Hardy, the 19th century novelist of England, held that man's hopes are perpetually
frustrated and his ambitions are continually cheated; man discovers no purpose in life because some impersonal forces are doggedly working against the interests of man. It assumes a tangible shape of fate when it interferes with the working of man's life.
Hardy gives greater credit to one of the agencies of fate that is chance in destroying the happiness of human being. When the wheels of fortune work, according to their own laws and own scheme, how can man remain free? whatever man proposes God in His turn disposes. So the activities and achievements of man are limited by inexorable fate.
Similarly laws of nature bind human beings to a great extent. Science has tremendously advanced but the slow process of change which evolution is bringing about, the natural calamities like earth-quakes scourges and dangerous diseases are still ravaging mankind. Transplantation of heart, plastic surgery and many other advances in medical science stop short of the Nature's decisive influence on man. Nature binds man to its laws and never allows him to have his own way.
We have given a wider interpretation to Rousseau's words-man is born free but every where he is in chains-by taking an overall view of man's relation with man, God and Nature, thought he wanted to apply it ti social and political life only. Rousseau, the moving spirit behind the French Revolution and the man who gave the clarion call of 'Return to Nature' made this observation when he found Luis crushing the liberty of man.
His concept of 'noble savage' places greater emphasis on the essential nobility of human nature. For him chains would destroy the goodness of man because his personality would not develop. There was a time when the State was looked upon as a necessary evil and its interference in no-political affairs was regarded as illegitimate. But with the spread of Hegelian and Marxian concepts even democratic states began to have incursions into the domains of private individual liberty.
Today All the states shape or influence economic, social and educational policies. Individual rights and scope of individual's creative activity are increasingly narrowed down. At one or the other stage man will regain his freedom in order to restore the lost dignity but that is possible only if man works on the constructive lines. But none can deny that "freedom is necessarily a degree of personal choice within an accepted social framework with varying orders of constraints.
[ Part 1 ] [ Part 2] [ Part 3]
frustrated and his ambitions are continually cheated; man discovers no purpose in life because some impersonal forces are doggedly working against the interests of man. It assumes a tangible shape of fate when it interferes with the working of man's life.
Hardy gives greater credit to one of the agencies of fate that is chance in destroying the happiness of human being. When the wheels of fortune work, according to their own laws and own scheme, how can man remain free? whatever man proposes God in His turn disposes. So the activities and achievements of man are limited by inexorable fate.
Similarly laws of nature bind human beings to a great extent. Science has tremendously advanced but the slow process of change which evolution is bringing about, the natural calamities like earth-quakes scourges and dangerous diseases are still ravaging mankind. Transplantation of heart, plastic surgery and many other advances in medical science stop short of the Nature's decisive influence on man. Nature binds man to its laws and never allows him to have his own way.
We have given a wider interpretation to Rousseau's words-man is born free but every where he is in chains-by taking an overall view of man's relation with man, God and Nature, thought he wanted to apply it ti social and political life only. Rousseau, the moving spirit behind the French Revolution and the man who gave the clarion call of 'Return to Nature' made this observation when he found Luis crushing the liberty of man.
His concept of 'noble savage' places greater emphasis on the essential nobility of human nature. For him chains would destroy the goodness of man because his personality would not develop. There was a time when the State was looked upon as a necessary evil and its interference in no-political affairs was regarded as illegitimate. But with the spread of Hegelian and Marxian concepts even democratic states began to have incursions into the domains of private individual liberty.
Today All the states shape or influence economic, social and educational policies. Individual rights and scope of individual's creative activity are increasingly narrowed down. At one or the other stage man will regain his freedom in order to restore the lost dignity but that is possible only if man works on the constructive lines. But none can deny that "freedom is necessarily a degree of personal choice within an accepted social framework with varying orders of constraints.
[ Part 1 ] [ Part 2] [ Part 3]
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