Communism, an unknown pizza?

Have you come across an instance in recent times where two young individuals arguing about an ideology except for academic institutes where humanities have been taught? Have you ever come across an instance where two youths are discussing Das Capital or Communist manifesto? The answer will be a big no. It puzzles intelligentsia and the academic circles alike that why communism as a political ideal and philosophy is no more a favourite pick for the young generation as much as it used to be back in the day. The apathy is not just confined to India alone but perhaps a phenomenon that can be observed all across the world. As a matter of fact, most people in the present generation are unaware of political ideologies. Let alone communism or socialism, they frown their eyes and shrug their shoulders when they are asked about capitalism too that is ruling the present-day world. Does it indicate the decline of social and political capital? Is the younger generation drifting away from the arena of political discussions in specific and politics in general? Are young people retreating from the domain of ideology? There was a time when ideology used to be as indispensable as oxygen. Inclining oneself to either of the then prevailing ideologies, capitalism and communism, was seen as important as citizenship. Back in the day, ideology used to be considered as significant as religion. Discussions and arguments on ideology used to be a daily part of their lives. Sometimes, arguments would brew into bitter bickerings and end up in fisticuffs and street fights. International affairs, foreign policy and global politics amidst the bipolar world used to occupy a special place in the then young generation’s discussions and casual banterings. Being on the fence without choosing between the two ideologies would be impossible given the quantum of importance of politics and ideology in the then era. While left-wing lovers used to look up to the progress, rapid industrialization and community living in the then USSR(The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), the fans of capitalism used to praise the sophisticated lifeclass in the then USA (The United States of America) and the western Europe. Back in the day, ideology served as a magical element in adding flavour to human life and building healthy democratic systems.

Reading ideological texts, analysing theories and going to a library or reading hall were as common as modern-day gym routines and hangout sessions. Left-wing admirers used to affix the portraits of hammer and sickle and personalities like Bhagat Singh, Che Guevera, Marx, Stalin, Lenin and so forth on the walls in their rooms whereas capitalist enthusiasts used to adorn their living places with frames of picturesque locations in the western world and well-known macho personalities. Missing a newspaper read used to make the day of the then young generation incomplete. Listening to the news or watching interviews of politicians used to create as much buzz as much-awaited web series on OTT(Over-The-Top)s or a favourite actor's new-movie release in the present time. Debates on political ideology over chai-sutta(tea and fag) used to be as normal as modern-day gossiping and tete-a-tete about a friend’s breakup story over a cappuccino. Books or theoretical texts used to be as popular as the prevalence of mobile phones or advanced gadgets in the hands of the present-day generation. It is uncommon to see such a drastic change in the outlook towards communism in specific and ideology as a whole on the part of the young generation. Universities and colleges, once served as hot-beds of political rifts and enlightening and edifying places for political knowledge, turned into places solely meant for academic pursuance. Libraries, once deemed more important than homes, turned lifeless owing to less visitors and readers. What factors might have contributed for the depletion of interest towards politics and communist ideology on the part of India’s as well as the world’s young generation? Let us delve into each one of them to understand the broader picture of the present generation’s apathy towards domestic and global politics and discuss the void created owing to the exit of communist parties from the mainstream political arena.

Failure of communist parties
On the political front, the communist parties across the world have lost their ground, thanks to their inability in reaching out to the young population. Orthodoxic approach, rigid hierarchy, failure to adapt to the new and demanding conditions and laxity in preparing the successive or second-generation leaders by the erstwhile leadership took a toll not just on the membership numbers of the communist parties across the globe but also the ideology itself. At a time when mountaineering economic inequality has become a hot issue for the governments to deal with across the world, the absence of communist parties that are once hailed as bandwagons and flag-bearers of economic and social equality from the mainstream political picture boggles the minds of political observers. While most of the existing political parties lack ideological stance and remain more or less similar with regard to their economic outlook or approach towards economics, the civilians at least youth are least bothered to take up politics or ideology as a subject to talk about. The vacuum created due to the absence of alternative ideas and players who share contrasting ideas from the existing ones is leaving the young population in a state of apathy. While it is understandable that marxism or communism is a difficult philosophy or an ideal to understand given the complex terminology and jargon it embodies, it is failure on the part of erstwhile leadership of communist parties to make it understandable in a simpler way through writing abridged versions and precise notes of the lengthy communist texts.

A question may arise that why ideology is needed after all. It is worth mentioning here that ever since the advent of human civilization, it is an ideology, be it capitalism or communism, that gave the people across the world a broad global-perspective and served as a crucial element in understanding the world and its structural asymmetries through rational lens. It also helped in developing the worldview of an individual. It is the ideology that had exerted an enormous influence on both domestic as well as global politics till the 2000s. One has to accept the fact that the collapse of the USSR and the subsequent neo-liberal narrative built around it brought a paradigm shift not just in the domain of global politics but also in one’s worldview. To mention, the neo-liberal narrative encompasses all walks of an individual life and involves socio, economic, cultural, educational, technological and other domains. It is this narrative that also has been exercising its supreme hegemony on the minds of present-day individuals.

