UPSC Mains Essay Question Paper Solutions - 2020 | UPSC Previous Year Question Papers and Video Analysis PDF Download

1. Life is a long journey between human being and being humane.

• Life is a long journey between human being and being humane.
• When a human being is born , its unaware of who he is , where it's born in whose house it's born?
• Human baby is just like an offspring of any other animal.
• All it knows it to respond to it's biological instincts .
• It cries for food , it's own biological needs.
• This is the beginning of the human life , the point where from our journey of life begins.
• While the great personalities like great kings ,queen's ,leaders ,and thinkers show us the how the end of this journey should be.
• Their lives reaveal how each step of their journey contributed in their transformation from being mere human beings to humane beings.
• The life that is there Infront of a baby can be his journey from human being to being humane.
• The journey begins from the home ,then educational institutes and other institutions of the society .
• Human beings nurtutred with love and care of family learn the values of love , affection , sacrifice and belongingness at his family.
• This begins the journey of thinking beyond one's own bodily needs.
• Our family bond teaches us to keep other before us. Thus the seed of humanity is shown in the soil called human being.
• The scope of these feelings and emotions widen up at schools, colleges where we get friends , people not bound by blood yet loving each other , fight for each other .Thus human being's life begins to be influenced by others.
• Life starts becoming more than selfish desires.
• Human life in modern world is generally about being born, getting raised in a family , get formal education , get a job , get married and raise kids and die.
• This is a simple common journey of our lives these days.
• While the scope of being humane in our ordinary lives even is not less.
• The humanity can help us to be a better form of our selves in each role we play in our ordinary lives.
• A person responsible , loving ,respect giving son/daughter, a reliable , compassionate friend , a caring, honest neighbour, a passionate, deligent professional ,a loving caring life partner and responsible parent.
• The impact of lack of humane attitude in these roles of life ,when seen at macroscopic level confront us as the social issues of domestic violence , neglect and humiliation of aged parents. Deliquescent youth , drug addiction .besides corruption and inefficiency of our system is somewhere rooted in the failed journeys of life of masses from human beings to humane beings.
• Let's now look into some gleaming journeys of human lives where the humanity transgressed the boundaries of blood ,religion ,caste and creed to reveal the scope of inclusivity of humanity .
• Where some human beings transformed into oceans of humanity that benefited millions of human beings.
• When such sentiments of kindness and love reached to a zenith we found a human being like Kailash satyarthi standing and striving for the unprevileged children of India.
• A small girl from Skopje travelled across seas to reach a very far away country to serve the needy hungry and diseased she was related to not by blood, colour, religion or nation.

