Understanding Secularism : Class 8 NCERT
Hey there, fellow knowledge seekers! Welcome back to the blog, where we break down the big ideas in bite-sized pieces. Today, we’re diving into a topic that’s both crucial and often misunderstood—secularism. If you’re studying the Class 8 NCERT book, you’ve probably come across this term and wondered what it really means. Well, you’re in the right place!
In this post, we’ll explore the concept of secularism, why it’s important in a diverse country like India, and how it shapes our society. So, whether you’re prepping for an exam or just curious about the world, let’s unravel the layers of secularism with Triple W. Ready to get started? Let’s go!
To understand Secularism let’s find answers to the following questions –
Understanding Secularism : Class 8 NCERT
What is Secularism?
Secularism is the idea that the government or state should remain separate from religious institutions. It means that the state doesn’t favor any particular religion and treats all its citizens equally, regardless of their faith. In a secular country, everyone has the freedom to practice any religion, or none at all, without fear of discrimination or bias. It’s about ensuring that religion doesn’t influence government policies and that people of different beliefs can coexist peacefully. In essence, secularism promotes fairness and equality by keeping religion a private matter, not a public policy.
Features of Secularism :
Secularism is a principle that advocates for the separation of religion from governmental institutions and public affairs. Here are the key features of secularism:
1. Separation of Religion and State: Secularism ensures that religious groups do not interfere in the activities of the state, and the state does not interfere in religious affairs. This separation is fundamental to maintaining the neutrality of the government in religious matters.
2. Freedom of Religion: Secularism guarantees the freedom to practice any religion or to live without following any religion. It supports the rights of individuals to believe, worship, and express their religious beliefs freely, as well as the right not to be religious.
3. Equal Treatment of All Religions: In a secular state, all religions are treated equally before the law. No religion is given preferential treatment or recognized as the official state religion. This equality prevents discrimination based on religious beliefs.
4. Non-Religious Governance: Laws, policies, and decisions in a secular state are made based on reason, science, and universal human rights rather than religious doctrines. This ensures that governance is impartial and inclusive of all citizens, regardless of their religious affiliations.
5. Protection of Minority Rights: Secularism protects the rights of religious minorities by ensuring that no single religion dominates or imposes its beliefs on others. It creates a fair and just society where minority groups can freely practice their religion without fear of persecution.
6. Promotion of Social Harmony: By treating all citizens equally regardless of their religious beliefs, secularism fosters social harmony and reduces the likelihood of religious conflicts. It promotes a pluralistic society where diverse religious views coexist peacefully.
7. Focus on Common Civic Identity: Secularism emphasizes a common civic identity that transcends religious affiliations. Citizens are united by shared values, laws, and rights, rather than by religious identity.
Secularism varies in application depending on the country and its specific historical, cultural, and legal contexts.
Why Secularism is important in democracy?
Secularism is crucial in a democracy because it ensures that everyone, regardless of their religion, is treated equally. In a diverse society, people follow different faiths, and secularism helps create a level playing field where no one religion is given special treatment. This prevents any one group from dominating others and ensures that laws and policies are fair to all citizens.
By keeping religion separate from government, secularism also protects individual freedoms. People can choose their beliefs and practices without fear of interference or favoritism from the state. This creates a more inclusive and harmonious society, where everyone’s rights are respected. In short, secularism is key to maintaining justice, equality, and unity in a democratic nation.
Where did the idea of secularism come from?
The idea of secularism has roots in the Enlightenment period in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. Thinkers like John Locke and Voltaire began advocating for the separation of church and state as a way to protect individual freedoms and prevent religious conflicts that had plagued Europe for centuries, such as the Thirty Years’ War.
However, the seeds of secular thought can be traced even further back to ancient civilizations. For example, in ancient India, the rulers of the Maurya Empire, like Ashoka, promoted religious tolerance and respected different faiths.
The modern concept of secularism, where the state is neutral in religious matters, was solidified in the West through historical events like the American and French Revolutions. These movements emphasized individual rights, democracy, and the importance of separating religious institutions from state power to avoid oppression and conflict.
In India, secularism took on a unique form, influenced by its vast diversity and the freedom struggle against British colonial rule. Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru emphasized the need for a secular state that would ensure equality for all citizens, regardless of their religion. This vision was enshrined in the Indian Constitution, making secularism a core principle of the nation.
Countries Who adopted the idea of Secularism :
Several countries around the world identify as secular states, meaning they maintain a separation between religion and government. Here are a few examples:
1. India: India is a secular state as defined by its Constitution. The government does not officially endorse any religion and is committed to treating all religions equally, ensuring that citizens have the freedom to practice and propagate their faith.
2. France: France is a staunchly secular state, with a policy known as laïcité (laïcité = secularism in french language), which strictly separates religion from public life. The state does not recognize any religion, and religious symbols are often restricted in public institutions like schools and government offices.
3. United States: The United States is considered a secular state, as the Constitution prohibits the government from establishing an official religion. This “wall of separation” ensures that laws are made independently of religious considerations, safeguarding individual religious freedom.
4. Turkey: Although Turkey has a majority Muslim population, it has been a secular state since the early 20th century under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The government officially maintains a separation between religion and state, though this balance has fluctuated over time.
5. South Korea: South Korea is another example of a secular state, where the government remains neutral on religious matters. The country has a diverse religious landscape, including Christianity, Buddhism, and traditional beliefs, with no official state religion.
These secular states demonstrate different approaches to maintaining the separation between religion and government, but they all share the common goal of ensuring equality and freedom for all citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs.
Question-Answers
Question. Will the government intervene if some religious group says that their religion allows them to practice infanticide? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer: Yes, the government will and should intervene because this practice is against the right to freedom to live. Moreover, it is a crime to kill or practice infanticide.
Question. List the different types of religious practices that you find in your neighbourhood. This could be different forms of prayer, worship of different gods, sacred sites, different kinds of religious music and singing, etc. Does this indicate freedom of religious practice?
Answer: Different types of religious practices are:
(i) Jagran
(ii) Kirtan
(iii) Namaj
(iv) Mass
(v) Havan
Yes, this indicates freedom of religious practice.
Question. Find out some examples of different views within the same religion.
Answer: Different views are followed even within the same religion. As for example, only in the Hindu religion, we have hundreds of deities worshipped by different groups of people. Similarly, in the Muslim community, there are Shiyas and Shunnis. In Jainas, there are Shwetambar and Digambar sects. In Buddha Dharma, there are Hinayaans and Mahayaans.
Question. The Indian State both keeps away from religion as well as intervenes in religion. This idea can be quite confusing. Discuss this once again in class using examples from the chapter as well as those that you might have come up with.
Answer: India is a land of complex ideas. It is difficult to understand what it really wants. There are many ideals in the Constitution but practices are quite different from them. In many cases we see laws explain a concept in a different way. But people interpret it differently. Law itself in some cases acts differently. As for example, in secular state law has nothing to say in any of the practices of the religion but when the dominance of upper castes in religion was brought to question the law took favour of the lower castes. This interference of the State creates confusion.