State is not responsible for the progress of your society

Ankush Sharma (Gucci) 

Humans are never independent of their environment; their rationality is shaped by the structures that govern them such as family, economy and polity. In modernity the political and economic structures (that form the embodiment of state) have a privilege over the social structures (Society). Therefore the state considers itself responsible for the development of its ‘human resource’ by the means of social engineering to make society more democratic and modern. It makes a perception of a ‘developing society’ with a progressive ‘role of state'.

I am here making a proposition that society is progressing towards rationality and justice, which in other words means weakening of traditional oppressive structures based on patriarchy and caste.  This proposition now raises a pertinent question: why state is so much concerned with the progress of society? Which has two sets of explanation; one is based on the interest of state and the other concentrates on the pressure from society.

Interest of state

Such an intervention by the state prompts readjustment of societal structures to make them more convenient for the management of population. It rearranges population from being subjects to become citizens with specific rights but individuals are now directly governed by the state and unlike earlier they are relatively more responsible to state than to society. Now it is easier for the state to manipulate its population, mobilization of labour, expanding propaganda and more. It explains the interest of state in promoting culture with common symbols and stereotypes which we call nationalism.

The responsibility of state for the progress of society makes the flow of information unidirectional. State employed its bureaucratic structure for the collection of information from the society, processes that information and formulates policies, however, the information that flows back to the society is censored. One can easily identify the sources employed by the state
for its dissemination.  Media outlets are traditionally aligned with the state, even some of those that are independent are directed toward society for the change, on the other side, social media that was initially used as a platform for exchange of information within the society is now getting appropriated by the economic and political appendages of state.

It provides us an inference that the state is not concerned with cast and patriarchal oppression per se but it intervene to remove them because such institution obstruct the expansion of governance by the state. The authority of caste or family over individual sometimes competes with the authority of the state and therefore various means are employed to weaken them. A progressive society would never be a fundamental goal of state. 

Pressure from Society

Industrialization that provides material basis to the modern state and society also provides an opportunity of bargain to society with the state when it reorganizes population into workers. Mechanization of industries has brought standardization in the life of individuals — men and women of different culture are now governed by the same idea of time and machine. Population that was earlier subject to diversified kind of oppression is now largely oppressed by the same juggernaut. Therefore this integration of population with the industry provides them a unity and a collective strength for an equitable share in the political and economic structure.

I am presenting a synopsis from Timothy Mitchel’s Carbon Democracy as a historical example of how pressure from society/workers had its impact. Early industry was dependent on renewable sources of energy such as forests which were spread over larger territory and require considerable time for reproduction. With the invention of steam engine coal became the only fuel for industries and railways. Unlike wood the coal produces much more energy, it is easy to produce and transport. Millions of workers were employed to extract coal; they started work in subhuman condition. However, when these workers were united by the trade unions they were able to negotiate with the state because strikes by them put the economy at halt. It had been repeated in other sectors of economy but workers were more successful where they have power to sabotage the economy. The struggle of workers has increased the consciousness of population about democratic values of justice, liberty and equality and thereby the society started a consistent endeavour for democratization.

Finally, actions by state factor in the progress of society but it was never the absolute function of state to make the society progressive. Moreover the proposition that society is progressing is itself contested when we analyze it with consideration of environmental degradation, climate change, changing form of caste and gender oppression, and accumulation of wealth therefore instead of presenting it as a fact I take it as a proposition.