2. Mindful Manifesto is a Catalyst to Tranquil Self

• A mind is where your heart stays. Creating a manifesto that determines your mind to act in a watchful manner and that elevates the path to attainment of self consciousness to a state of well being and self-contentment. One needs to create such a mind ful priority of activities that are devoid of animosity, bitterness, rancor and prejudice, the main characteristics that act upon the psyche of every individual. One needs to keep these characteristics at bay, if one need to look at a tranquil self.
• If one looks at the lives of certain people who have attained the tranquil self, would elaborate upon the intricacies of pure mind and thought. One who is embedded with noble ideas and has a belief in pursuing mind ful activities that enable one to tread the path to honesty, integrity and selflessness. Such an attitude, drives mindful aspirations and provides the window through which the mind serves as emblematic to honorable pursuits. The act s of mind ful nature thus paves the way for a more saintly beliefs and a prophetic way of life.
• We have come across people who have shed emotions, remained altruistic and also in the service of humankind to be bestowed with such mindful priorities that elevate the human mind and kind to well established principles. For Example, when Kailash Satyardhi, who, having won the Ramon Magsaysay award , had set an example for humanity, by adopting children who were orphans and destitute , to provide such children with good housing, clothing and education. He shared all his property to such endeavors that led him to the position of being tranquil in life.
• If one is oblivious of politics, religion, caste and the noise of societies, one would cherish the nobility in being truthful in life. Swami Ramakrishna had enunciated such principles in life, where the saint, had given up all materialistic pleasures in life and followed a path of humanity, that encapsulated, compassion, empathy and divinity towards other human beings. Such a noble character that swallows anger, emotion and bitterness in life prepares the priorities in life in a mindful pattern , would conduct in a way that embellishes noble deeds.
• Swami Vivekananda, who catapulted Hinduism as a way of life, across the globe, had enchanted the audience, not only with his thoughts, speeches but also his deeds. Even till date, many Americans go nostalgic , when the reverberation of Swami Vivekananda speech is evoked. The opening sentence addressing as brothers and sisters of America, had entwined Americans into the fold of universal brotherhood. This act of the human mind had the realization of humanity addressed to intermingle the act of compassion. When Mahatma Gandhi shunned violence and propagated peace and also promoted uniformity among all humans. When Mahatma Gandhi ,unified the citizens of the country on one slogan to push for liberty, not through violent means, but with peaceful dialogues. This happened despite the turbulent times that Indians were facing at that time. Never provoked to anger and remained tranquil throughout his life.
• The ability to see humans a s humans and not as individuals embraced with caste, religion or ethnicity, would provide the righteousness to characterize an individual as an embodiment of tranquil self. The mind and the priorities that one persists and pertains with are a reflection of the thoughts that acts as a catalyst to the embodiment to one’s tranquil nature of self attainment. When a person demonstrates the qualities that prioritize acts of minds to the unfolding of thoughts to determine the deeds of serenity by suppressing anger as we had read of the patience and forbearance displayed by millions of Indians , while being mistreated by the ruthless British Administration and also the pacific character shown by hundreds of Indians during the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, when general Dyer opened fire mercilessly on innocuous Indians, congregated for prayers.
• These instances of people who had such patience, forgiveness and also compassion towards other humans had the mind set to act as a catalyst for noble deeds and in pursuance for the preservation of peaceful life, resulting in the tranquility in all round in their life. Tranquillity is the result of being oblivious to emotions and maintaining composure despite adversity. As every Indian had learnt of the virtue of traversing against travesty and also not being intimidated to any kind of vitriolic banters. The deeds of noble saints and monks who had eschewed such incitements and shown that the mind is the ewer that holds such virtues and if one can control the mind to mind its nature, tranquillity is an obvious outcome that results from neither being avaricious or slanderous.
• The lives of people such as Ramarishna paramahamsa, Swami Vivekananda and also the preaching of J.Krishnamurthy and Ramana maharshi portray a single minded dedication and commitment towards minding the mind that needs to be tempered, to ensure the mind reflects the truth and enables one to comprehend the serenity in life. Since mind is the unique part of human anatomy that acts as a reflector of thoughts and ideas of individuals, I strongly believe that if one is able to control such emotions, anger and nepotism, one would be in a position to regulate the mind that leads the person to be humane and human bereft of any negative percepts. Thus such principles lead to tranquility in life of every individual.
• Such people, who we have mentioned earlier have always strived and lived a life to which they serve as examples to be emulated. Their lives, teachings and the principles that they had embraced , all have a unique quality that presupposes the regulation of our mind that helps in establishing tranquillity in our lives.

3. Ships Do Not Sink Because of Water Around Them, Ships Sink Because of Water That Gets into Them

• Life is an adventure with many hills and dales along its course, some of them surprise us, some shocks us. Some may make us winners and some leave us as learners. However, in this voyage of life, we are bound to battle innumerable hardships. 
• But the ship of life should sail on. They threaten us to drown into the darkest of waters with each succeeding wave that lashes out at the hull. But the silver lining is ships do not sink due to waters around them. They sink only when waters broke into them.
• This simple philosophy of life applies from the profound philosophical pursuits of personal life to the earth-threatening calamities and global catastrophes.

In the realms of heart

• Humans are problem-solvers. They have proven their mettle time and again but in the times of trouble things do not go in the way they seek. One of the ill-effects of mighty modern era is depression and mental illness owning to the cut-throat competition or the hectic lifestyle. 
• Still the life moves on amidst the swamp of problems but when the heart gives in to the depression, unintentionally¸ the sinking kicks in. The number of suicides that are on the rise around the globe is a direct consequence of water seeping into the heart of ship and damping its spirit.

The web of relations

• Life is as beautiful as a winter morning’s gossamer due to the web of relations that we weave around us. One of the most enduring of such relations is the marital one that exists between the spouses. 
• Their relation may face multiple challenges in their pursuit of happiness, but they can brave them as long as their relation is not dampened by any murky waters, but if, unfortunately they soon end up as one of the million cases pending before the judiciary to get out the wedlock because the water had already drowned their ship of marriage. Thus interpersonal relations cannot be bogged down by the problems around them but only due to the problems within.

The soul of the society

• Society is a social institution that itself is a product of many social institutions. And Aristotle was of the view that it takes a village to raise a child. Thus the impact of society can be found on multiple institutions. But seldom societies are problem-free. And if we take a peek into the history of India we get to see how societies were trampled down not by enemy troops but due to the inherent social evils. 
• The practices of sati, caste system, untouchablity and patriarchy wreaked the integrity of our society and dragged it deep into the depths of darkness for hundreds of years. The social evils just like the water inside the ship are unwelcome and doom the journey.

