TERMS USED IN THIS ARTICLE
Secularism: Secularism is the principle of separation of government institutions, and the persons mandated to represent the State, from religious institutions and religious dignitaries.
Secularism: Secularism is the principle of separation of government institutions, and the persons mandated to represent the State, from religious institutions and religious dignitaries.
Three Values that make an inclusive society
⇒ Peace
⇒ Freedom
⇒ Equality
In short it denotes a community of free and equal persons. It is done because freedom and equality for all can only be enhanced by inclusion.
⇒ Peace
⇒ Freedom
⇒ Equality
In short it denotes a community of free and equal persons. It is done because freedom and equality for all can only be enhanced by inclusion.
WAYS FOR INCLUSION
1) Narrow Approach
⇒ Considers equality in purely distributional & material terms
⇒ Freedom means absence of constraints on equal access to these resources
⇒ Individuals can use these resources to achieve their own preferred projects
2) Sophisticated Approach
⇒ Avoids the goods-fetishism which predominated narrow approach.
⇒ Moral equality & treatment of people as equals more important and not reducible to economic equality.
1) Narrow Approach
⇒ Considers equality in purely distributional & material terms
⇒ Freedom means absence of constraints on equal access to these resources
⇒ Individuals can use these resources to achieve their own preferred projects
2) Sophisticated Approach
⇒ Avoids the goods-fetishism which predominated narrow approach.
⇒ Moral equality & treatment of people as equals more important and not reducible to economic equality.
ASSUMPTIONS OF THIS ARTICLE
⇒ cultural/ethical framework plays an indispensable and extremely significant role in the lives of human beings
⇒ no single framework gives overall meaning to the life of all human beings.
⇒ cultural/ethical framework plays an indispensable and extremely significant role in the lives of human beings
⇒ no single framework gives overall meaning to the life of all human beings.
SOME IDEA ABOUT SECULARISM
⇒ Indian secularism is unique in itself.
⇒ Secularism as it is developed in India is central to a morally defensible inclusive society, i.e. a society free, among other things, of religious or religion-based exclusions, oppressions and more generally forms of domination.
⇒ If secularism is to be used to deliver inclusive society then secularism has to be understood in the Indian context & by the study of Indian model of secularism.
⇒ It has been so said because there are different models of secularism present in the world. Among them are French model, American Model, European Model, etc.
⇒ Indian secularism is unique in itself.
⇒ Secularism as it is developed in India is central to a morally defensible inclusive society, i.e. a society free, among other things, of religious or religion-based exclusions, oppressions and more generally forms of domination.
⇒ If secularism is to be used to deliver inclusive society then secularism has to be understood in the Indian context & by the study of Indian model of secularism.
⇒ It has been so said because there are different models of secularism present in the world. Among them are French model, American Model, European Model, etc.
REASONS FOR USING INDIAN MODEL ONLY
⇒ India has characterized by very vast religious diversity.
⇒ Various levels of diversities exist among religion.
⇒ First Level denotes diversities at the top level. Like different religions & their ideologies. For e.g. Christian, Jewish or Islamic ideals.
⇒ The second kind of diversity is within religion. This diversity may be of two kinds. The first might be called horizontal diversity, which exists when a religion is internally differentiated. For example, Christianity has different confessions, denominations, and sects. Second kind of it is the vertical diversity. Here, people of the same religion may engage in diverse practices that are hierarchically arranged.
⇒ Every form of diversity, including religious diversity, is enmeshed in power relations.
⇒ Inherent in religiously diverse societies is the possibility of both interreligious and intra-religious domination—a broad term that encompasses discrimination, marginalization, oppression, exclusions, and the reproduction of hierarchy.
⇒ India has characterized by very vast religious diversity.
⇒ Various levels of diversities exist among religion.
⇒ First Level denotes diversities at the top level. Like different religions & their ideologies. For e.g. Christian, Jewish or Islamic ideals.
⇒ The second kind of diversity is within religion. This diversity may be of two kinds. The first might be called horizontal diversity, which exists when a religion is internally differentiated. For example, Christianity has different confessions, denominations, and sects. Second kind of it is the vertical diversity. Here, people of the same religion may engage in diverse practices that are hierarchically arranged.
⇒ Every form of diversity, including religious diversity, is enmeshed in power relations.
⇒ Inherent in religiously diverse societies is the possibility of both interreligious and intra-religious domination—a broad term that encompasses discrimination, marginalization, oppression, exclusions, and the reproduction of hierarchy.
