If you want to change the situation, you first have to change yourself.

Breaking History's Patterns: Change Yourself and the World will Change

Great leaders of the world

In the democratic system, the fellow knows that in four years he will be out of office, and that another man will come in, so he takes as much as he can. The world is in chaos, and the only solution is God consciousness, not another ism. We have enough political systems. The great leaders in the world were Buddha, Jesus, Mohammed, Chaitanya and Krishna. They did something wonderful. But what did Napoleon do? What did Hitler do? They came, created a disturbance and went away. Jesus, Krishna, Mohammed and Buddha spoke something sublime and influenced the whole world.

Future of democracy

Democracy is a vicious circle. Ignorant people elect ignorant leaders, who exploit the people and lead them further into ignorance. This causes the people to elect another foolish leader out of disappointment. As such, democracy is a fool's paradise.

It is conceivable that by the devotees' efforts in distributing Vedic literatures, sometime in the future people may become enlightened and demand a God conscious leader. The present situation so far has deteriorated, and the reactions to the sinful deeds of the mass of people are so overwhelming that the people will be destroyed by their own sinful deeds. After wholesale destruction, there may be an awakening and acceptance of Krishna consciousness, which will usher in a new era of Vedic culture.

Do something about it

GUEST: When religion gets into the hands of the rulers, there is no telling whose God it is going to be.

HANSADUTTA: That is not religion; that is something manufactured. We are talking on principle. Mathematics may be used by a bank robber or by a public acccountant, but mathematics itself is not bad. Similarly, if someone uses religion to act irreligiously, that does not mean religion is bad. That means the person who iss applying religion is misusing it.

GUEST: But the rulers always misuse it.

HANSADUTTA: What is the use of having any rulers if the rulers always misuse religion? No, the rulers will not always misuse religion. You have to train your rulers. You yourself should be trained to become a leader. If you want to change the situation, you first have to change yourself. Then others will follow you. You cannot expect to lead people if you yourself are not prepared to set the example.

GUEST: I'm not interested in becoming a leader.

HANSADUTTA: If you are going to talk of change, you have to become interested in setting an example. You should be anxious to give real leadership to the people, not simply criticize. We are ready to be president. If you make us the president, we will step right in. We have a program, so we can criticize, but unless you are prepared to take leadership, it is useless to criticize the leaders.

Everyone knows the leaders are rogues. They were rogues in the past, they are rogues now, and they will be rogues in the future, but that does not mean there are no genuine leaders.

What you can do now

GUEST: I think it is really almost impossible to have a spiritual president in our era, due to the money-hungry leaders of the corporate industries.

HANSADUTTA: But you yourself can be Krishna conscious. You do not have to wait for the president. You can be Krishna conscious at once, so that at least your life will be successful. It does not depend on others. If everyone takes it up, one after the other, then gradually the whole world can become Krishna conscious, and then people will elect a Krishna conscious leader.