According to Periyar, a revolution for a noble cause is held only for a genuine transformation. It is a fight with the sole objective of reformation. Such a revolution harms none. Periyar explained the concept in nutshell, as follows:
My dear cadres, comrades, followers and friends, while inviting me to deliver a speech you have used the words – “Long live revolutions!” Bulls are scared of red cloth. Similarly, some fanatics are frightened by the word “revolution”. In my opinion, there is nothing scary about this word. People who resist reformations have made the word scary like a bogey. Like kids scared of ‘bogeys’, most of you too are scared of the word revolution. It is hightime you shed the needless fear. Let me try to make you all understand the aim of a revolution and the benefits derived out of it. Listen to me attentively and realise the truth that revolutions are only for reformations. They pave the way for essential transformations.
Changes in life:
Long ago man used to walk for an hour to cover a distance of three miles. He had to reach every place on foot. There was a revolution to solve transportation problems. It is said, necessity is the mother of invention. Our necessity led to the invention of aircraft. Man is able to fly and cover a distance of even 400 miles within an hour. This is undeniably a grand revolution. If a man still continues to walk, he is to be pitied, isn’t he?Getting adapted to changes in life is a sign of true wisdom. What I mean to say is that even this invention is the result of a revolution, though it involved neither bloodshed nor violence.
Nobody is harmed by such changes in life. When we try to give up outdated styles of life people call it a revolution but actually it is their misinterpretation. They imagine negative effects. People who are benefitted hail it as a social transformation. Those who resist changes keep murmuring against it, but we can’t help it. As man goes on learning more and more, he becomes naturally more progressive in his outlook and approaches. Hence, revolutions in society are inevitable. Revolutions turn all the traditions upside down. We have already faced several revolutions. We have heard of revolutions in other countries. Has any society perished by revolutions? We may be bewildered in the beginning but don’t we get adapted gradually?
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End of monarchy
Emperors and kings ruled our land once upon a time. They were revered as representatives of the so called God. Religions, scriptures and mythologies wrongly taught people to hail kings and queensas avatars of divine entities. There was a revolution that threw over board entire monarchy. Kings and Queens no longer rule us. We are now democratic republic. We, the people, rule ourselves, though we elect our representatives. Was this not a revolution? Today we value self respect and claim our rights. We are slaves to none. We are law abiding citizens. We enjoy freedom, liberty and independence. Was it not a revolution that transformed our lives? Should it not be hailed as a massive revolution in the sphere of politics? One revolution ignites the sparks for another revolution. One change in society paves the way for many more. I believe, these are all harmless revolutions. The world has not turned topsy-turvy owing to any of the revolutions occurred so far.
Caste based atrocities
People were once stifled by upper caste supremacy. Graded inequality made some people untouchable, unseeable and unapproachable. We were told that discriminations were all ordained by the non-existent Gods and Goddesses. The downtrodden low caste people were not allowed even to walk freely on streets. We did witness such inhuman atrocities, but there were revolutions that brought about amazing reformations. Today those suppressed and oppressed people are allowed temple entry and free movement on streets. People who promote humanism and equality are felicitated today as Mahatmas, aren’t they? Indeed revolutionary! For electoral gains, leaders of political parties mingle closely with the same people who were once isolated as untouchables. Power-hungry politicians are craving today for their mandate. I would call this an effect of productive revolutions.
Women – Liberation
Antique Vedic scriptures say that a girl must be married off when she is 10 year old and that her parents would be roasted alive in hell if they fail to do so. How idiotic! Those scriptures also threaten that such girls would go astray and lead an immoral life. We began a revolution to liberate women from this cruelty. We dumped as trash all the verbal filth of sages and saints. We protested against all the conventional practices and framed a new code that a girl should be married off only after her attaining puberty around the age of 13 or 14. Was it not a useful revolution by us, dear cadres?
We prevented child marriage and promoted widow remarriage. We annihilated the double standard of inequality among men and women. We fought for their property rights. We crushed male chauvinism in society. We raised voice for women’s rights in child birth and divorce too. We have succeeded to a great extent in achieving our revolutionary objectives. Tell me how these revolutions could have harmed our society. Let me know whether the revolutions caused pain or pleasure in people.
Incomplete tasks
Eradicating the gulf between the “haves” and “have nots” is another major task to be completed. Annihilation of castes is another dream. For us, who drove away emperors and made kingdoms crumble, this task is not impossible. We need a revolutionary approach again. We deny the existence of God because that belief is the root cause of religious fanaticism. We should make people give up their blind belief in God. We have to delink people from the chains of superstitions. Two different classes as the rich and the poor should no longer exist. Birth based disparity and racial extremism must vanish. We have to ignore the people who resist our revolutions. They are vested interests, selfish and self-centred. Castes and religions are not indispensable like the air we breathe.
All the traditional conventions and codes of conduct were imposed on us only to safeguard brahmins and the wealthy elements. If our ‘self-respect movement’ does not eradicate them, it must be called only as ‘selfish-respect movement.’ Once they are completely eradicated, ninety per cent of our people would be contended. Ignore small people who are hurt by changes in society. Never sympathise with rich people who have amassed wealth in abundance. Can we keep all our doors open at night to help thieves rob us and lead a comfortable life? Pitying rich people is a similar idiocy.
Summing-up
When kings and queens ruled the country, people were unable to question their authority but today we have the freedom of questioning the rulers. Our revolutions made us courageous. This should continue. We have achieved a lot but still we have a long way to go. All our problems can be solved by peaceful revolutions. Revolutions need not be violent at all and yet we can achieve our objectives. Everything changes in life. Let us cause many more reformations and transformations by our productive revolutions.
Source: ‘Kudi Arasu’ – 18th December 1932
Translated by :M.R.Manohar
