Humanity has seen endless clashes in the past. The main reasons for the clashes were for food and shelter as religion stepped in to seize the honours. It has largely stayed on the top ever since.
Colonialism and growth spurred invasions and slave trade, causing inequality among nations that changed the profile of many nations from once being prosperity to converting them into abject poverty and everlasting civil strafe. Civilizations across nations, like the Mayas, Aztecs, the aborigines of Australia, the Indians of America, and Africas, many tribes in Asia were all thrust with new gods, and those who defied were ruthlessly butchered. Wars were a driving force for the invaders to enrich their economy. Deep scars were left unhealed, the impact of which is felt to this day.
The world, which was generous, providing home and food to all, slid into a few and the disparity between nations grew. There were filthy rich nations, former empires that bled their colonies and also poor of such grotesque proportions, who were denied food and water. In the absence of fuel, trees were chopped and many areas soon became deserts, further compounding the misery.
Two world wars later, military conquests were not easier in a world with distinct blocs West and East, many countries owing allegiance to one of the two superpowers. The rich could now look into other modes of subjugation. Trade became a tool; assistance and aid became others in furthering their stranglehold on weaker economies.
In the name of globalization, the rich created tariff barriers, prescribing limitations on energy consumption, proscribing utilization of self-held natural resources by poorer nations. GMO crops were promoted, rendering users to be continually dependent on multinational corporations. Energy became a tool and a weapon to award or punish nations. Sinking of economy in Venezuela, the economic woes of Saudi Arabia are pointers to rise and fall of nations at very short notice.
The present flashes of skirmishes between communities in India are merely reflective of the abandonment of the inclusivity of people in our nation, which is being witnessed around the world. There can be no future as long as there are nations which are filthy rich, who can waste half their cooked food and at the same time, nations facing severe shortages of food or where people have to tread miles after miles each day for a little water.
West Bengal, Punjab and Tamil Nadu have been reeling under debt burden accumulated over the last few decades. The spending has been very important in lifting the living conditions, providing the basic needs like sanitation, water and hygiene to people. The servicing of the interest on these loans has caused enormous pressure on these states. I feel that a moratorium on the interests for a few years would help the states revive their economy, whereupon they could become healthier to repay the loans at a later time. Perhaps the government feels important to spend lacs of crores in further fattening the central government employees, merely to cause a overall spiraling price rise, resulting in a higher imaginary GDP growth!
The scenario is no different for the world either. What is needed now is not hard economics but human compassion.
Sampath Kumar
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