The notion called Nation

• The entire gamut of nations could be sliced into two sections: colonized and colonizers. The colonized didn’t turn into what they are due to their counterparts but the systematic failure of internal harmony has incited the colonizers. The case of India makes it lucid clear. India was on the throes of numerous problems, internally, which made the invaders to wedge in and make way for themselves.
• Even today, the India was unable to realize its full potential not due to the external problems but owning to the internal factors; such as the huge population, criminalization of politics, rapidly declining water and other resources, encroachment of urban water bodies, excessive practice of mono-cropping, under-developed industry, over reliance on agriculture to the brink of disguised employment, judicial adventurism, executive lethargy and vote bank politics that keep the communalization spirit enflamed always.
• These are the real culprits that are keeping ‘India as a developing nation’ but not the external threats such a Pakistan or China, they are sure a problem but not the ones that could drown us.

On the digital silk roads

• The world is more interwoven today than at any point in the human history. This beautiful tapestry of connected world has problems that are internal and external. From story writers to scientists many have imagined that the earth would be brought to its knees either by a gigantic meteor or an alien invasion. But what flung this world into a Great Lockdown is a tiny virus which is a result of unthoughtful actions of human gluttony.
• The greatest crises that we as the citizens of world face are the waters inside the ship. be it global warming, climate change, terrorism, cyber attacks, increased proportion of old age population, the rise of anti-microbial resistance or zoonotic diseases, they already entered the ship and threatening to drown the centuries of civilizations into the oceans of forgotten history.

The sail ahead

• To make the sail ahead smooth in the uncharted territories of life be it personal or of the entire humanity it is important to take stock of the matter at hands. In the case of ship if water enters the bowels, there is little we could do about. But fortunately, in the realms of human affairs we get to have ample time to set the things strait whether it is the doldrums of the heart or the dilution of the ozone layer.

4. Simplicity is the Ultimate Sophistication

• Simplifying our life is about eliminating non-essential things, removing unnecessary chaos, and creating a life that focuses on priorities of the life and doing the things which give satisfaction. Bringing simplicity is not a simple process. It is a journey rather than a destination with a flow of joy, refinement and destination.
• Simplicity is a great virtue to be observed in one’s life. Great leaders and our ancestors always emphasized on living simple life in order to free from unnecessary worries. Simplicity is a quality that makes something easy to understand. On the other hand, sophistication shows refined looks towards things and life. The thought of simplicity can be applied to thought, lifestyle, appearance, teachings etc.
• History provides us many examples of simple personalities such as Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Swami Vivekananda and so on. If we look into their lives it is clear that they lived a simple life. Mahatma Gandhi always emphasized on swadeshi and for it to happen he himself worn only loincloth and travelled thought the country during different satyagraha’s and other meetings. The same way mother Theresa lived too simple life and helped many patients throughout her life. Swami Vivekananda was another great spiritual leader inspired millions of youths with his wisdom and simplicity.
• Simple life always gives peace of mind, on the other hand who runs behind money with greed, experience many psychological issues such as depression, lack of concentration on anything in life, dissatisfaction and sometime many other bigger problems as well. With the simple life we will not have any desires for materialistic possessions and will be able to have a peaceful mind. The same things have been taught by Gautama Buddha and he could also change the thought process of Anguli Maal with his simple thought process.
• Simplicity in appearance exudes sophistication instead of vulgar display of money. Simple appearance is a way to connect to more people on a humane level, as simple appearance sends a message of approachability. Simple appearance shows a refined attitude towards life rather than an obsession over materialistic gains. On the other hand, in the recent past a man brought a gold mask during the time of pandemic, which clearly shows his vulgar display of money power.
• Let us look into the domain of people in politics and political life. There are many people who have been convicted in many corruption scandals and jailed for the same. On the other hand, there are few people like former state legislative member Gummadi Narsaiah from Telangana state led a simple life and devoted for the cause of public welfare.
• Former president of India Dr APJ Abdul kalam is a classic example for showing a simple life and yet won people’s heart. He even did not use his official vehicle for personal purposes as well as he had never used his power and authority for the benefits of any of his family members, which is evident from his brother’s simple life. As well as former American president Barack Obama is an example for displaying simple life. He could with the hearts of millions of Americans as well as other leaders with his simplicity.
• The same way if we look into the field of sports, Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid. Despite his ability to afford luxury he chooses being simple in many ways and is evident from many reports about him. In the recent past Bollywood actor sonu sood has become the example of living a simple life and during the pandemic days he has helped many people with his simplest thought process.
• By simplifying our life, we create space for beauty and integrity to emanate. We create this by creating spaciousness, and by reorganizing and decluttering our lives. In fact, simple can be more difficult than complex, as only uncluttered mind can think clearly. Therefore, reducing the complex to simple is a measure of creativity. We have noticed that the life of a child is full of happiness because, he has no tensions and no desires because his desire are limited and finds his happiness in simplicity.
• The irony is that, with the advent of modern technology we have become busiest creature on the earth with smart phones and fastest laptops, augmented reality but lost the very basic emotional familial relations and then appeared the psychological problems in to the life like an earthquake which destroys everything.
• In the current times being simple has become a biggest challenge because everyone wants more and more materialistic gains than a mental peace. Sometime the greed for materialistic possession was killed many when they tried for treasure hunts. In fact, many have become in the society to do anything for money even at the cost of human relationship and lives as well.
• A simple person understands what really matters and what does not because they are of a higher intelligence than most people. Simplicity to the world may be boring but it gives inner peace to the person living with simplicity and is an example of a good life.
• There is more in less, more of one kind because of less of another, teleologically speaking. It behaves as if part of an unseen circle. Just like how extreme sweetness of saccharine gives it a bitter taste. We begin with simplicity because of lack of options. But then we grow and multiply, and then inevitably fall into many bifurcations, which are set in a hierarchy of importance. The one with the highest importance will circle back to simplicity, because of reasons given above. The highest things of the highest importance for the functioning of a human body will also be the most simplest, like thermal regulation, that is protection from heat and cold, and then comes desires of food and water. The top of the pyramid of stone is made of gold, the nobler and simpler of the metals, by which I mean the most separated of it. So too our ultimate sophistication must invariably lead to simplicity.

