Is there a way in which a country can
produce leaders of caliber, who act with sincerity, honesty and patriotism,
consistently over a long period? Leaders who would give their lives to shape
their country, to set up viable and strong institutions that will guarantee the
survival and supremacy of their country, be examples of grit and honesty to
their fellow-human beings and an inspiration to the younger generation, inspiring
them to greater heights after they are gone?
When countries are mired in
corruption and moral abasement, like most of the developing countries today,
especially that of India, one wonders why capable leaders, who are not
motivated by self-interest, but by the larger interests of their country and
society, are so few and far between in India today. Or were they there at any
time at all? One ponders.
This becomes a deepening quest, as
one goes through the history of the Civil Service under the East India Company,
where leaders of the Company fought corruption tooth and nail and restored
dignity to the Service within 30-40 short years (as pointed in my previous 2 or
3 blogs). What motivated them in such a difficult task and what was in their
world-view that gave them the strength and courage to engage in it and come out
victorious?
In India, we have every Act and Rule
enacted by the Parliament by our democratic government, but in implementation
not much is seen on the field. Corrupt politicians and bureaucrats are still
flourishing despite deadly Anti-corruption laws; despite the noise made over gang
rape of a young paramedical girl in a moving bus in the capitol of the country
in 2012 and stringent rules enacted in its aftermath, still we witness rape
reported almost every day in many cities of India.
Why are we not able to curb these
evils? What is the point of enacting rules and regulations, if we are not able
to implement them? Or is it the question of half-hearted attempts to curb evil?
Is it that the hearts and souls of the leaders, elected or otherwise, are not
in the successful implementation of these regulations? Is it a case of absence
of political will? Perhaps just an eyewash to say to the world that we have all
our rules in place and we are a great country?
We need to probe into the socio-religious
and philosophical groundings of a country, known as the ‘worldview,’ to find
answers to some of these questions. What was the world view of the English when
they ruled over India, when they successfully brought about the transformation
of a corrupt Civil Service into an incorruptible Service? That might throw some
light on how they succeeded in that formidable task and why we are still
struggling with it. To this we will turn now.
Society in England by the 18th
century had undergone various socio-religious influences, which not only
energized her to carry her flag in countries previously unknown, but also
brought in a moral transformation of their own society.
A democratized monarchy, with the
powers of the king moderated by Parliament, was achieved in England by the
signing of the Magna Carta in 1215; feudalism was broken down by the 15th
century War of Roses.
Reformation started by Martin Luther
in 1517, had already prepared an opening of mind and a scientific enquiry among
the people, for he questioned the very Pope and the traditions of the Catholic
church.
King James version of the Bible
translation was brought out in 1611 and deeply influenced the lives of the
people and literacy. Puritanism arose, wherein these Christians, sought to
purify the church and society of the corrupt practices.[1]
A bloodless coup, Glorious Revolution
in 1689 brought in a Protestant Monarch, while the Parliament itself was fully
empowered to make laws. The epic poem Paradise Lost by John Milton, a Puritan
was written by 1667; Another epic The Pilgrim’s Progress was written by John
Bunyan in 1678. “Religion was in the air!’[2]
Under these influences family
prayers, Bible reading, and personal piety became house-hold practices in
England in the 17th century. Even cock-fighting and other merriment
were prohibited on Sundays. Severe morality was enforced by Cromwell’s
government to reform national morals and manners. Puritans left their legacy of
discipline, individual responsibility, hard work, and asceticism on the
population. Their worldview taught people to be honest in business.
Newton discovered the Laws of Motion
by 1687. Side by side rational philosophy of Hobbes, Spinoza arose, emphasizing
the power of reason to discover the laws of nature.
The teachings of the Bible that all
men and women were created equal developed into its secular form demanding
equal rights and freedom for all, breaking the traditional English social
hierarchy. Locke, the father of liberal democracy brought in the principle of majority
vote for validation of laws by 1679.
By the next century the influence of
religion was on the decline but not altogether gone. England’s political
institutions, distribution of wealth and power were all still in-egalitarian,
hierarchical and privileged. Patronage system kept the power within the
privileged aristocratic class. The state of “Old Corruption’ was fully on
display.[3]
But England was on the throes of change.
French Enlightenment of 1789 rocked
Europe and brought in a century of Rationalism. It overthrew feudalism in
France by force. Human reason was elevated to god-hood and received all
importance. Christianity with its miracles came under scrutiny.
England was saved from this anarchy
by John Wesley’s religious revival, especially among the lower classes and it transformed
the life of the nation. It led to establishment of Methodist church by 1784 and
Evangelical revival. Wesley concentrated his efforts, in addition to religious
teaching and salvation of people through faith in Christ, to uplift the poor,
educate the children of the poor through Sunday Schools, prison reforms, and
abolition of slavery.
Wesley’s work coincided with
Industrial Revolution and awoke the consciousness of the rich regarding their
obligation to the less fortunate poor of their country. Poverty was a problem
and the Church cared for the poor, the sick and the suffering. Church established
schools, hospitals and poor houses though subscriptions and voluntary efforts.
Protestantism, Puritanism and Evangelicalism provided the bulwark for many
reforms in society.
By the 19th century, “Age
of Reform’ started in England. The Reform Act of 1832 helped eradication of
political bribery. Factory Act of 1833 regulated hours of work and prohibited
employment of children in factories. Public Health Act, 1848 introduced health
reforms and sanitation. Slave trade was abolished in 1807.
The ruling leaders of England
realized that the time had come to educate their new masters, the voters! Gladstone,
the Prime Minister, brought in Education Act of 1870 bringing school education
to every English child. Civil service was thrown open to competitive
examination in 1870, thus abolition of patronage.
Next Prime Minister Disraeli passed
the Public Health Act, 1875, laying rules for sanitation, sewage disposal,
water supply and scavenging. Technological innovations galore.
Society itself was under
Enlightenment, but Evangelicals emerged as a continuation of the Wesleyan
Methodism and influenced the leaders. They worked tirelessly for the betterment
of society. 19th century was called the Evangelical century. This
revival created a moral sentiment in England and changed her attitude to her own
degraded masses at home and elsewhere.[4]
Many of its leaders arose from the
Clapham sect, a strong Evangelical forum, called as the ‘Saints in Parliament.’
These reforms and social service were
extended to the colonies of the British, especially India. Cornwallis accepted
his Governorship in India so that he can be of some service to his country. He
was of ‘sterling integrity and a more abiding sense of Public Duty,’ it is
said.[5]
Charles Grant who became the Chairman of Court of Directors of East India
Company and an MP belonged to Clapham sect. Many of the ICS officers like
Metcalfe, Henry Lawrence, Henry Ramsey, Shore were devoted Christians.
Time and space are both running out.
We will have to postpone analyzing how Christ and His teachings influenced
these great leaders to the next blog.
[1]
Hall,et al, “A History of England and the British Empire,” Boston: USA, 1937
[2] G.M.Trevelyan,
“Illustrated English Society, Vol. 2, London: Pelican Books, 1964, p. 181
[3] Philip
Harling, “The waning of Old Corruption: The politics of economic reform in
Britain, 1779-1846,” Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996, p. 1
[4] Howse,
“Saints in Politics: The Clapham Sect and the growth of freedom,” London:
George Allen and Unwin, 1953, p. 7
[5] Kaye,
“Lives of Indian Officers,” London: J.J,Kelihar n co, 1904, p.42