GS Paper 1
Syllabus: Indian Culture/Political philosophies like communism
Source: IE
Direction: The article helps to understand the similarities and differences between Marxism and Buddhism.
Context: The death anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar, the Father of the Indian Constitution, is celebrated on December 6 as the Mahaparinirvan Diwas.
Parinirvan: It translates as “nirvana” after death or liberation from the cycles of life and death.
Significance of December 6: Dr Ambedkar died on December 6, 1956, less than 2 months after converting to Buddhism and fulfilling his promise that “I will not die a Hindu”
Marxism is a social, political, and economic philosophy named after Karl Marx. It examines the effect of capitalism on labour, productivity, and economic development and argues for a worker revolution to overturn capitalism in favour of communism.
Ambedkar on Buddhism and Marxism:
- Buddhism is superior to other religions and the Buddha’s path was superior to the prevalent religion-rejecting theory, Marxism.
- Ambedkar has compared Buddhism to Marxism, claiming that while both seek the same end of a just and happy society, Buddha’s methods are superior.
| Similarities | |
| Buddhism | Marxism |
| Basic philosophy:
● Function of Religion: To reconstruct the world to make it happy and not to explain its origin or its end. ● All human beings are equal. ● Private ownership of property: Brings power to one class and sorrow to another. ● For a happy and fair society: Sorrow is removed by removing its cause.
Communism: A socioeconomic order that involves the absence of private property, social classes, money and the state. ● Buddha established Communism (on a very small scale) in Sangh without dictatorship. |
Basic philosophy:
● Function of philosophy: To reconstruct the world and not to explain the origin of the world. ● Private ownership: Brings power to one class and sorrow to another through exploitation. ● For a happy and fair society: Sorrow is removed by the abolition of private property.
Communism: Dictatorship of the Proletariat (working class) is the ultimate goal. |
| Differences | |
| Means to achieve a happy and fair society:
● Buddha was born a democrat and he died a democrat. ● Moral appeal: His path for believers converts a man by changing his moral inclination to pursue the path voluntarily. ● Bhikshus, for example, give up all worldly goods, indicating the abolition of private property.
Importance of Religion: The only thing which could sustain the state is Religion. |
Means: Violence and Dictatorship of the Proletariat.
● Snatching private properties of the rich class by force/violence and establishing the rule of the working class.
Religion is anathema (something intensely disliked) |
Marxists’ criticism of the above comparison: Marx is so modern and Buddha so ancient.
Criticism of Marxism:
- The Communists believe that the state will inevitably die. However, they do not address what would replace the state.
- Communists admit that their conception of the state as a permanent dictatorship is a flaw in their political ideology.
Conclusion:
- Ambedkar is often misunderstood as being anti-religious, despite the fact that he was highly spiritual and aware of the necessity of religion in public life.
- Marxists can reform Marxism if they keep their prejudices away and study the Buddha.
Insta Links:
Mains Links:
Examine Ambedkar’s critique of Marxism.
Prelims Links:
Consider the following statements:
- Kushinagar is the place where the Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana, and is, therefore, an international Buddhist pilgrimage centre.
- Kushinagar has the highest population of Buddhists in India.
Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?
-
-
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
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Solution: 2)
Kushinagar is the place where The Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana in 483 BC, and is, therefore, an international Buddhist pilgrimage centre. However, it has a negligible population of Buddhists.
Ten other districts of UP — Kheri, Maharajganj, Siddharthnagar, Sultanpur, Basti, Mainpuri, Jaunpur, Pratapgarh, Hardoi, and Azamgarh — have larger Buddhist populations than Kushinagar.