5. Culture is What We are, Civilization is What We Have

• Culture is “the super organic environment as distinguished from the organic, or physical, the world of plants and animals.” —Spencer.
• Culture is used in a specific sense in sociology. From these definitions it is clear that in sociology culture is used in a specific sense which is different from the one we have in common parlance. People often call an educated man a cultured man and regard that man as uncultured who is lacking in education. In sociology we use the word to denote acquired behaviours, which are shared by and transmitted among the members of the society.
• It is an accumulation which a new generation inherits. It is a heritage into which a child is born. Thus to the student of sociology a person lacking in culture is an impossibility because individuals of necessity share in the culture of their group. The essential point in regard to culture is that it is acquired by man as a member of society and persists through tradition.

Now We May Point Out to The Following Characteristics of Culture:

• Culture is an acquired quality: Culture is not innate. Traits learned through socialization, habits and thoughts are what is called culture. Culture is learned. Any behaviour which is socially acquired is called learned behaviour. 
• Culture is social, not individual heritage of man: It is inclusive of the expectations of the members of the groups. It is a social product which is shared by most members of the group. 
• Culture is idealistic: Culture embodies the ideas and norms of a group. It is a sum-total of the ideal patterns and norms of behaviour of a group. It is the manifestation of human mind in the course of history. 
• Culture is the total social heritage: Culture is linked with the past. The past endures because it lives in culture. It is passed from one generation to another through traditions and customs. 
• Culture fulfills some needs: Culture fulfills those ethical and social needs of the groups which are ends in themselves.

Difference between Culture and Civilization

• Civilization denoted utilitarian things used as apparatus. To understand the term ‘culture’ clearly it would be desirable to distinguish it from ‘civilization.’ Writers have many different concepts of civilization. Civilization is considered to have begun at the time of writing and the advent of metals.
• As history begins with writing, so does civilization. Ogburn and Nimkoff conceived of civilization as the latter phase of the superorganic culture. Some based civilization on civil organisation as contrasted to clan or kinship organisation. Since civil organisation was found more commonly in large towns, so people living in these towns were called ‘civilized.’ A.A. Goldenweiser used the word ‘civilization’ as synonymous to culture’ and applied the term to non-literate peoples.
• The sociologists John Lewis Gillin and John Phillip Gillin employed the term, ‘culture’ to designate the ideas and techniques behind the concrete objects, and “Cultural equipment” to describe the objects themselves. According to them, civilization is a more complex and evolved form of culture. MacIver uses the word “Civilization” to denote utilitarian things—the whole mechanism and social organism, techniques and material instruments—which have been devised by man in his endeavour to control the conditions of his life.
• These things operate as means to ends. They are wanted because by using them as means we can secure certain satisfactions. Civilization in this sense would include the radio, the ballot box, the telephone, rail-roads, the schools, the banks and the tractor, etc. All these belong to the realm of civilization. A. W. Green holds that “A culture becomes civilization only when it possesses written language, science, philosophy, as specialized division of labour and a complex technology and political system.”
• Civilization has a precise standard of measurement, but not culture: Civilization is susceptible of being quantitatively measured on the grounds of efficiency. When comparing the products of civilization we can prove which is superior and which is inferior.
• Civilization is always advancing, but not culture: According to MacIver, “Civilization not only marches, it marches always ahead, provided there is no catastrophic break of social continuity in the same direction.” Civilization “how’s a persistent upward trend. It is unilinear and cumulative and tends to advance indefinitely. Since man invented automobile, it has continuously improved.
• Civilization is external and mechanical while culture is internal and organic: Civilization is inclusive of external things, culture is related to internal thoughts, feelings, ideals, values etc. MacIver remarks, “Civilization is what we have, culture is what we are.’ In Mathew Arnold’s words, culture is “the study of perfection and of harmonious perfection; general perfection and perfection which consists in becoming something, rather than in having something, in an inward condition of the mind and spirit, not in an outward set of circumstances.”

The two are Interactive

• Not only civilization and culture are interdependent, the two are interactive. Culture responds to the stage of technological development. Thus the form of literary art has been greatly affected by the development of printing. Before the advent of the cinematograph, the dramatic performances were costly and could be enjoyed only by a few rich people.
• But today through films the performances are enjoyed by a large number of people in different and distant places. The evolution of the means of communication has had a profound effect on the modes of expression. Civilization, as MacIver points out, is a vehicle of culture.

Culture also affects civilization

• The people must interpret their inventions, new devices, techniques and power in the light of the valuations. Every people, and every age had its characteristic ways of looking at things, its characteristic attitudes and its own thought forms and philosophies. Civilization cannot escape from the influence of the creed and the standards and the styles of age.
• Culture has a consistency of its own which is sometimes very hard to defeat. Culture succeeds civilization in case of a clash between the two. Every change in culture valuations has its repercussions on the civilizational structure of the group. In the words of MacIver we can say that civilization is a ship “which can set sail to various ports. The port we sail to remains a cultural choice. Without the ship we could not sail at all.
• According to the character of the ship we sail fast or slow, take longer or shorter voyages; our lives are also accommodated to the conditions of shipboard and our experiences vary accordingly. But the direction in which we travel is not predestinated by the design of the ship. The more efficient it is, the more ports lie within the range of our choosing. In short, civilization is the driving force of society: culture is its steering wheel.”

6. There Can Be No Social Justice Without Economic Prosperity but Economic Prosperity Without Social Justice is Meaningless

• Well being of mankind depends on twin pillars of social justice and economic prosperity. Social justice without economic prosperity is unattainable while economic prosperity without social justice is meaningless. This is beautifully depicted by this story-
• It is raining heavily out as Lakshmi packs her bag for work. Her makeshift house is not amicable to shield her and her old parents from soaking in the rain. The family is extremely impoverished. With the trivial earning that Lakshmi makes, the family somehow manages to make their ends meet. The rain did not stop and there was no umbrella in the house. Still she decided to go for work. 
• After sometime, she reached Radha’s house all drenched. Radha and her husband Ramesh are one of the most wealthiest family in the city. However, their sparkling life had a dark spot. Ramesh was an alcoholic and he would usually beat his wife. In the evening, after returning from work, Lakshmi fell terribly ill. She went to a nearby hospital but could not afford the expensive medical services. The following day, she dies. The very same day, Ramesh’s company met a huge financial loss. He came back home and bet his wife so much that she died.
• These are stories of two women- one social deprived, the other economically deprived. However, both met the same unfortunate fate – death. This reflects that true prosperity depends on both economic and social factors. One without the other cannot survive.

What Does Social Justice Stands For?

• Social justice is manifestation of fairness in the society. A socially just society is based on ethos of rationality and fairness. It is, as Plato states in his Republic, ruled by a "philosopher king" and witnesses just distribution of resources. This aspect is also highlighted by Rawls in this 'Theory of Justice' as he states that " Justice is the basis of social institution". It is established when people cooperate in adherence to the norms of the society in return of fair recognition of their needs. Even, India's Constitution makers recognised the importance of this aspect and include 'social justice' as a principle under the DPSP.
• The question, however, lies "Is the world socially just?" The answer is "No". On the contrary, the world is marred by deep-rooted class and caste considerations. Even, gender inequality is a serious challenge. During IR, London was characterised by wealth capitalist that grew disproportionately at the cost of poor workforce. 
• The workers, during those times, lived in shanty houses with extremely inhospitable standard of living. alarms were raised when political thinkers like Marx outrightly rejected this inequality and commanded the workers to rise against this injustice and overthrow the oppressors by leading a revolution. Marxian theory inspired many across the globe and violent agitations were witnessed worldwide demanding their fair share of the pie.
• Caste inequalities form an integral part of Indian society. Since, Vedic times, the lower caste esp. the dalits were subjected to all forms of discriminations. Social laws inhibit access to public bath, places of worship, inter-dining etc. restraining their rights and liberties.
• Gender inequality is a result of the patriarchal mindset of the society. The stereotyping of women's role as a caregiver, inhibit her participation in the workforce. As a result, women participation in the workforce is only 25% against 83% for men. Also, there exists an inequality in the wage payment as men earn 20% more than women globally.

What is economic prosperity?

