Where are we? Vol 2

The different periods of development in GHDM starts with the early days of human development in Indus valley (3000 BC) that started with the invention of wheel and spans across various era’s: the rise and fall of Rome (900 BC – AD 500), the Norman conquest (AD 1000), dark ages of 13th to 15th centuries, the Renaissance period of 15 to 17th centuries, the revolutionary period of 18th, 19th and 20th centuries and the current state of well established democratic republic capitalistic societies. Now, what has been changing over these years in GHDM map and what has not? Is there something visible towards which the societies have moved? If so, what are we, the self-proclaimed ‘modern society’ tending to move towards? Are these questions hovering in your mind? No? Then, I guess you should proceed to read further.

Volume 2 :What did we achieve in early days? (3000 BC – AD 500)

As long as Man traveled long distances in different directions, in his quench for exploration, radiating from central Africa, there seemed to be little problem. It is when he got into a habit of settling at a favorable location, (along rivers on most occasions) there arose the numerable needs and problems. This was the starting point when Man got himself into a vicious cycle of creating problems and eventually solving them, ending in creating a new problem for the next generation. As he settled down, he required sanitation facilities, which earlier were never a problem. The construction of sanitation facility required bricks and water, which was provided by some other citizens. There were few other groups of people who mastered in pottery and some in metallurgy (copper & bronze). Here arose, what we now call an “economy”. People specialized in different fields and each of them shouldered responsibility for a certain activity, in the interest of the larger society, thereby earning themselves a livelihood. But don’t we need someone who could manage the economy and offer protection to the people? This specialized group of people called chieftains or kings carried the responsibility of governance. Kingdoms were prominent across various places like Babylonia, Assyria, Turkey, Persia and China but not in Indus valley. Anyone who had the capability and the trust of people could be the chief. But soon it had eroded into a monarchist rule. The dynastic rule continued through generations and no common man could be part of the governance. The status-quo continued and consolidated during the supreme period of Julius Caesar during 1000 BC-AD 300 in the west, Qin dynasty in China and Mauryan dynasty in India. The dramatic fall of Roman Empire and Mauryan Empire brought about the end of a glorious era pushing us into the ‘dark ages’ of the medieval period.

Man slowly and carefully built the structure of a society where large diverse people colluded to live together by interweaving economic activities for society’s sustenance and governance for security and ordinance. There was the third type of fabric in the interwoven structure of a society, which played a very prominent role, and ‘telling’ effect on the other two: The Religion. When Man tried to think on the lines of purpose of life in this earth and define it, there emerged different religions. It was about this time, Judaism and Christianity emerged as dominant religions in the west and Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism emerged in the east. Although religions were a set of beliefs, it came along with many rituals and practices that eventually paved the way for clear demarcations in the society. These were the early seeds of division (of society) sown not by the religious leaders but by the followers. It has an impact for 3000 years and counting!

In total, this was a period man built the mould for forming a society. He settled at a place, supported his living, secured himself from physical threats, built kingdoms, understood a way of living; the religion.