Nimananda Rijal
Human being, they are the product of this beautiful planet; their attitude toward their mother is rough. Mother has an obligation to grow them up and the off springs deserve the right to survive on the lap of their mother. All offspring are sharing the common resources of the planet. But the human being is the most selfish animal among all living entities. They have created their own boundaries on earth.
Many economists and political economist have scratched their head to create economic thought for the development of human being or for that particular society where they have grown up. They are provoking free market economy, free market policy where human being are not free to move from one place to another then how can we imagine about free market ?
Market is the place where people have choice of purchasing and selling. But the present situation of the human being is as caged bird in his own birth place (Planet). If you want to move out of your cage, you have to bear the bullets or solitary confinement in other side of the demarcated line ; tribes are divided and killed on the offence seeing or meeting their relatives. It is a living fact which is happening in all the countries.
Free market, free competition for surviving the better way than others are the provocations of superior mentality, in reality super powers are not followed the course, what they preached for; they have protected their interest to maintain their supremacy; if you are barrier of the super power’s interest, you will get power full punch on your face. So there are so many trade barriers under free market economy which are protected by heavy machinery, in real term military capabilities.
Resources are exploited under the name of development, the cost of development is unbearable for the planet because every country, society want to explore the hidden resources and trade.
Distribution Of Natural Resources In The Planet.
Natural resources are the asset of this planet. Gold, oil, diamond, platinum, silver, aluminum, copper, iron, mica, magnesia and many more like natural gas, water, trees and jingles are the natural resources of this planet. The list of the materials would be long; these are exploited by the human being.
The resources which are under the category of extraction from the earth are non renewable resources. These materials are formed as a structural part of the planet.
These non renewable resources are not divided equally in all part of the world and some resources are found more in one part where as another part is without any underground resource. The planet is for all entities but resources are to those who explored them and utilized them without the concern of all entities of the planet. There is no yours and my place, the planet is for all living beings.
Middle east is rich because of exploitation of underground oil reserve. The oil is a resource of this planet, but these are exploited only by the few and the consequences of the exploitation of these resources should bear by all entities. The wells of oil are burning with emission ‘SO2’57 carbon dioxide; it is also another cause of acid rain. Utilizing natural resources and accumulating and developing mass destructive weapons and destabilizing neighboring countries such as ‘Gulf war’ is one of the result of unworthy exploitation of natural resources.
Most of the energy consumption is done by developed countries, which is one of the another cause of acid rain and depletion of ozone layer.
Some of the countries are exploiting their natural resources such as minerals and selling it in the world market; excavating process not only steals the part; it also weakens the total structure of the planet. They are accumulating their asset on the expense of the planet.
When the earth was formed the nature did not distribute the natural resources equally. Excessive mining damaged the balance of natural system. Due to imbalanced distribution of natural resources some human are enjoying and some are struggling for survival. The figure below shows how our fellow beings are suffering.
‘-1.3 billion people lack of access to safe drinking water. These are from under developing countries.’
‘-2.3 billion people (around half of the world population) are suffering with lack of satisfactory sanitation facilities.’58
Historical Background for Exploitation Of Natural Resources
The development pace was not accelerated at the same time of the different part of the world. Each part of the world had its own development period. Some parts of the world’s people were engaged in spiritual development. Because they were content with their social set up. These were mostly from the bank of Ganges. These people were self sufficient while some other part of the world people were living as nomads. They did not posses simple skills of agriculture.
The people who were living in the fertile plain of the Ganges were highly devoted for spiritual development and developed the oldest religion of the planet as Hindu religion. Veda (source of knowledge) were written. Veda provides the highest philosophical background of the Hindu religion.
Buddha left his palace in search of ‘Mukti’ enlightens. Around ¼ of the world population are following his way of life. Buddha left his palace around 800 B.C. , in the west Plato was struggling to create his ‘Republic and law’ around 600 A.D. Athenians were dividing human being as inferior and superior as Barbarian and Athenian.
Athenian were sent out to create colony, they were practicing eunism thus they were growing in population and in military power.
When sailing mechanism developed some of the European countries started controlling nearby places. Britain became the colony of Dutch. Portuguese started the business to the East. They had used their military power for overthrowing the ruler of the countries. The same way German expanded their colony and later stage by the British ruler and became a country of never sunset. Almost half of the world was ruled by the British Empire.
Looking at the past ‘Hindus has been more successful than any other civilization in elaborating a philosophical and religious system.’