• Economic prosperity refers to the prosperity associated with accumulation of wealth. From a country's perspective, economic prosperity refers to the per capita GDP of a nation. It compares nations on the basis of wealth generated in a year. Productivity is a major component. However, economic prosperity does not take into consideration equal distribution of resources. According to Oxfam, worldwide top 1% rich population hold 74% of world's wealth. 
• This is alarming as it raises question on the inclusivity of economic progress witnessed by nations. However, it cannot be denied that economic prosperity is not important. In fact, in order to achieve social justice, economic prosperity is a prerequisite requirement. 

There is no social justice without economic prosperity

• A socially just society is one where every one has equal access to necessities of life like food, health services, education and affordable housing. In order to fulfil these needs, the nation needs to have economic capability. It is observed that developed countries have higher HDI as compared to developing or Least developed nations. The status of women and their economic participation is also higher.
• In India, it has been seen that there is direct correlation between economic prosperity and social wellbeing. Since independence, India's economic status grew manifold. Today, we are the fifth largest economy. Consequently, since 1947, we have lifted 300 million people out of poverty, raised literacy levels to 72% and increased mortality to 72% and raised mortality age to 67yrs. The government has resorted to progressive taxation to keep the inequality under check. The money, so collected, has been invested in various social welfare schemes
• In todays' society, the caste differences have blurred. The present economic system requires people of different caste to share the same workspace. Economic aspirations has dragged people out of their caste ridden societies into a world which is more inclusive and equitable.
• Even the status of women has enhanced. Economic prosperity has enabled the families to support their daughter's education. Even, govt's scheme like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhai, Kanyashree etc have a huge role to play. The Parliament witnesses 25% women's participation which is the highest so far. 
• The above example clearly reflects the proportionality between economic prosperity and social justice. This raises another question" Is economic prosperity the solution to social problems?" "Can the society prosper without social justice?" If Yes, then "Is this economic growth sustainable?"

Economic prosperity without social justice

• This is a thought provoking concept as it highlights the unsustainability of global economic progress model. The economic progress worldwide is unequal as it has lead to concentration of wealth among the few while majority is deprived. This creates a world of "have" and "have nots". Poor nations, therefore , witness mass deprivation of basic needs. Social injustice and social conflicts are regularly witnessed in such nations. 
• The question is " are these conflicts restricted within the boundary of these nations?" The answer is "No". As Martin Luther King Jr says " Injustice anywhere is threat to justice everywhere". Pandemics like Ebola and Zika sourced from Africa threaten the very existence of mankind. Terrorist like ISIS operating in Syria threaten the internal security of many nations. Even the present day COVID-19 reflects this fact. The inability of poor to access nutrition and health facilities has been a major factor in its spread.
• In big cities, the existence of poshe colonies adjacent to slums reflect this concept. The tech driven world has further added to the inequality. Majority of unskilled workers find themselves unemployed. The decimal women participation in STEM streams have exacerbated the gender inequalities. This has perpetuated in the form of increase in crimes, protests and unrest in the society. It has posed a threat to the law and order situation, hindering the economic prospect of the nations.
• From the above discussion, it can be concluded that there is a cyclical relation between social justice and economic prosperity. A prosperous nation that invests in social purpose is countercyclically benefitted by availability of highly skilled workforce which contributes to further economic development. On the other hand, if a nation does not invest ins social aspects, the inequality and discontent in the nation become the cause of its own destruction
• Indian Government taking all these measures into consideration has invested heavily in schemes like Jan Dhan Yojan( for financial inclusion), Ayushman Bharat, Sarva Siksha Abhiyaan etc. These schemes will create human capital which will take the nation to new heights. It will he helpful in achieving the target of $5trillion economy.

7. Patriarchy is the Least Noticed Yet the Most Significant Structure of Social Inequality

• Patriarchy is a social system in which men hold primary power, predominate in the roles of political leadership, moral authority, special privilege and control of the property. Men are also centre and authoritative figure in the domain of the family. Patriarchy has been one of the dominant features of the world particularly of Indian society. Roles in family or society are rigidly divided on the basis of gender in a patriarchy. These divisions are not only limited to scientific division such as child bearing by women etc but extend to all forms of life, without any justification.
• The evolution of patriarchy has remained a very dynamic historical process where agriculture and land ownership made it strongly routable. Before this, some of the nomadic hunter-gatherer societies were egalitarian, and some cultures were based on the mother as the head of the family or household. However, as the different tribes started declaring war on each other, dissimilar vulnerabilities engraved male domination. Later this entrenched pattern of male domination in society advanced its own interests and stopped women executing a will, having a property, giving or registering a vote, freely reaching a decision on safe abortion, and so on. These appeared as social inequalities, though there were many, but they remained conspicuous and drew criticism.
• Social inequality is a universal phenomenon in all societies. In every society, some people have a greater share of valued resources – money, property, education, health, and power – than others. These social resources can be divided into three forms of capital – economic capital in the form of material assets and income; cultural capital such as educational qualifications and status; and social capital in the form of networks of contacts and social associations. Often, these three forms of capital overlap and one can be converted into the other. Patterns of unequal access to social resources/ the exclusion of people from participating in social events are commonly called social inequality.

