Opinion - Too much god: India will never be a superpower
The pervasive influence of religion in our political, social, and economic spheres pretty much negate the immense potential of being the largest democracy with a dynamic economy. As the saying goes, history is our greatest teacher. Well let’s look at some history, shall we?
Let’s start with perhaps the greatest superpower to have ever existed, Rome! Rome's rise to superpower status was not built on religious fervor but on pragmatic governance, military innovation, and an inclusive approach to citizenship. Their secularism allowed it to harness the strengths of a vast and diverse population. However, Rome's decline coincided with the rise of Christianity as a dominant force. The focus shifted from innovation and expansion to enforcing religious orthodoxy, leading to internal divisions and a weakened state.
The United States emerged as a global superpower in the 20th century, largely due to its secular constitution, emphasis on individual liberties, and focus on technological and economic advancement. The separation of church and state, enshrined in the First Amendment, allowed for diversity of thought and innovation. However, in recent decades, the increasing influence of religious conservatism on American politics has raised concerns. Polarizing debates on issues like abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and education have distracted from critical areas such as infrastructure, healthcare, and scientific research.
China scares America, and it sure as fuck scares India. Let’s do that next. China’s rise as a global superpower has been driven by a rigidly secular state. The Chinese Communist Party maintains strict control over religious institutions, ensuring that they do not interfere with governance. By prioritizing economic development, technological advancement, and education over religious concerns, China has achieved unprecedented growth. China's secularism has enabled it to maintain a unified focus on national goals. The state’s ability to suppress religious conflicts, while controversial, has allowed it to concentrate on infrastructure, innovation, and global influence. While this model is far from perfect and often criticized for human rights abuses, its effectiveness in propelling China to superpower status is undeniable.
While in our country, we have “hindutva” cow urine drinking hindus because they think fucking beef has magical powers, teenage hindu boys being lynched because they flirted with a muslim girl and they think their daughter being touched by a man from a different faith somehow makes her inferior, “khalistani” sikhs killing our prime minister because she tried to kick out a separatist terrorist.
Yes, I’m MASSIVELY simplifying the issues used as examples here and there are a lot of nuances to them, but my point stands regardless. We need to accept who we are and stop calling ourselves a “potential” or “future” superpower. We never will be. We will forever be burdened by the useless weight of too much “god”.