‘Thirteen century ago Islam formulated a theory that all aspects of human life- technological, economical, social and spiritual are closely related- a theory that has been only recently been rediscovered in the West in certain aspect of Marxist thought.’
‘The west, for all its mastery of machine, exhibits only the most elementary understanding of the use. Potential resource of that super machine, the human body; in this sphere. Related question of connection between the physical and mental, the east and Far East are several thousand years ahead. They have produced the great theoretical and practical summer represented by yoga.’
These examples indicated that some parts of the world were engaged in spiritual and mental development while some other part of the world (west) was engaged to expand their colonial system and mechanism development.
Colonialism and Exploitation of Natural Resources.
The colonial system tried to overthrow the culture of the people and they tried to overload their imported culture, slowly endogenous culture subsided as time passed on the culture developed to suit with contemporary society.
Free flow of ideas for balance development stopped which was grounded under the yoke of colonialism. It appeared being a most harmful for human being. The colonial master left their cultural way of life; it happened in most of the colonial countries.
As a result of colonialism, the people of same creed were divided and social conflicts started. Some of the new generation became Anglo…
Colonial master were after exploitation of natural resources. Most of the valuable minerals were taken back to their countries. The exploited money was used to build roads, buildings, schools, Hospitals and many more. They developed their educational system for technological advancement. When they were mining, the mining technology was in primitive stage and they mined very roughly as a result most of the resources were discarded and dumped.
They misused the non renewable natural resources. Precious stones were transported to their country. They took accumulated wealth back to their country and indigenous technology was stolen and refined. They sold the same technology in high prices to the colonial countries.
Human value was degraded; slavery system was introduced and killed the natural talent of the people. The status of women was degraded as second class citizens. It is still in the concept of men, which was brought by the colonial system. Women were regarded in some part of the world as Goddess and possess high honor in the society even though they had gone through some dark stages of the history.
The study of local language was not encouraged and method of educating the people was changed by force and in most of the countries they did not provide proper education, they promoted missionary schools, especially those run by Christian missionaries.
Racism developed very highly, men started to hate their fellow beings according to the caste and creed, some of them were considered below the animals. ‘ Separate benches were kept in railway station for the natives in India by the colonialist’.63 Some of the ugly face of racism still can be seen in South Africa, Toilets, Area, Restaurants, Schools were separated for White, blacks, and Asians. The newly formed democratic government is trying to abolish it but the mentality of the human nature will take time to rub it out. Still racism exist in its full peak, every year racism related crimes are increasing in European countries’. Los Angeles riot in U.S.A is a part of racism related riot’.64 where many Asians shops were burnt out.
The colonial power was exploiting both natural and human resources. They have developed as industrialized countries which are producing the high priced goods from the exploited materials. Officially, colonialism is not existed but economically they are controlling, even they possess the power of over throwing the government; if the government do not serve their interest.
Men have the right to utilize the resources which are renewable for their existence but when question arises for non renewable resources should be considered for human race, the hidden so called resource is not only the right for particular country or race. If the human being is the creature of this planet, every effort should be utilized to upgrade the quality of life but not in the cost of human existence.
‘3.6 billion People do not have enough resources whereas 1 billion people have more than enough.’65 The nature is trying to balance it but human is creating more problems themselves. If one human is in misery then another human also in misery. Look at the example of AIDS. It is attacking regardless of color, continent, and countries and developed or under developed.
If the human continue to exploit nonrenewable
resources further for another 100 years at the rate of present consumption,
most of the resources will be vanished from this planet. The core of the planet
will be weaker, volcanoes and earthquake will be frequent whereby the human
existence will be threatened.
References.
Only One Earth, Care and Maintenance of small planet: Page 100, ByL Barbara Ward and Rene ‘ Dubos. Publisher: Pelicon Book,1972.
Sustainable Development: Page-9, The Hague Report Publisher: UNDP, New York.
Mankind’s Search for God: Page -129, Explains about Nirvana and Enlightenment . Publisher: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society , New York,1990.
Race, Science and Society: Page no: 114, George Allen and Unwin. Publisher: UNESCO, UNESCO Press
Ibid page 114.
Ibid page 114.
The mind Swami Vivekanada and an Anthology and a study: Page 10, By Gautam Sen, Publisher: Jaico Publishing House, Bombay.
News Week: Page No: 21, April 26, 1993, Publisher: News Week Inc. (For depth knowledge on it, recommend for further reading)
UNFPA: Page 1-3, Publisher: UNFPA information and External Relation Division. New York
Ibid page 1.
Collier’s Encyclopedia: Pest. Page No: 616. Publisher: