Opinion National Interest PoV 50-Word Edit

ThePrint On Camera Videos In Pictures

Society & Culture Around Town Book Excerpts Vigyapanti The Dating Story

More Judiciary Education YourTurn Work With Us Campus Voice

Opinion National Interest PoV 50-Word Edit

ThePrint On Camera Videos In Pictures

Society & Culture Around Town Book Excerpts Vigyapanti The Dating Story

More Judiciary Education YourTurn Work With Us Campus Voice

Worker has no freedom in socialist society. India is moving in that direction: MA Venkata Rao

In a free economy, the management has a motive in rewarding merit and efficiency in their own interest.

It is the chief characteristic of libertarian societies that such social exchange and association (and culture generally) is totally free from State control and regimentation, except for the universal subjection to civil and criminal law.  

In totalitarian societies, on the other hand, the State lays down the lines of thought to be accepted as a dogma in all professions. The case of Lisenko is relevant in this context. As a biologist, he had to defend the State doctrine of the transmission of acquired characters from parent to offspring without respect for his own personal opinion based on findings by his own research.

Even in art, the State in Russia (and her satellites) lays down the overall policy to be embodied by the artists in their creations—even in music, opera, drama, poetry, literature. The test laid down is Partism; that is, the doctrine that the work should, in its overall effect on the reader or listener or spectator, have the effect of strengthening the Socialist sentiment. It should make them more resolved to go forth and put more will and energy into their work in the building of socialism! It should not raise doubts about Marxism-Leninism-Stalinism or Khrushchevism in the Soviet people.

The doctrine of State authority in the arts and sciences and philosophies and even in history and anthropology resembles the dogmatic theology of the Roman Catholic Church which is laid down only by the authorised clergy and should be believed in on pain of punishment even unto death:—Witness the claims of the dread institution of the Inquisition in the Catholic Church, which is said to have got thirty thousand heretics burnt at the stake in the days of its power! The purges of Stalin are similar, though more extensive in numbers.

In recent years, we have had the example of the literary man Dr. Pasternak, whose work was disapproved by the Kremlin and who was prevented from accepting the Nobel Prize award from abroad. Even the friends who used to help him in his work were persecuted after his death.

In the libertarian pattern of society, cultural life in all its spheres—literature, the other arts, sciences, technologies, history, education etc. will be totally free from State interference both in their internal administration such as the appointments of experts and their housing of deserving personnel as well as in the ideas they accept from time to time as the truth in their specialties.

They will be free to follow truth entirely on the guidance of their own experience and investigation, experiment,........

© ThePrint