironical twist market is seeking refuge under Religion. This could be observed in America. But my concerns are the affect of these on poorer societies. Hedonism and feudalism are a heady mix, then you judiciously work it up with democracy it becomes liberalism. With disparities increasing protests by common people too increases but these angst fall short of rebellion. Class struggles have failed and so the new rather narrower forces consolidate, that is precisely what is happening in Islamic countries. This also the reason why fundamentalists are increasingly getting acceptance among common people in many societies, these are signs of desperations. Pakistan is good case study, the slained Punjab Governor (quite unfortunate that one but these will increase in polarising world, Competition driven value system, individuals pitted against each other, in such societies polarising forces pupate this reality has to be recognised. Pakistan also has the issue of volatile neighbour spilling over as also rather non egalitarian foundation that base on religion) is a
clear example of hedonism met feudalism met democracy therefore liberalism. Since nothing could be expected from these self serving class people are gravitating towards communal forces, it is not at all ironical that most support for slain Governor came from expatriate ‘westerners’. The divide is all there to see. Another issue is that Islam in larger sense is in the same position as medieval period Christianity, it seemed to have skipped the phase of questioning and scrutiny that led to renaissance, the reason why narrow interpretations go unchallenged. Same is the case of Hindus too but since there is no rallying point or single reference threat is rather low (unless of course seculars and fundamentalists go in for aggressive tussle), the reason India has not gone the Pakistan way. After all what is the difference between India and Pakistan except the dominating religions?The threat to Indian society, indeed societies world over, seems to be coming from the Market that is increasingly becoming the arbitrator of values. The values carefully constructed according to the needs of market which in turn justifies the hedonist lifestyle of elite, these when celebrated as choices and freedom becomes beacons of liberalism. I am told the assassin (a fundamentalist) pumped twenty seven bullets onto Salman Taseer. Twenty seven bullets. Not con
doning killing but this much anger have to have an explanation. It is in this context one has to see the happenings in the North African countries like Tunisia, Egypt and so on. This blogger sincerely hopes it spreads and despots like Mubarak goes the Ben Ali way. These rulers were supported by the west for their selfish ends and they too reciprocated with western hedonist indicators therefore liberal, the present danger therefore is that of these vacuums being occupied by Islamic forces, precisely what happened in Iran. Shah of Iran is a classic case of feudal-hedonism-liberal who was over thrown rather viciously by religious fundamentalism with overwhelming support from common people. This is what polarising forces can unleash, this is the danger that market driven competition can bring, it encourages reactionaries. Religious extremists have great use of reactionaries and public anger. The picture herein is from streets of Cairo
PS: you can read more about polish poet Zbigniew Herbert at www.iseeebirds.blogspot.com or go to birds blog link
