Learning from the Armed Forces, its one-family values

Despite such significant achievements we do also have a down side. Our human development index is low, as is the per capita income. Corruption, lack of good governance, slow justice, outdated laws, wide inequities between rich and poor, illiteracy, unemployment and social injustices of various kinds, persist. In other words, the fruits of progress are effectively denied to a wide majority of our people. Perhaps our current maladies are on account of a general drift away from character and ethics. Can we remedy that?

The character of a nation, mirrored by its institutions and actions, is a reflection of the strength of character of its people and their adopted value system. Character is a sum total of many qualities such as integrity, honesty, ethics, conscience, loyalty, courage etc. Strength of character would help us rise above the ‘self’ and the ‘immediate’ for common good. Truly, ethical values provide the foundation on which civilized societies exist. Do we have a good measure of civic sense?

This debate is not new; ‘values and character’ invariably lose out to two simplistic arguments. The first, of impractical idealism—Utopia and the second, ‘‘that you can’t preach morals to the starving’’. The first argument is but a convenient excuse to continue ‘as-we-were’, and the latter condition would automatically improve if ‘real’ social justice is practiced by the ‘empowered’.

Though not perfect, we in the Armed Forces have traditionally laid great emphasis on values and are proud of it. The core values to which Servicemen pledge their allegiance are, ‘Service Before Self’, brotherhood, camaraderie, esprit de corps, and a readiness to sacrifice if required. Intent is also translated into practice in fair measure. We have a remarkable cohesion and ‘one’ family ‘ethos’, enabled by the absence of caste, clan, income, status and religion based distinctions. Yes, some of these values are wrought by regulations and discipline. I recommend these values and methods for all.

It is do-able, if each of us is able to introspect, develop and act ethically. The family is a most important establishment, where examples set would speak louder than words. Teachers and leaders are the other agency that can bring about such a transformation in a variety of imaginative ways. Then again, ‘‘there is nothing like a pat on the back administered often enough and low enough to build character’’. Weak laws that satisfy all can rarely serve their intended purpose. I am convinced that if we act out of strength of character, on a universal value system, our people will be empowered and so will India.