CONSCIENCE VS COMMAND
Outline
I. 1. Introduction
Both the conscience and command are
the basis of a progressive society.
II. 2. Thesis Statement
Conscience is essential for
political, economic, and social progress while command is necessary for
maintaining discipline and order in human society. There should be a balance
between the two for a healthy and sustainable society.
III. 3. Why is conscience necessary for
political economic and social progress?
a)
Strengthens democracy by the power of civil liberties.
b) Lays the foundation for economic growth through innovation.
c) Paves the way for moral growth by challenging traditional beliefs and outmoded customs.
d)
Helps to administer justice which produces a stable
society.
e)
Inculcates of self-reliance.
IV. 4. Why is command essential for social
order?
a)
It ensures the provision of security and the rule of
law
b)
It paves the way for the equitable distribution of
economic resources.
c)
It protects the rights of minorities and oppressed
segments of SC.
d)
It empowers religions which provides hope to the
people.
e)
it strengthens the family structure and prevents moral
decline.
V. 5. Too much reliance on conscience and
excessive command results in chaos and instability
A different perspective.
VI. 6. A balance between conscience and
command is needed for a progressive society.
VII. 7. Education can help to strike that
balance.
VIII. 8. Conclusion
Both conscience and command are necessary. There is a need to
strike the balance between the two so that they can co-exist in human society
What was the driving force behind the Era of Enlightenment in
Europe? How did Europe get out of its long period of the Dark Ages? it was
nothing but the power of human conscience that opened the doors of political,
economic, and social progress for the whole continent. But why did these
countries have sustained this progress? How have these countries been able to
establish order and discipline in their societies? Is it conscience or
something else? This is where command or more precisely authority comes into
play. In this backdrop, a progressive society is dependent on both the
conscience and the command. Without conscience, there is a lack of initiative
which is the basis of human progress and results in stagnation. Without command,
there is chaos and anarchy. So, conscience is essential for political, economic,
and social progress while command is necessary for social order. Conscience
results in political stability through the power of civil liberties and
promotes economic growth through innovation. It challenges the outmoded
societal traditions and inculcates a spirit of self-reliance among the
individuals. It also helps in the redressal of the grievance by administering
quality justice. On the other hand, command provides security and establishes the
rule of law in a society. It distributes economic resources in a just manner,
protects the oppressed from discrimination, and strengthens the family
structure. Both conscience and command should cooperate because excess of
either of them results in chaos and destruction. Education can help to strike
the balance between the two for a healthy and progressive society.
The essay begins with the question: why is conscience
essential for ensuring progress? Next, it will analyze how command gives rise
to order and discipline in a human society. The evils that are associated with the
unbridled use of either conscience or command will be discussed followed by a
strategy that can help to strike the balance between the two important elements
of regulation of human behavior.
Now, why human conscience is an important element in ensuring
progress? The answer to this pertinent quest will be provided in the section
that follows.
To begin with, conscience strengthens democracy through the
power of civil liberties like freedom of thought, speech, and action. True
democracy in return paves the way for political stability a measure of growth
for any nation. For instance, it was this conscience that led to the Glorious
Revolution in 1688 AD in England. It was again this sense of right and wrong that
forced the French to launch a revolution against the self-interested monarchy in
comparison with nations where the conscience of humans is weak, there is either
autocracy or a sham democracy The African nations are a case in point. Europe
progressed by leaps and bounds while Africa was still in chaos and destruction.
Invariably, conscience leads to political freedoms and political stability.
Conscience not only helps to achieve political stability by
strengthening democracy but also paves the way for economic growth through
innovation. The economic progress that the world has witnessed during the last
three hundred years or so is the wonder of human conscience. Whether it was the
Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith or the theory of comparative advantage advanced
by David Ricardo, conscience was at the forefront of such splendid texts. The
phenomenon of globalization which has pulled millions out of absolute poverty
arrived only when human conscience blocked the doors of protectionism and
started to treat the world as a global village.
Apart from political and economic progress, conscience has
played a pivotal role in challenging the traditional and out-mode myths and
customs. In this way, it has led to the moral growth of human society. In the
ancient societies, socio cultural myths had engulfed the humanity. The issues
like slavery and women as second-class citizens were rampant. It was the
conscience of great thinkers like Martin Luther King and Mary Wollstonecraft
that such myths as the Blacks as worthless people and women as the property of
men were challenged. History is testimony to the fact that America progressed
rapidly after the Civil War era, the period during which both the African
Americans and the women played a role in the progress of the country.
Yet another manifestation of the pivotal role of conscience
is providing the basis of a stable society using administering quality justice.
The provision of justice to all without any discrimination lays the foundation of
a stable and functioning society. Justice cannot be delivered unless decisions
are made not by some external influence but purely by the inner human
conscience. When justice is devoid of the sense of right and wrong, anarchy
spreads. The case of Pakistan in the early years bears testimony to the fact
that justice without conscience is a recipe for destruction. The Civil Rights
Movement is another instance where redressal of the grievances was delayed and
the consequence was destruction.
Last, conscience also imports a sense of self-reliance in
human beings. When humanity chooses conscience as its captain, nothing comes in
the way of human progress. It allows human beings to become their friends and
not their enemies. But when actions are not guided by the inner self, progress
at best becomes very limited. Specifically, the case of Pakistan deciding to
conduct the Missile tests in 1998 in response to the Indian Nuclear tests comes
to the fore. If Pakistan had succumbed to the external pressures, the security
of the state would have been at great risk. But the leaders of the country
listened to their conscience and relied on themselves and the results are
visible in the forms of external security of Pakistan.
In the above section, it has been discussed why conscience is
an important element of human progress. But progress cannot be sustained in the
absence of command and authority which are necessary for the maintenance of
order in human society. The section below will shed some light on the
importance of command in society.
To start with, command is a way for the provision of security
and establishing a system of rule of law. Without either justice or the rule of
law, order cannot be maintained in society which results in chaos and
destruction. The theory of social contract advocated by Locke, Hobbes, and
Rousseau has the central element of authority that commands obedience and
respect in return for justice and rule-of-law Absence of central authority
results in civil wars and infighting which destroy the progress made by humanity.
The fall of the western Roman Empire in 476 AD is a case in point.
Command not only delivers justice and rule-of-law but also
helps to distribute economic resources amicably. In the absence of fair
distribution, wealth will circulate in the hands of the few who in turn will
oppress the needy for instance, taxes are a source of government revenue and lay
the foundation for a welfare state. If no authority can command the collection
of taxes from the rich, an environment conducive to the propagation of crime
and extremism will emerge. Such an atmosphere will result in nothing but chaos
and destruction. The command is also an important force in protecting the
rights of the minorities.
When a central authority protects the fundamental rights and
the oppressed and the minority groups, a semblance of order becomes a reality.
Failure to do so will result in the havoc of civil wars and anarchy. The
separation of East Pakistan was due to political instability and a lack of
legitimate authority. Both these factors paved the way for the creation of
Bangladesh. In contrast, the nations where minorities are respected and given
equal rights, discipline, and order can be maintained the countries of Scandinavia
bear testimony to this fact. So, the command is a hope for the minorities and a
source of establishing harmony in a diverse society.
Besides protecting the minority groups, the command also
empowers the religion to uphold the moral values of a society and prevent its
decline. The evils like theft, crime, gambling, and prostitution are kept to a
minimum due to the presence of a moral system commanded by religion. Napoleon
Bona Parte, once remarked that: religion is what keeps the poor away from
murdering the rich. If the command of religion is obeyed, then anarchy and an
atmosphere of restlessness become the order of the day in any human society.
Finally, the command is a sine qua non for consolidation of
the family system. A society is a reflection of the underlying family
structure; when the latter decays, the destruction of the former becomes
inevitable. When, on the contrary, the family system is strong, society becomes
dynamic and progressive if the parents do not command their children in their
early years, a moral decline ensues which permeates the whole society. For
instance, the rise of individualism in the West has resulted in the corruption
of the moral system. All this has happened because the command of the parents
has faded away with time. A weak moral system is a harbinger of social
divisions and destruction.
in the above paragraphs, the importance of both conscience
and command has been discussed But an essential question that remains un
answered at present is whether should there be any limits on the exercise of
conscience and command. The- answer is in the affirmative. Excessive use of
one's conscience is not advisable at all. If Geert Wilders had not stopped
himself from following his conscience of holding the caricature competition a
fresh wave of Islamophobia would have swept across Europe. On the other hand,
too much command does not result in respect and obedience. It results in
tyranny and authoritarianism which chokes the way for political progress and
democracy. This implies that there should be a balance between the two and both
should operate within their respective spheres
How to strike this balance between them? Only education can
be the best tool for that. Ethical and moral education should teach individuals
to let go of their inner selves for the realization of the collective good. In
the same way, the authority should respect the individuality and the
imaginative vision of human beings and not become an impediment on the way. If
such an education system becomes part of the curriculum, the world will become
a better place to live in.
To sum up the discussion, it can be rightly argued that both conscience and command are the basis of a progressive society. Conscience results in progress while command produces discipline and an atmosphere of order. If there is no conscience there will be stagnation and if there is no order, there will be anarchy. The great question of our times is to devise a mechanism where both conscience and command can co-exist with each other. If such a mechanism is found, sustainable progress can be achieved. Only moral and ethical education can help humanity to find such an arrangement where human conscience is not impeded but rather supported by command. Only then a peaceful harmonious and progressive human society can be realized.
