Despite leaders of powerful nations meeting on one or the other occasion, in different permutations and combinations, the world remains unable to resolve the major crises threatening its future. Not so long ago, there was consensus on the danger of climate change, and several pacts had been signed regarding a collective response to it. Today, this coming together lies in tatters because climate change deniers have taken over in the powerful USA, whose role is critical to any effective action that may be taken. In fact, any collective action on any important issues is under threat because the US no longer is willing to be a significant contributor.
And as the world retreats from a positive approach to major challenges, it is becoming increasingly bogged down in what may be described as ‘pointless’ wars that are taking a heavy toll of human lives on an everyday basis. There is general consensus that even the so-called ‘powerful leaders’ are unable to overcome the clout exercised by the military-industrial complex, which is making enormous amounts of money from continuous wars. Even a nation like India, which has a political culture of promoting peace, has been forced – following recent developments -to enhance its defence purchases to meet the growing threats.
Does this imply that the global system promoted by the UNO and other international institutions has become powerless to the point that it is back to ‘survival of the fittest’, with little regard to how many marginalised groups of humanity will near extinction because of drought, hunger, disease and uncontained strife? Primarily this is because democracy, an imperfect system in itself, has lost ground despite the early optimism after decolonisation.
Examples of this are visible in India’s immediate environment with meltdowns taking place in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar and Afghanistan. Even Indonesia is in the throes of violent unrest at the present. Why, despite the enormous strides made by human civilisation in terms of education and scientific understanding, are common people everywhere unable to recognise what choices have to be made for the collective good? Are the forces of nature now hitting back through the deeper consciousness – of which we still know very little – making humanity take a suicidal path to lighten the burden on the planet? Ironically, while the less civilised are busy killing each other, the more evolved are nearing extinction owing to rapidly decreasing fertility rates. Is there any hope, even now, of acquiring a balance that will ensure survival?
