In
the modern setup of democratic states the citizens can have no cause
for grievances,
because the whole administration is conducted by the people themselves.
If the people themselves are dishonest, the
administrative machinery must be corrupt.
This
is a sane outlook on the world's problems. Rather, if this man has no
food and I have, let me give him some food. Why should I charge him? If
he has no money, why should he be obliged to go hungry? It doesn't
speak very well for the advancement of science, technology, medicine
and education if half the world is in want. What has the advanced,
civilized man learned in his universities and schools if half the world
is not clothed, fed and sheltered? That means he hasn't learned how to
show compassion and kindness. He hasn't learned anything. He has
learned how to simply profiteer, how to capitalize on others'
misfortune. more
The
welfare state imposes upon its citizens scorching taxes in various
forms—income tax, sales tax, land tax, terminal tax, excise tax,
customs tax, and so many other taxes. But in due course, when the taxes
accumulate into a large sum of money, they are utilized for the welfare
of the citizens in various ways. Nonetheless, sometimes it happens that
the benefits of the taxes fall like rains on stone-hearted men in the
state who are unable to utilize the money properly and who squander it
for sense gratification.
The common man supposes the unequal distribution of rain to represent
nature's wrath for our sinful acts. There is truth in this. Thus to
have an equal distribution of state-raised taxes, the citizens need to
be scrupulously honest and virtuous. They should be honest in the
payment of taxes to the state and should have honest representatives to
look over the administration. In the modern setup of democratic states
the citizens can have no cause for grievances, because the whole
administration is conducted by the people themselves. If the people
themselves are dishonest, the administrative machinery must be corrupt.
Although a damned government of the people may be given a good or fancy
name, if the people are not good they cannot have good government,
regardless of which party governs the administration. Therefore good
character in the consciousness of the mass of people is the first
principle necessary for a good government and equal distribution of
wealth.
In ancient days the kings were taught lessons in political philosophy
by ideal teachers, and the citizens from village to village were taught
the principles of self-realization according to the Vedic codes for
both the material and the spiritual upliftment of society. Therefore
the citizens were God conscious and honest in their dealings, and the
kings were responsible for the welfare of the state. The same basic
principles are accepted in the democratic governments of the present
day, for the irresponsible party of the people is always voted out of
power and must yield to the responsible party for a better government.
In the cosmic administration there is only one party, which consists of
the servants of God, and the responsible deities of the various planets
maintain the cosmic laws in terms of the orders of the Supreme Lord.
But the people suffer on account of their own folly.
And what is that folly? In Bhagavad-gita it is said that
people should perform yajñas, or sacrifices for the
satisfaction of the Supreme. The Supreme is all-pervading. Therefore
people must learn to perform yajñas to satisfy the
all-pervading Supreme Truth. There are different yajñas
prescribed for different ages, and in the present age of iron industry
the yajña that enlightens the mind of the masses for God
consciousness is recommended. This process of yajña is
called the sankirtana-yajña, or mass agitation for
invoking man's lost spiritual consciousness. As soon as this movement
is taken up through spiritual singing, dancing, and feasting, the
people will automatically become obedient and honest.
Obedience is the first law of discipline. The people have become
disobedient to the laws of God, and therefore neither rain nor wealth
is equally distributed. A man who is ultimately disobedient cannot have
any good qualifications. When disobedient leaders lead the disobedient
people, the whole atmosphere of the administration becomes polluted and
full of dangers, as when a blind man leads several other blind men. The
state taxes, therefore, should be spent to build the character of the
people in general. That will bring happiness to the citizens of the
state.
