Sam, dam, dand and bhed are legitimate tools of state policy according to our very own Chanakya. Sam and bhed are Words while dam and dand are Gold and Sword respectively. A state should utilize all or any of the above to protect itself against any real or perceived threat as well as to expand its power and territory according to him. It would be foolish for us to expect our enemies to not indulge in the same activities that we consider legitimate when used by us.
It is possible to bring about change with the help of the Word, the Sword and Gold as it has been amply demonstrated throughout history. The Cult of the Assassins, established in the 11th century by Hassan Al-Sabbah, used assassinations of political and religious leaders as a way of bringing about change. It depended more on the Sword than either the Word or Gold to attain its objectives. Most historians credit this cult with being the first to use assassinations as a tool of state policy to bring about social and political change. They grew in power in Persia till the arrival of the Mongols led by Halaku Khan, when they were defeated and their power base was destroyed.
This cult aimed to achieve the social and political supremacy of the Nizari sect of Shii'te Islam. As fate would have it, this sect today has no geographical location to call its own and is scattered around the world with the Aga Khan as their spiritual leader. Perhaps the lesson here is that what is gained by using the Sword alone is of temporal nature.
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5 comments:
Sword worshipers possibly are so intoxicated with the kick that its dramatic results gives that these become an end rather than part of means to a well thought out end of any worth. I think I read Swami Vivekananda somewhere saying exactly what you have said about the predominant use of the sword and other similar 'asuric' methods...they seem to be spectacularly victorious to start with but over time they don't last...
I certainly agree with your conslusion. Any victory solely by virtue of the sword must be fleeting. And must be constantly defended by show of strength. On the other hand if we can win over minds, then no further force will be needed.
Thomas Jefferson advised "Go on then in doing with your pen what in other times was done with the sword: shew that reformation is more practicable by operating on the mind than on the body of man."
I read your post yesterday and I agree with what you said completely.(The reason this comment has been so long in coming is because I was searching for a book that I have on Machiavelli )and though positively Machiavellian :D,it is a brilliant book in other respects and shows what, how and why nations must do what they have to do at certain times.....
I too agree completely that in the end ,'Rule of the sword' is ,but a passing mirage....In the end words matter,conquering and understanding the minds of men/women matters..because thoughts last forever...bodies can be imprisoned or forced but souls and minds are their own masters...
thoughts have bought about quiet revolutions all by themselves and changed the face of many nations...as they did in India...
Great post....made one think...:)
PS-will get back to you about Machiavelli.
Please drop in and pick up something!:)
Great post...Even the Christians resorted to the sword during the Crusades but obviously they failed...It took them 7 crusades and nearly hundred years to realize this but at least they did...
The problem with most Muslims is that they cannot differentiate between God and Muhammad i.e. to them, the will of God is synonymous with the will of Muhammad...Because of this, the sword in Islam has become an element of worship...Infact, the sword is on the flag of Saudi Arabia...This tells the world their real view of violence - it's good and we believe in it...
Muhammad was not only a religious leader but also a political one and herein lies the problem...As a political leader he could be diplomatic and humble as well as ruthlessly violent...His aim was to further his domain and authority...It is said that he had nine swords and he loved them so much that he named each one of them...Maybe during Muhammad's time, the sword was needed...I don't know...But now, violence will not get anybody anywhere - and this I know...
Therefore, I feel that Islamic leaders today have a huge role to play in the psyche of modern Muslims...Unfortunately, they too crave authority and therefore resort to violence...Power is a problem with all religions...
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