Societal Analysis
Patriarchy & Economics - Sept 2023
What is Patriarchy? Pitr̥svāmyaṁ aṇṭē ēmiṭi?
Patriarchy Pitr̥svāmyaṁ is not bad behaviour and horrible actions. Crimes like rape, molestation, domination, exploitation, oppression, theft, plunder and the rest are done by bad people. There are rotten people among men as well as women; rich as well as poor; upper caste as well as lower; Hindus as well as Christians, Buddhists and Muslims.
Patriarchy is the social sanction Anumati given to such actions. Patriarchy is a system which says, "It doesn't matter; It's like that only; this is normal" "Parvālēdu, Alāgē".
As a dominant social ideology Ādhipatya sāmājika bhāvajālaṁ, patriarchy emerged about 6,000 years ago, when we became an agricultural society. But till very recently, it was recognised to be something bad; practiced, but still bad.
That is why we first had social reformers Saṅgha Sanskartalu and religious leaders like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Dayanand Saraswathi, Swami Vivekananda, etc. and more recently, Babasab Ambedkar, etc. who opposed patriarchal practices.
When we got democracy, laws were passed opposing patriarchal practices.
But in recent years, in the past 20-25 years, Patriarchy is once again emerging as the dominant ideology Ādhipatya bhāvajālaṁ and practice in society. You will recall that, four months back, I had listed 21 Elders Pedda manuṣulu from different castes and communities, friends I interacted with in my early days in Bagepalli. They were not saints; many of them were big landlords who exploited. But they would have been abhorred at what is happening today.
Let us now move on to what patriarchy does to today's economy.
Pseudo Economics Nakilī Ārthikaśāstraṁ
Some economists Ārthikavēttalu argue that capital and technology Sāṅkētikata are needed for efficiency and productivity Sāmarthyaṁ & Utpādakata. They say that without huge increase in production, society will always stay poor. They go on to say that only big capitalists have the money and technology Sāṅkētikata to develop the country.
Governments and rulers Prabhutvaṁ mariyu pālakulu with a patriarchal philosophy Pitr̥svāmya Tatvaśāstraṁ use this argument to give unlimited support Aparimita Maddatu to a very few rich capitalists. They claim that only rich capitalists can make an economy grow Vr̥d'dhi.
In their opinion, ordinary people are not capable of contributing to the economic development of a country. They claim that government Prabhutvaṁ will meet the minimum needs of the remaining unproductive population Utpādakata Lēni Janābhā, with wealth created by a few capitalists.
But it is not enough to just have food to eat, a roof over their heads, and entertainment Vinōdaṁ. People do not want to just pray to the gods, sing bhajans, pursue sports, and undertake cultural activities Kala & Sānskr̥tika Kāryakramālu.
People are not beggars Biccagāḷḷu. They don't want income without earning Sampādana Lēkuṇḍā Adāyaṁ. People want their rights and entitlements Hakkulu & Ar'hatalu.
Unsustainable Economy & Temporary Gains Nilakaḍalēni Ārthika Vyavastha & Tātkālika Lābhālu
This type of economists Ārthikavēttalu lives in an artificial world Kr̥trima Prapan̄caṁ with no understanding of the population Janābhā.
They spin their theories in an environment that has no touch with reality Vāstavikata. These pseudo intellectuals' Nakilī Mēdhāvulu only concern is to spin theories to serve the interests of a few rich capitalist. They are lackeys of the rich capitalists Dhanavantula Lōkulu. They do not have the capacity to recognise the power and capacity Sāmarthyaṁ of the vast majority of the population Janābhā.
The type of economy Ārthika Vyavastha they prescribe will only be temporary Tātkālika. It will last as long as the people can be fooled with distractions Paradhyānālu that divert their attention Maḷlimpu. After that, it will disintegrate and collapse Vicchinnaṁ & Kūlipōtundi. That type of capitalism is not sustainable Sthiramainadi Kādu.
Economy = Employment & Income Upādhi & Ādāyaṁ
The truth is that every single living person is connected to the economy of a society. If they did not, they will not be alive. They will be dead Vāru Canipōtāru. Along with them, that kind of economy will also be dead if all and every person does not contribute.
The real function Vidhi of an economy is to create employment Upādhi. Not efficiency and productivity Sāmarthyaṁ & Utpādakata. Employment provides income. Income is used to meet basic necessities of life.
As an economy grows and develops, the entire population, and not just a select few, improve their standard of living.
Sustainable Capitalism Susthiramaina Peṭṭubaḍidārī Vidhānaṁ & Participatory Democracy Bhāgasvāmya Prajāsvāmyaṁ
Strong and sustainable Susthiramaina capitalism requires a participatory democracy where every single person understands, discusses, reflects Pratibimbistāyi and decides on economic choices Ārthika Empikalu and the role they play in it.
Good capitalism and genuine democracy Nijamaina Prajāsvāmyaṁ go hand in hand. One cannot exist without the other Okaṭi Lēkuṇḍā Marokaṭi Uṇḍadu. Building such a good capitalist economy needs time, patience and painstaking effort. Quick fixes Tvarita Pariṣkārālu give big benefits only for a very few; less than 10% of the population. Short cuts do not work.
Governments and rulers Prabhutvaṁ mariyu pālakulu need to make long term commitments. They should not constantly try to showcase immediate results Takṣaṇa Phalitālanu as spectacular achievements Adbhutamaina Vijayālu in monthly Man ki Baat. Governance is not a cinema set.
