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| Tuesday, 18 May 2004 |
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A lesson in participation and protest Second Thoughts by Prof.Sunanda Mahendra A few years ago when I met a learned university lecturer in Political Science, I happened to have a resourceful information regarding the long march of the Chinese political leader Mao Tse Tung. My friend told me that Mao was a quiet and clear headed observer of his people in action and inaction. At first I could not grasp the meaning of the two terms 'action' and 'inaction'. 'You know,' my friend said. 'In all parts of the world there are people who work and they are called people in action, and then there are people who are not engaged in a particular work but they think or help the people who work, in words, especially encouraging words and cheers. So you see that there are basically two types. Perhaps those two types could be re-categorized into various other types. Coming on to the issue of Mao, my friend told me that in the long historical march, a cross country walk, quite a number of people, most revolutionaries have joined the long procession. Gradually the number had increased exhibiting their willingness in the process. Then come another category of people who have not joined the long march or the procession, but cheered them and encouraged them as onlookers. Like in theatre, an audience is needed for players to present their performance. In the absence of an audience, the players feel a sense of discouragement and a negativity. It is the same with games, for those playing cricket for instance need a crowd to cheer, a crowd to encourage or raise the moral of the players. This is not a concept confined to a particular group but to all sectors of life we denote it by the term 'audience participation,' a slightly a high flown term used by sociologists in research process. Then it looks as if Mao had observed another type of mass, who were predominantly a silent group. They would neither cheer nor show their willingness or unwillingness. They would be branded perhaps as 'impartial' observers. I have heard most people brand themselves as 'impartial'. Some administrator friends of mine say they are impartial but in actual practice, I see that they take, or forced to take a side. So who is an impartial person is a question indeed. Then there is a category of people who show their unwillingness openly or in some other possible manner. This is what we call 'protest' and according to Mao, the protest crowds are also important' said my friend. Then my friend added; 'Those who cheer and those who protest are visible, but how do you account for the silent type? 'I think they are equally important,' I said. 'They are a category of social thinkers and that group cannot be undermined'. At that moment I was reminded of an utterance on the part of the philosopher Bertrand Russel who said; 'However futile the issue may be, if you feel like protesting, do so immediately, for the consequences can be dangerous.' So all together there are these groups in any society. Firstly those who join you or follow you as they agree with you. They may be fellow travellers. Secondly there are those who join or follow you, but cheer you all the way. Thirdly there are those who stand and watch silently. Fourthly, there are those who turn their backs toward you in protest. But mind you, all of them are necessary for you to understand or gauge your standpoint. I think my friend the political scientist, taught me a good lesson, imparting food for thought. All these I recalled to mind on the May and the Vesak Day, when I observed people in action and inaction. |
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