тАЬBe the Change You Want to SeeтАЭ: the power of the individual
тАЬBe the Change You Want to SeeтАЭ: the power of the individual
тАЬBe the change you want to see in the world.тАЭ тАУ Mahatma Gandhi
The discourse on political and social change is often viewed through the lens of policies and legislations, commonly known as a тАЬtop-downтАЭ perspective.
The bottom-up perspective, however,deserves as much, if┬аnot more,┬аimportance in┬аa nation like ours where we tend to believe our strength lies in┬аournumbers. The┬аoccasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of an individual who believed so strongly in bottom up politics,┬аis perhaps┬аall the┬аmore a┬аbefitting occasion to pay a tribute to the strength of civil society and individuals.More importantly,itтАЩs a time for each one of us to acknowledge and realize our own powerful roles as individuals.
Examples from history have taught us of the infinite power that┬аindividuals have┬аhad in┬аtransforming society. Such is true of our own independence, from the struggle of our freedom fighters, including the father of our nation himself. Similarly individuals like Nelson Mandela fought for the apartheid movement in South Africa┬аand Rosa┬аParks for the equality of blacks and whites in the United States.
However, the magnitude of such movements, and the stature that such figures have acquired in history can┬аalso mystify┬аthe scope that each of usтАЬordinary individualsтАЭcan play in initiating social change. To┬аsuggest that┬аchange is confined to the action of a few individuals whose examples have gone down in history is perhaps not an adequate illustration of the bottom-up perspective.
In a society like ours that is built on the ideals of democracy, where individuals have a space to dissent, to debate and to decide for themselves, it is naturally important for us to acknowledge the part that we have to play as individuals, and collectively as civil society. But the idea of тАЬeach voice countsтАЭ does not stop at voting. In certain contexts the role of law, or policy can also be ineffective if not for the commitment of each individual in order for a system to work smoothly.┬аThis can┬аapply to┬аproblems as large as environmental pollution, or climate change. On a trip to Amritsar last week, a group of friends and I were amazed at the efficiency with which the guru ka langar (community kitchen) near the Golden Temple manages to feed 80,000 people a day, completely free of cost. An example, albeit on a much┬аsmaller scale,also demonstrates the principle of each individual playing his or her part
Our strength may lie in our numbers, but it is also imperative for each one of us to embrace the values that our nation was founded on,┬аof justice, liberty, equality and fraternity that are enshrined in our constitution; for each of us to foster these┬аvalues in┬аour own lives workplaces, communities and societies, in order for them to become a living reality. In order for each of us to really тАЬbe the change we want to see.тАЭ
Saanya Gulati is a LAMP Fellow at PRS Legislative Research
┬а
Latest Interviews
тАШPeaceful protests are safety valves for people to vent their angerтАЩтАЩ
RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary says fear over CAA-NRC real
тАЬItтАЩs turning out to be like a Bollywood potboiler where nobody knows who is firing the bullets,тАЭ remarked Jayant Chaudhary, vice president of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), on the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh.
Read more...Events
- 03rd Mar 2022- рд╕рдВрдпреБрдХреНрдд рдЪреБрдирд╛рд╡ рдЕрднрд┐рдпрд╛рди рдХрд╛рд░реНрдпрдХреНрд░рдоред
- 17th Feb 2022- рд╕рдВрдпреБрдХреНрдд рдЪреБрдирд╛рд╡ рдЕрднрд┐рдпрд╛рди рдХрд╛рд░реНрдпрдХреНрд░рдоред
- 15th Feb 2022- рд╕рдВрдпреБрдХреНрдд рдЪреБрдирд╛рд╡ рдЕрднрд┐рдпрд╛рди рдХрд╛рд░реНрдпрдХреНрд░рдоред
