POLITICS , TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL CHANGE
It
is a historical fact that, though human civilization has progressed since the
beginnings, there had been periods of stagnation and decline. Approximately
during the last twenty years, human civilization is on the decline. Some may
disagree with this statement stating that the world economy has grown at least
in a small scale during the last twenty years. But in order to measure the
growth of human civilization, we must take into consideration not only growth of
world economy but also the standard of living of the people, their spiritual,
cultural and intellectual development, their outlook of the future etc. At least
as a minimum, the reduction in the income gap should be considered along with
the world economic growth in order to measure the growth of human civilization.
From such a standpoint, there is no doubt that human civilization is on the
decline during the last two decades.
From a long term historical
perspective, the earlier periods of stagnation or decline can be regarded as
temporary and short lived. Further the growth of human civilization in the past
can be treated as inevitable. But are these statements true forever? The answer
to this question depends on the nature of the motive force behind history or
development of human civilization.
The
religious viewpoints that fate which is beyond human endeavor or desire or that
karma of the previous birth, determine the nature of the motive force behind
history or the development of human civilization , are nothing new and are
probably as old as history itself. Nor is the scientific viewpoint that
productive forces constitute this motive force is new. In the early stages,
those who advocated the scientific viewpoint argued that matter is fundamental,
that matter determines consciousness and that productive forces, production
relationships and economics determine politics, religion, culture, intellectual
development etc. Hence very much attention was given to technology and
technological development without analysing the
consequences. Even Lenin stated,
"socialism + electricity = communism". However subsequent scientific viewpoint
emphasized that "people and people alone are the sole motive force in the making
of history" and that politics is of primary importance in anything and hence
politics determines economics etc.
as evident during the cultural revolution. To understand the apparent contradiction
between these two scientific viewpoints, we must learn about the principal
contradiction, the aspects of the principal contradiction and the principal
aspect of the principal contradiction. From the beginnings of human civilization
to the fully developed stage ( it may be still a long time for this stage to be
reached ) of the human civilization, the
contradiction between man
and nature is the principal contradiction. Which of them( man or nature ) is the
principal aspect? In the
early stages of the human civilization ( i.e. in the primitive communist society
), mankind was united without any difference between man and man, without haves
and havenots but had to struggle against nature for
survival and in essence man was adapting to nature rather than changing it. Under such circumstances , nature was
the principal aspect of the principal contradiction ( between man and nature ).Hence the development
of the productive forces or the development of technology were not depending on
man's plans or thoughts but rather on the immediate necessity to struggle and survive against
nature. The development of technology and the development of productive forces
(the yardsticks of development of the society ), determined culture, thoughts
intellectual development etc. But in the fully developed society ( whether it is
the inevitable communist society predicted by scientific thinkers or whether it
is the just and sensible society dreamt by philosophers and intellectuals ), as
in the case of the primitive communist society, mankind will be united without
any difference between man and man, without haves and havenots, but because the future society is fully
developed ( unlike the primitive
communist society where mankind was struggling for survival ), the material
needs of mankind will be met and mankind will be in pursuit of intellectual and
spiritual development. In such a society, although the contradiction between man
and nature will continue to be the principal contradiction, man will be the
principal aspect of the principal contradiction. In such an era, development of human
civilization or history will depend on man's plans and thoughts. Politics will
determine technological development and thereby determine social development.
People and people alone will be the sole motive force in the making of history.
Thus the concept of "inevitable development of history
independent of man's will" was applicable to the early part of human civilization but the
concept of " people and people alone are the sole motive force in the making of
history " will be applicable to the
latter part of the human civilization. The transition or changeover period is
related to the transition or changeover of nature being the principal aspect to
man becoming the principal aspect in the principal contradiction between man and
nature. Although it is difficult to pinpoint a specific date for this
transition, it is evident that such a transition has taken place in the early or
middle part of the 20th century. Man's movement to all corners of the
earth including Everest, use of atomic energy and space travel in the
technological field and the achievement of political independence without
technological
or economical independence in most of the
countries in the world are evidences of this conclusion. Further the cultural revolution, though short-lived, was a
consequence of the changeover in the principal aspect of the principal
contradiction.
Just as evolution of life
inevitably developed due to the motive force of nature, during the early period
of human civilization when nature was the principal aspect of the principal
contradiction, human civilization also developed inevitably independent of man's
will. But the development of human
civilization is not inevitable when man is the principal aspect of the principal
contradiction ( i.e. during the era
when man's plans , thoughts
and will are the motive force in the making of history ). Hence the decline in
human civilization during the last two decades need not be necessarily temporary
or short-lived. When politics is
primary and when politics determines everything else, as long as reactionary
politics is in command, human civilization will continue to
decline.