Patriarchy being the most significant structure of social inequality:

• Women are found at the “bottom rung of poverty, illiteracy, and landlessness. Some advancement of women does not prove that women are not subordinated. Though some changes have occurred, but such changes are marginal, superficial modifications in the ways in which men exploit women. Rather, male violence against women is systematically condoned and legitimated by the states’ refusal to intervene against it except in exceptional instances such as the practices of rape, wife beating, sexual harassment etc. However, others are too decentralised in their practice to be part of the state itself.
• Right from birth women face inequality. Most of the parents don’t even want their girl child to be born. This was evidenced in 2018-19 Economic Survey’s “Son meta preference”. After birth, boy child gets better education, nutrition, clothing compare to girl child. Elder girls have to quit their education to take care of younger siblings. Even if they manage to continue their education, their performance is affected as they need to help their mothers in household chores. This manifests into a boy becoming a better individual than a girl in terms of possessing knowledge, wealth etc.
• Despite bringing much legislation such as Hindu Succession Act etc, property transfer to girl child is minuscule. Data on Land records shows us that – in India, only 28% of women own land (both individually and jointly) despite having 50% share in overall population. Employers show discrimination against women candidates fearing their performance might reduce during pregnancy/ due to household responsibilities. Increasing crime against women makes parents of girl child skeptical in sending her to a better educational institution/better employment opportunity far off from their native place. Even if women manage to cross all the barriers and secure a good employment, their financial autonomy is still almost negligible.

Yet, Patriarchy is the least noticed structure of Inequality:

• Most of us, irrespective of our economic, social, cultural status continue to accept patriarchy. Wife beating is accepted as a cultural norm by more than 50% of women. Women taking up jobs, women being main bread winner of family, women working in late hours all are still considered a taboo. Till recent Supreme Court judgments, women were not allowed inside Mosques through main gate/ into Sabarimala temple. Even after the judicial pronouncements, many women themselves are against availing the entry. We can compare any factor of social inequality – it may be cast/race/religion/color/sexual orientation/disability etc – in all those inequalities women are at the bottom of the period.
• Indian government has been taking a lot of steps to reduce this social inequality manifested by patriarchy. For example, 33% reservation for women in local governments is considered to be a major step for increasing women representation in politics. In most of the states women represent almost 50% at local levels. However, the issue of Panchayat pati (husband of women representative being de-facto ruler) is yet to be addressed. “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” has helped in reducing sex-selective abortion, hence improvement in “child sex ratio” in many districts. Providing 10% supernumerary quota for girls in prestigious IITs has increased their share significantly.
• No society can advance with half of its population facing social inequality. The change has to come from within the society – instead of forced by government through legislations. Moral overhauling is a must in schools starting from very young age. Special treatment must be given to women to balance out decade long discrimination faced by them. 33% reservations for them in educational, political, employment opportunities can be one such step. If our mothers, sisters are treated with love and respect – automatically our wives, daughters will be treated that way too. This is utmost essential to address the issue of social inequality – not only in India but across the world.
• Unless the state of being equal in status, rights and opportunities are experienced by each and every member of the family, social inequality would keep reshaping in racial, gender and wealth inequalities. When a group of one or more parents and their children living together as a unit do not experience any male domination and control over the other gender and consider both genders equally capable, valued and deserving respect, the family breaks the circle of belonging to social groups categorised as advantaged and disadvantaged.

