I began to wonder - if my history lessons were on the dot - about how societies around the world before the advent of modern communication functioned in terms of, for lack of a blunter word, religion. Isolated communities evolve in different ways - and a foreign land would have been truly 'foreign' to a visitor from another part of the world. Culture exchange was evident along the trade routes, which hasn't ceased to continue. Even so, predominant beliefs in regions along trade routes stayed fairly stagnant to their surrounding, and influence of a more unified belief, sprouted when larger, more powerful kings imposed their power on their lands. And then I began to think, the non-believer portion of the population most likely was non-existent or an extreme minority. Likely also, that a non-believer was scourged from society, in their own ways, which meant anything from ten hailmary-s to burnt witches. Practices varied. Then the industrial revolution happened.
Globalisation truly began occurring with the industrial revolution, in their countries of origin, and in their colonies. I shall not debate on the 'exploitation' of colonies topic; and talk of what is relevant to the point of this post. Culture exchange happened at a rate never seen before that led to an Indian man in South Africa arguing a case in English for a native in English courts within a hundred years (for those wondering, this is a reference to MK Gandhi). And still, more likely than not, beliefs tended to stay put, perhaps accommodating a few external forces of 'foreign' culture. This was the middle 19th century. It is appropriate to add here that in many regions, classes of workforce were linked to the class one was born into - this was also more likely linked religiously (today that happens financially, and is changeable). For example, unlike their successors, the believers of early Hinduism had a societal system where people's classes changed as per demand. Even so, the majority of a local region tended to follow one belief system and secularism didn't have a big presence within that region.
Until the mid 19th century, the ideas of a free classless secular society were only at its birth, as opposed to appearing like cancers to society that had to be eradicated 200 years ago in the 16th century. The Americas were largely christian. But on the other side of the world, a movement eventually led to modern communism (Soviet Russia). Still, not including the population that was truly communist in belief, the majority of the world still had a belief system. The culture exchanges were still not enough to make the secular nations we know of today secular enough by way of accepting 'foreign' cultures and beliefs. Fast forward a few years. Then came the radio, the telephone, the TV, the internet, the facebook, the smartphone. All the inventions. All the knowledge of past mistakes. The belief of non believers spread to other non believers fast. Now so, today the early 21st century, this 'conversion' is faster than never before, in its category :).
Or have I got it all wrong? Will the virus of faith (fortunately on its decline, for the most part) spread again? It is impossible to predict what happens, even, in the ten years that come by. I, though, would like history to move to:
1) A truly efficient globalised world. (I would also like for robot technology to stop being funded, reasons which demand another post)
2) Foreign cultures should cross cultural lines (I don't think any effort needs to be put in there, except perhaps enforce racial laws). Without this, classes WILL be formed that people cannot change very easily.
3) More production, less speculation. (though speculation helps production; in a more efficient global world, this will be a less useful criteria, so this point is a reflection of the 1st point)
4) Give Africa a fair chance, though it means less in the short run, its a whole lot more in the long run.
But the pre-requisite for all of the above is for atleast a 2/3rds majority of the world population to be truly secular. All of this for my vision to see a truly equal world. What a topic to bore you about, eh? Crazy. Its 2:37AM here too.
My 2 cents.
