What is Fraternity?: Origin, Significance, Challenges and Way Forward

Context: 

This editorial is based on the news “Path of brotherhood will ensure India’s progress, says Mohan Bhagwat” which was published in the Hindu. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief recently emphasised the importance of fostering ‘bhaichara’ (brotherhood) among people. He stressed that the nation’s citizens had given the Constitution to themselves, emphasising the need for upholding and abiding by its values.

What is Fraternity?

• Fraternity can be defined as the idea of brotherhood and solidarity among citizens of a nation and inculcates a sense of unity, social harmony, and mutual respect among individuals.
• In Ambedkar’s Writings: It refers to individuals in Indian society breaking free of the caste system and practising social harmony and is only another name for democracy.
• Related ideas: It includes empathy, solidarity, collective caring, and love.

Origin of Concept of Fraternity

• Ancient Age: Plato and Aristotle, by their writings, emphasised on the idea of political fraternity.
• Mediaeval Age: It was associated with religion, particularly Christian society in Europe.
• French Revolution: The concept of fraternity gained political significance during  the French Revolution of 1789 by the revolutionary trinity “liberte, egalite, fraternite.”.
• Fraternity in India: The drafting committee included a clause on “fraternity” in the Preamble.

Fraternity in Western World

• M. C. Williams: He elucidates that community ties form an integral value system, serving as the bedrock for the concept of fraternity. In the Western world, fraternity evolved along these lines. 

Fraternity In Indian Constitution

• Preamble: It mentions that the Indian republic aims to promote fraternity, “assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation”. 
• Fundamental Duty -Article 51A(e): It is the duty of every citizen to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India.
• The Constitution views fraternity as a source of affirming “the dignity of the individual”.
• The Constitution derives the unity of the nation from fraternity.

Challenges With Fraternity in India

• Ideological Differences: It hinders the fraternity, hence requires a secular understanding. 
• Casteism: It not only contradicts the principles of equality and liberty but also poses challenges to the individual-centric approach upheld by the Constitution.
• Communalism: The civic life in India predominantly revolves around communal lines leading to conflicts with community interests.
• Social Inequalities: Fraternity loses its essence if it ignores existing social disparities. It cannot be built on social solidarity that ignores these differences.
• Fundamentalism: It undermines the idea of fraternity. A fanatic may exhibit many traits and any sort of fundamentalism (rigid and extreme thinking) hampers the true fraternal connections.
• Poor Protection Under the Law: While equality in law exists, it does not always translate into equal protection under the law, exacerbating social division. 

Way Forward

• Need to follow the Gandhian Approach (the practice of universal religion): He preached respect for all religions where all should live as one nation and not as followers of different religions.
• Address Caste Dynamics: As caste and the idea of political fraternity cannot coexist. The caste system imposes rigid restrictions on interactions among various castes and sub-castes. 
• Political conditioning: It requires careful cultivation and reinforcement through political means, rather than relying solely on moral considerations. 
• Countering Religious Fanaticism: Strict actions and steps should be taken to bring equality and counter the notion of fundamentalism and religious discrimination. 
• Raising Awareness on Fraternity: Creating awareness among people will help in building a discourse of justice, equality, rights, and empowerment possible.
• Integration with Constitutional Value: The government should make necessary public investments and strive to ensure a minimally decent life for all persons.

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