Majoritarianism & Participatory Democracy Bahutvavāda & Bhāgasvāmya Prajāsvāmyaṁ
Rulers make us confuse Gandaragōḷaṁ majoritarianism Bahutvavāda with democracy Prajāsvāmyaṁ. Getting a majority, once every 5 years, can be done by using popular slogans Ninādālu and distractions. Voters respond only to a few popular slogans and promises Āśvāsalu that were made during the campaign. Not to the full, undisclosed agenda of what they will do for 5 years.
Winners feel they have license to do anything and everything they want. This is not participatory democracy Bhāgasvāmya Prajāsvāmyaṁ.
Intellectuals & Freedoms Mēdhāvulu & Svēcchalu
True democracy needs a constant involvement of the population Janābhā with the Rulers; the people's opinions asked for and listened to at all times. This is not easy. It needs to walk 4,080 kms in 150 days and LISTEN.
Every single person may not be able to receive and process all information on every happening in the country. The people must have access to honest and true information and not just hyperbole Atiśayōkti.
This is why intellectuals Mēdhāvulu, critical thinkers, investigative journalists, and opposition leaders must be given a free hand. Freedom of information, freedom of speech and freedom of expression Svēcchalu are pillars Stambhālu of participatory democracy.
Care & Concern Sanrakṣaṇa & Āndōḷana
A society that allows everyone to participate in the economy needs far more than capital and technology Sāṅkētikata. Courage and confidence Viśvāsaṁ are needed to participate in the economy. Only a caring society, concerned about every single person, can provide this courage and confidence.
Your situation Paristhiti may be bad. But you are not Khāḷī kuṇḍalu. You have an innate knowledge Sahajamaina jñānaṁ. That is why I have always said that I admire you Ārādhistānu.
Governments and rulers Prabhutvaṁ mariyu pālakulu with a patriarchal philosophy Pitr̥svāmya tatvaśāstraṁ, who believe that ordinary people are not capable of contributing to the economy, cannot provide this care and concern Sanrakṣaṇa & Āndōḷana. They can pretend, make gestures San̄jñalu, give clever slogans Ninādālu, but cannot instil a lasting and permanent confidence in the poor and downtrodden.
Basic Fear Prāthamika Bhayaṁ
The most basic fear Prāthamika Bhayaṁ that poor people have is as to where the next meal will come from, whether they will be able to pay next month's rent, school fees, meet emergency medical expenses, etc. These basic and everyday fear can become a paralyzing terror Pakṣavātaṁ Kaligin̄cē Bhībhatsaṅgā, making it impossible to move forward.
That is why some minimum guarantees have to be given to the entire population. You know what these guarantees are; 5 in Karnataka, 6 in Telangana. These guarantees were based on what was heard and learnt in the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Communal Distrust Saṅghālalō Aviśvāsaṁ & Apa-nam'makaṁ
In order to justify their total support Sampūrṇa Maddatunu to a very few rich capitalists, patriarchal Rulers device methods to distract the population and divert their attention from the economy. They deliberately use fiction Kādambari and mythology Purāṇaśāstraṁ to instil fear. Patriarchal rulers invoke religion, custom and all other fiction to keep a divided population Janābhā at loggerheads with each other. They distort Vakrīkarin̄cāru history to rake up imagined injustice supposedly committed in past ages by communities who allegedly lived thousands of years ago.
Rulers use existing Fiction. And then they create new brand fiction, based on falsehood and lies Pūrtigā Abad'dhaṁ & Ādhāraṅgā.
- Whatever they say becomes divine. Daiva Sambandhamaina Māṭālu
- Whatever they say cannot be questioned. Praśnin̄calēnidi Viṣayālu
- It cannot be challenged. Savālu Cēyalēmu
- It need not be proved. Nirūpin̄ca-valasina Avasaraṁ Lēdu
These are the rules governing all fiction.
They give centralised solutions Kēndrīkr̥ta pariṣkārālu for all your problems that they already know.
Communities who lived peacefully for hundreds of years are all of a sudden made to believe that the "other" is their enemy. Because their great-great grandparents are thought to have done something to harm them thousands of years ago. Some sections of the population need to be careful about what they can and cannot eat, what they must wear, who they can meet with and talk to, how they must speak and behave, who and they must worship, etc.
Trepidation Vaṇuku
Fear is like an epidemic Aṇṭuvyādhi that soon becomes a pandemic Maham'māri. Fear engulfs Cuṭṭumuḍutundi everyone. Those directly affected, and also those who wait with trepidation for them to be targeted. Sections of the population Janābhā who, till recently, only had concerns regarding their day to day lives, have to suddenly be cautious.
When fears of life, liberty, disrespect and condemnation are ADDED to their everyday and ever present basic fears Prāthamika Bhayaṁ, it becomes impossible to even think of enterprise or run a small business.
Shifting the Blame Nindanu Mārcaḍaṁ
Most importantly, the entire population Janābhā, majority as well as minorities, forget that the primary function Prāthamika Vidhi of rulers and government Prabhutvaṁ mariyu pālakulu is to create an environment for everyone to freely participate in the economy.
The blame game shifts from patriarchal economics Pitr̥svāmya Ārthika śāstraṁ and a few rich investors to helpless, often poor neighbours.