8. Technology as the Silent Factor in International Relations

• The decades of cold war between the United States (US) and the erstwhile Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) demonstrated beyond doubt how science and technology (S&T) could be leveraged actively, not only for avoiding war but also in the conduct of ‘International Relations’ (I.R.) to maintain diplomatic balance. The game changing technology of nuclear weapons (NW) is often credited with bringing World War II to an abrupt end, saving continued destruction and loss of life. 
• More recently, the technological race between the two superpowers in which the US managed to gain a decisive techno-military edge by 1990, is also perceived as the major catalyst of the Soviet economic impoverishment that eventually led to the fall of the Soviet ‘empire’ without any armed engagement or war. Few could have anticipated that technology would finally provide a solution for ending the cold war that could have caused mutually assured destruction. 
• The very concept of ‘Deterrence’ via techno-military supremacy over the adversary is nothing but coercive diplomacy using the advantage of technological superiority. Technology denial regimes are classic examples of ‘Science Diplomacy’ being exercised to serve the foreign policy agenda of powerful nations. The international focus on non-proliferation of NW can be viewed as a discriminatory technology-control measure against specific countries. It is interesting to note that during the cold war decades, there was also effective use of science diplomacy to reduce tensions and enable confidence building measures (CBMs) despite the existence of great strategic rivalry and mistrust. 
• Thus, there is ample historical evidence that S&T has been in extensive use not only for waging battles or winning wars but also for creating conditions suitable for preserving peace. Technology per say is not good or bad; but how it is used by the user determines the impact. In recent decades since the end of the cold war, economic globalisation and explosive growth of Information-Communication-Technology (ICT) has dominated the political and corporate agenda that is defining a new paradigm where competition and cooperation must coexist amongst most pragmatic societies and nations. 
• This will call for skilful diplomatic manoeuvring of different priorities in future that will have to be based on sound understanding of the role of S&T in international affairs. Our world is far more interconnected today, where no nation can afford to be isolated, no matter how powerful or self-sufficient. Technologies of global reach are changing the reference lines and timelines of the geopolitics of international interactions, diplomatic perceptions and global affairs. The competition for techno-economic power has become increasingly serious among nations and there is clear realisation of the impact of technology on economic progress, military might as well as on statecraft that shapes the balance of power equations among nations. 
• Technology will continue to be one of most sought after commodities in international affairs. While everyone agrees that military-economic strength will dictate future power equations among nations, there is unfortunately not enough understanding about the role that technology plays in this regard. It is often said that scientific research creates knowledge and innovation converts knowledge into economic wealth. Hence, it is worth noting that technology advances of the past few decades have been instrumental in creating globalisation which is essentially a socio-economic phenomenon. 
• But this has also caused a paradigm shift in security perceptions and altered the techno military doctrines of powerful nations. Enabling technologies such as advanced computing, ICT, bio-technology and nano-technology are transforming the spectrum of civilian as well as military applications. Today, most critical technologies for defence are increasingly for dual purposes, with civilian technology advances often feeding many military requirements and vice-versa. Diffusion of technology has become an integral component of international techno-economic transactions. 
• Advances in sensors, smart materials, missile guidance, outer space systems, energy beam weapons and cyber space technology etc. are leading to new capabilities for offence and defence. Consequently, preventing misuse of advanced technology is much more challenging. While technology controls will remain important in I.R., new approaches to enable S&T cooperation among progressive nations will also be vital for the future. The private sector is increasingly becoming the main player in international technology exchanges while the role of government agencies is changing to being more a facilitator than controller. 
• Developing nations in need of technology may face complex challenges of new criteria for technology transfer based on assurance of responsible ownership and use of sensitive technology. Such emerging trends will pose new diplomatic challenges to the demand side as well as the supply side of international exchanges. The techno-economic progress of large sections of the growing world population is increasing the global consumption of energy and other earth resources at an alarming rate. 
• This is amplifying the ecological footprint of mankind in ways that is altering the chemical, physical and biological makeup of the earth on a geological scale. It is becoming increasingly clear that this modern way of life will not be sustainable in the future and hence there is urgent need for coherent and well-coordinated international cooperation to moderate global consumption and its adverse impact on earth environment. 
• S&T is the common denominator for all interactions and hence modern diplomacy, for effective international negotiations for global solutions, must recognise the vital role of S&T in international relations. Different aspects of the role of science, technology and innovation in foreign policy, diplomacy and I.R. can be viewed in terms of three different dimensions of science diplomacy: 
• Science in Diplomacy—using scientific advisory to achieve foreign policy objectives.
• Science for Diplomacy—using S&T cooperation to improve relations between countries. 
• Diplomacy for Science—facilitating international scientific cooperation, and getting foreign S&T inputs for indigenous progress
• The role of S&T in the present 21st century is far more relevant and yet its interplay in international affairs is almost invisible in the globalised society. In fact, much of the globalisation and consequent inter-dependency among societies and nations is because of the integration brought about by advances in Information-Communication-Technology (ICT). Technology has enabled modern civilisation to move towards a knowledge-based society where the information flow is instantaneous - far improved compared to a decade ago. 
• More recently, S&T has been effectively used by nations for soft-power projections. In this changing paradigm, it is highly desirable to understand the importance of S&T dimensions of international relations and the changing dynamics of diplomacy among nations. Unfortunately, S&T advances have also led to unintended consequences of phenomenally high rates of development particularly in the past five decades, which have led to rapid depletion of earth’s resources and accelerated global warming with associated loss of biodiversity that will affect the future of human societies. 
• Shortages of resources and concerns of environment are fast becoming one of the more serious global concerns that cannot be addressed without major interventions using both S&T as well as diplomacy for constructive and lasting international cooperation. Thus, the major challenge for 21st century diplomacy will be to prevent misuse of technology from harming mankind and environment. 
• This essay tried to highlight the increasing role that modern technology is bound to play in international relations and global affairs in the future. It is hoped that the book will succeed in bringing a renewed focus on the importance of S&T integration with foreign policy and indeed with overall national aspirations, particularly for India.