REVOLUTIONS: SILENT VRS VIOLENT REVOLUTIONS (NORMAL)

There are two forms of Revolutions which have shaped the world in which we live in. They are: Silent Revolution and Violent Revolution; the latter considered normal by the majority has occurred not many times in the world, yet, its effects which continue to deceive many people as effective are just an illusion. For this type of Revolution usually dies with the death of the originator or the individual that championed it. While the former Revolution and its ideas usually live forever. Sometimes, the effects of the latter are just not seen properly because they do not have substance because they are usually championed by men that are have lived vagabond or mediocre lives in the eyes of the public.

In England, philosophers of distinguished character had championed the form of the Revolution known as Silent Revolution and the result was very outstanding. Men like Sir Isaac Newton, Francis Bacon, and John Locke helped the people of Great Britain to achieve enormous progress in the society which was later termed as the enlightenment. The ideas of these men were very powerful yet they caused no death in the country. There was no report of distinguished Army Officers, who, due to human weaknesses erred in their lives and so they were surrounded by enemies and then shot dead. There were no atrocities among the citizens such as whipping the innocent market women, traditional leaders among the poor and innocent villagers, nor were there any disgraced caused by these philosophers' Silent Revolution to some poor peddlers who sell only to acquire their daily bread in a potentially and in reality rich country Britain.

But the results of these men's' work, including others in the continental Europe, shaped Europe and later the whole world forever. Today, these men are remembered by all educated people especially those who have obtained University education or secondary school education. When they died in their various countries, these men were given the most superb burials, because of what they helped their country and the world at large to accomplish was enormous. But to reiterate it once more, the Silent Revolution of these distinguished men never hurt a soul not even an ant or a deadly mosquito in the continent of Africa.

But France and the Soviet Union, however, had a different experience. The French Revolution and the Soviet Union Communist Revolutions were characteristically violent which claimed many lives, including the learned and the poor. The French Revolution, according to many authors, commenced after so many years of distinguished philosophers' failed attempts to help the authorities to change their behaviour or attitude and thinking of the people. The distinguished philosopher René Descartes, the pioneer who had claimed fame in the world prior to Isaac Newton and others, made enormous contribution to the scientific world and to his motherland France. But since the Catholic Church was strong in this country, the Church forced or chased all of them out from the enlightened country. Some were physically persecuted and some had to spend a considerable number of years in prison for the ideas they cherished or decided to propagate in the society. These were the reasons why the French Revolution came or originated because the authorities had no sympathy for any other conflicting ideas that challenged the authority of the Church and the wealthy Nobles in the society, who were rich and yet being protected by the Church and the society.

If France had listened to the Silent Revolution which the philosophers had brought in the country, many changes would have been made and there would not have been any need to use violence to cause these changes which did not last for long. The Revolution claimed the life of the French Chemist, Antoine Lavoisier, who the world considers as the father of Chemistry. Earlier before his death he had contributed tremendously too to many other fields in science, including his discovery of Oxygen and other important Elements. Descartes had to move from one country to another because of the persecution, and even though he was afraid to publish his findings because he thought that would anger the church, still he was forced to seek refuge in Holland where he spent so many years studying and conducting research. Later, he died in Sweden after having been invited by Queen Christina to come and work as her tutor. The condition surrounding his death would never be known, since he was a staunch Catholic, it was feared that he would convert the Lutheran Monarch into becoming a Catholic. And, in fact, what was feared came through for the Queen at last was converted to Lutheranism. The great Descartes also died a poor death; some say it was pneumonia while other believes his being poisoned by the Swedes.

Silent Revolution is better than Violent Revolution because those who engineered the former usually have well-thought principles that are perfectly rationalised and so can be scientifically tested to determine its validity. These men themselves are gentle and do no harm to anybody, even not to the fly that flies around and yet they are usually neglected especially in societies where people do not have knowledge of the use of common sense or knowledge. This happens in many countries and societies, but in African they do not even have time to pause and contemplate what these distinguished men bring to them. There are many good ideas Dr. Nkrumah had despite the minor problems he had, but after his death there were many ignorant men that destroyed all that he initiated concerning programmes of relating to industrialisation. Today, we have realised that the philosopher Nkrumah was right in many things that he had wanted to do for Ghana and Africa at large.

The recent Revolution we had in Ghana more than twenty years ago by the AFRC Regime was not capable of initiating any meaning programmes than what many philosophers were calling all the time to be embraced. The atrocities the originators caused, and the criminal activities they endangered still live in the memory of many. It never accomplished any meaningful thing and soon the Revolution itself and those originators would be forgotten as well as the all the things they did; we will only remember the bad things they did as a legacy. But the silent philosophers' ideas still live and they are built upon by many distinguished men who make it a well where one can fetch water and inspiration from.

The Republic of Ghana needs philosophers who will continue with their silent Revolution in the country. They should be allowed to live in peace for they hurt no one. On the other hand, the people of Ghana should be trained to know and acknowledge what needs to be considered as useful for the country so that we can utilise them for the building of this young nation. It is true that many ignorant men do not pause to think about what they suggest for they only commence criticising without knowing what these distinguished men had come out with. But that should not discouraged us from assessing the contents of the ideas they bring because in reality these are the ideas that will save us from the doom day of the Violent Revolutions. We need to consider carefully all they bring out and then weigh them as well as examine these things whether they fit to observation. If we find wisdom in their words, the only thing we need to do is to implement them just as England did in order to avoid unnecessary bloodshed in the country which will ensue if we neglect things for too long time.