SOME POINTS ABOUT SECULARISM
⇒ Secularism is not against religiosity per se but is opposed to institutionalized religious domination.
⇒ Marx views Secularism as an attempt to emancipate the production of symbolic goods, values and services from interand intra-religious domination.
⇒ To rescue secularism & avoid confusion it requires a profound reconceptualization of what secularism means.
⇒ Secularism is not against religiosity per se but is opposed to institutionalized religious domination.
⇒ Marx views Secularism as an attempt to emancipate the production of symbolic goods, values and services from interand intra-religious domination.
⇒ To rescue secularism & avoid confusion it requires a profound reconceptualization of what secularism means.
LEVELS AT WHICH SECULARISM POLICIES ARE UNDERTAKEN
⇒ The separation of religion and state always take place at two levels.
⇒ Level 1 - All politically secular states separate themselves from religion at the level of ends- none espouse the goals exclusively of any one religion, or for that matter, only of religion.
⇒ Level 2 – They also espouse institutional separation. The personnel and organizational structure of the state and the personnel and organizational structure of religions are also separated.
⇒ The separation of religion and state always take place at two levels.
⇒ Level 1 - All politically secular states separate themselves from religion at the level of ends- none espouse the goals exclusively of any one religion, or for that matter, only of religion.
⇒ Level 2 – They also espouse institutional separation. The personnel and organizational structure of the state and the personnel and organizational structure of religions are also separated.
TWO SOURCES OF PLURALITY IN SECULARISM
⇒ First – secularism anywhere in the world means a separation of organized religion from organized political power inspired by a specific set of values. Just as without separation there is no secularism, just so a valueless separation does not add up to secularism. In this sense, secularism is a universal normative doctrine.
⇒ Second – value based secular states differ from one another in how they unpack the metaphor of separation, in their respective understanding of relationship with religion at another third level, the level of law and public policy. (In short each state has its unique way of dealing with Secularism solutions)
⇒ First – secularism anywhere in the world means a separation of organized religion from organized political power inspired by a specific set of values. Just as without separation there is no secularism, just so a valueless separation does not add up to secularism. In this sense, secularism is a universal normative doctrine.
⇒ Second – value based secular states differ from one another in how they unpack the metaphor of separation, in their respective understanding of relationship with religion at another third level, the level of law and public policy. (In short each state has its unique way of dealing with Secularism solutions)
MODELS OF POLITICAL SECULARISM
| Sr. No. | Model | Description |
| 1. | First Model | Some states are committed, at the third level, to strict disconnection, by which they mean mutual exclusion of religion and state. Such states maintain a policy of strict or absolute separation. Here, religion is excluded from the affairs of the state, but the state, too, is excluded from the affairs of the religion. The state has neither a positive relationship with religion nor a negative relationship with it. It is not within the scope of state activity to interfere in religious matters, even when the values professed by the state are violated. This model is exemplified by the dominant understanding of the US model. |
| 2. | Second Model | In this model states reject complete disconnection and adopt instead a policy of one-sided exclusion of religion from state. Such states exclude religions in order to control or regulate them and sometimes even to destroy them. This control may be exercised by hindering religions or sometimes even by helping them, but the motive in both cases is to control them, largely because of the belief that religion is false consciousness or obscurantist or superstition or because they see religion as intrinsically oppressive and hierarchical. Thus, intervention in religion may be justified also on grounds of freedom and equality. Such secular states, are decidedly antireligious. |
| 3. | Third Model | Is found in several West European countries. Here, there exists virtual disconnection at levels A and B. However, at level C, at the level of law and public policy, instead of inhabiting or controlling religion, the state supports one religion, the dominant one. |
| 4. | Fourth Model | It ignores individualistically construed values and thinks of secular as facilitating a certain mode of sociability between different religious communities. Thus, the state must keep distance from all religions in order to keep peace and harmony among them and teat all of them with respect This is how doctrinally the Indian model is sometimes understood. |
| 5. | Fifth Model | It is the Indian Model. Totally different from West Model. It meets the needs of deeply religiously diverse societies and also complies with principles of freedom. Equality and fraternity are the core principles of this model. |
The above first four models (versions of secularism) neglect one or the other crucial moral dimensions. They allow either inter-or intrareligious domination or both. On the contrary the fifth model helps to overcome these problems & acts as a perfect solution for Indian context.
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