During the period when
politics determines everything else, the reasons for many of the progressive
countries ( that have achieved political independence during the early part and
middle of the 20th century ) not achieving economic independence
should be analysed. To understand this, the
relationship among political development, technological development and social
development should be known.
The
two main distinctions between man and animal are language and technology.
Therefore the development of technology and the development of language are
essential for the growth of human civilization. Further the development of
technology and the development of language are interdependent like the
development of hand and brain or the development of practice and knowledge. Although the countries that achieved
political independence paid some attention to the development of their
languages, they considered that technology could be either purchased or
borrowed. Because of this attitude , they failed to achieve the expected
economic and social changes as technologies can neither be purchased nor
borrowed. Also the attention paid earlier to develop their languages has been
forgotten and they ( these countries ) have come to a situation of losing their
political independence also.
Being the main features
distinguishing man from animal, language and technology are intertwined in their
development. Words, speech and language are comparable to
machines,
techniques and technology. Also technology is required for the propagation of
language and language is required for the propagation of technology. More than
anything else, the industrial revolution helped the development of the English
language. The development of language and the development of technology go hand
in hand. The development of technology and the development of society ( human
civilization) do not seem to be intertwined in the same way. The following
concepts of technological development are in vogue:
1.
Necessity is the mother of
invention
2.
User
theory
3.
Technological
determinism
4.
Technology is
neutral
5.
Technology is a political
process
Many voices are being heard
about appropriate technology. In order to discuss the concept of appropriate
technology, the appropriate concept of technology should be understood. Of the 5
concepts detailed above, "whose necessity" should be known in order to
understand the first one and "who is the user" should be known in order to
understand the second one. The concept of technological determinism ( i.e.
social development or growth of human civilization is the cause and consequence
of technological development ) is appropriate to the two end societies ( the
primitive communist society and the future developed/just/dream/communist
society ) where there is no contradiction between man and man. It is to be noted
that in these two societies, there is no room for politics/war which is really
the art/science/practice of resolving the contradiction between man and man.
During the intervening periods dominated by contradictions between man and
man, although technological
development determines the course of social development, the motive force behind
technological development varies depending on the state and development of
contradictions between man and man
.
During the period when nature was the
principal aspect of the principal contradiction between man and nature, when
market forces were in the driving seat, "technology is neutral " is the
applicable concept. In the current era when man is the principal aspect of the
principal contradiction, politics/war (the art/science/practice of resolving the
contradictions between man and man) determines development of technology which
in turn determines economic and social development. Thus the applicable concept
of
technology for the current era is that
technology is a socio political process. Therefore those who are in the
forefront of making political changes must declare not only the type of social
changes they are intending to bring about but also the type of technological
development they will be undertaking in order to bring about the desired social
changes.
In
other words the proposed development in technology should be appropriate to the
desired social changes.
"RESOURCES + TECHNOLOGY =
REQUIREMENTS" is a fundamental
equation.
If
requirements and resources are local, even from a point of view of dimensional
analysis, technology also has to be local. Hence it cannot be purchased or
borrowed but has to be locally developed to suit local
conditions.
Thus it is clear that even
if there is revolutionary and progressive change, if there is no appropriate
changes in development of technology, the desired social changes will not take
place and therefore there is every possibility of even reversing the political
change achieved. That is why the desired social changes did not take place in
those countries which purchased or borrowed technology
in the international market. The little economic growth that took place in these
countries also helped to increase the gap between the haves and havenots.
The
reason for the decline of the human civilization during the last two decades is
the lack of understanding of the relationships among political changes,
technological development and social development. It is foolish to say that none
understood these relationships in the era when man is the principal aspect in
the principal contradiction between man and nature. Those who manipulate the
world market ( this is far from free when man is the principal aspect in the
principal contradiction ) for their own good, fully understand these
relationships. It is for the purpose of preventing others ( the vast majority of
people ) from understanding these relationships , the manipulators propagated
the false slogans that "technology knows no national boundaries", "intellectual
property rights is sacred" etc. So long as these conditions prevail, the human
civilization will continue to decline.
If
human civilization is to move forward, as stated before, those who are in the
forefront of making political changes must declare not only the social changes
they intend to bring about but also the technological changes they propose to
deliver the desired social
changes. In order to understand, support
and implement the political changes, technological development and social
development, the vast majority of the people should understand the concepts,
knowledge and practice of science and technology together with interactions and
interrelationships of these with political changes and social changes. i.e.
there should be a revolution in knowledge followed by political, technological
and social revolutions. The following equations are considered a good starting
point:
1.
ANIMAL + ( TECHNOLOGY/
LANGUAGE ) = MAN
2.
RESOURCES +
TECHNOLOGY = REQUIREMENTS
3.
CONSUMPTION +
INVESTMENT =
PRODUCTION
4.
PRACTICE +
KNOWLEDGE = DEVELOPMENT
P.A.Subramaniam
31.03.1995