Ideological war
Contrary to popular perception, ideology is not a bad or unnecessary thing. It is axiomatic to state here that it was the ideological war between capitalism and communism that paved a way for progress and development in the 20th century. The period of ideological war i.e., post-war period was noted for rapid advancement in the fields of natural and social sciences. It was during the same period that the fruits of development, though unevenly, reached the masses. It was during the same period marked with heightened ideological tussle that the discussion about economic equality gained prominence and made more and more people become aware of their rights and responsibilities. It was only during the bipolar age that people or citizens started owning the political authorities and exercising their influence or power on the then governments. The ideological war played a pivotal role in transforming the role and character of the modern-state. It expanded the scope of the state (political authority). Till then, people viewed the political authorities as rigid and foreign entities whose decisions were meant to be unquestionable and unchallengeable owing to the military strength of the then imperial powers or divine power bestowed upon by the erstwhile rulers. All in all, ideology has infused the democratic spirit and imbibed the political values of modern-state into the minds of humanity. Enriching the social connections, ideology, gave an identity and a sense of belonging to the individuals of earlier generations.

Killing creative abilities
On the academic front, the declining importance of Arts and Humanities can be attributed to various factors. The perception created by neoliberalists on education has pushed the young individuals to opt for the courses that are in high demand in the market. It is wise to mention here that it is upon the footings of Arts and Humanities that the seeds of modern science and technology were sown. Irrational emphasis on STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and the stereotypes attached to arts and humanities turned modern-day education into a mechanical exercise rather than an enriching experience. Any society needs a diverse, well-informed and quality workforce to cater the needs of its individuals. It is apodictic to mention here that diversity is what adds quality and colours to the life of an individual and the society as a whole. If not, the society turns into a monotonous tribe devoid of human values such as compassion, love and peace. Above all, it kills the creative and cognitive abilities of an individual.

Youth in polycrisis
The decline of youth activism in the present generation thanks to hectic and rigorous academic programmes is not only restricting the young individuals in building and fostering healthy social connections but also in understanding the resplendence of life and the world around. It is also important to mention here that the uninformed young populace gives a trump card to the political parties to act according to their whims and fancies thereby leading to mockery of democracy. It is this cord among youth, education, arts and humanities, literature and political systems that decides the destiny of any nation. The polycrisis that today's global youth have been going through in the form of FOMO(Fear of Missing Out), overdependence on tech gadgets and modern tech tools like Chat GPT and Meta AI, overwhelming academic curriculum, lack of novelty and literary touch, diminishing articulative and communicative abilities, loneliness, and others is forcing them to lead alienated and isolated lives.

Social interactions
It is important to state here that the social life of an individual is as crucial as other basic needs like air, water, food, shelter and livelihood. Healthy social interactions and relationships play a vital role in the development of an individual and the society. They give individuals a sense of social support and identity. It is the social life of individuals that is elemental in enhancing the quality of their lives. Attributes like empathy, belongingness and collective spirit are correlated to the social life of an individual. Nevertheless, it is the social life of an individual that dictates his/her approach towards political ideologies as well as politics in totality. After all, man is a social animal. Learning about ideologies, analyzing philosophies and political texts give a sort of assessment of social life and better understanding of the world around.

Decline in productivity
Even if one looks through the lens of modern-day companies, it is a no-brainer to say that the health of an organization or a company depends on the productivity of its workforce. Higher the productivity, greater the growth of a company. It is of utmost importance to remember the fact that productivity and efficiency take a beating if the top management of a company neglects the importance of social and cultural aspects in the real world. Since companies, both MNCs(Multinational Companies)and TNCs(Transnational Companies), operate at diverse levels and places it is wise to create a workforce who is well aware of their history, culture and other social elements in which the personnel or companies operate. A well-informed workforce understands the dynamics of the society in a better way thereby leading to better decision making abilities.

Arts and Humanities
With the commercialization of education, it is visible that Arts and Humanities took a back seat. The false myth that the streams in Arts and Humanities are not job-fetching and outdated is forcing the youth to turn a blind eye towards them. At an age where education is viewed as a commodity rather than a journey towards enlightenment, there is a need for a complete overhaul of the education system. It is essential to state here that the present-day education is serving the neo-liberal interests by providing a workforce who are unaware of their rights and that act according to the diktats of the corporates or business elites. It is also wise to understand that the neo-liberal empire needs a politically unaware and uninformed populace to sustain its grip over the economy. More the youth are aware of their rights, greater the resistance to the exploitative practices of capitalists.

It is this symbiotic relationship among the youth, ideology, education, social consciousness, literature and political systems that decides the course and destiny of generations to come and is vital to build a vibrant, sustainable and ideal planet.

Author:-
Samudrala VK
Director, Samudrala VK IAS Academy

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