Monday, September 11, 2006

All men are equal, some…. Are more equal

While I still figure the title for this post, the reason for penning it stems after reading a well known book –Animal Farm by George Orwell.

The pyramid has been one of the frequently used geometric shapes used by historians to describe the distribution of power and the number of people privileged with that power.

Throughout history, there have been revolutions roused by the maltreatment of the junta by the power possessing tyrants and eventually the junta winning it and breathing freedom, well till until another revolution sparks off.

What I can’t seem to figure out is the time the plebeians take to realize the maltreatment by their “lords” and the reasons which compel them to take such a step.

From the way I see it, the horrendous acts were being perpetrated since decades and with the plebeians in majority, they would always stand to win, if they had mutinied. History says they did and only after some lapse of time (decades or hundreds of years after). Were they afraid of giving up something so precious that, the possession of it outweighed the brutality they had to face everyday, till one fine day when they realized that it mattered no more?

Perhaps they were afraid of death, the onslaught of soldiers or the treatment if they had failed in their motive. But what are the odds against a million commoners to a hundred thousand soldiers?

One other aspect that intrigued me was the type of government formed after the mutiny, and the factors influencing it. The Bolsheviks carried out the as per the doctrines of Karl Marx and thus lay the seeds of Communism. Then there is The Congress after the American Revolution which decided to go with the Federal form of governance. The Indian Congress Party opting for Democracy. Any government model will fail, if the power isn’t vested in the hands of the commoners, for the simple reason of them being in majority.

It seems I need to do some sleuthing. George Orwell has done a perfect job to convey an idea through Animal Farm.

Till we meet again,

Au revior.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

people can fight if there life is @ risk ..but their si a word called family ...
and mustering courage always takes time ,be it an individualor societyu...