Hinduism: A Unifying Force in Universal History? - Essay Sample

Introduction

Hinduism is an overall name for the dominant religion across India and has been a great force in universal history. Hinduism includes many other religions that include Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Muhammadanism, and Parseeism, which cuts across the whole of India (Griswold, 1912). India is therefore marked as not only the mother of many religions but also the pivotal point for religious conflicts. For instance, all the conflicts that revolve around religion in India and the rest of the world involve non-Christian religions against Christian religions. Hinduism is characterized by different definitions as I am going to discuss them.

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Firstly, Hinduism has the common animistic or pantheistic propensity to apotheosize things. The propensity can be observed from each era of its account (Griswold, 1912). With Rig-Veda, the first Hinduism bookly monument, the heaven and earth, and other things like cow, sun trees among many others are paid divine honor, with every one of them being worshipped in singularity and plurality (Griswold, 1912). There was a pragmatic test of selecting the objects to be worshipped initially. The forces and objects that were important to human beings or those that appeared or had striking effects were considered for deification. Similar to the Roman church where some conditions must be met before hallowdom is bestowed, in the Vedic era, there were some pragmatic tests that had to be passed before conferring godhood. Let us take an example of a fire that performs many functions such as cooking, light, and chasing away enemies, which makes its apotheosis unavoidable. The Vedic viewpoint has been the usual standpoint of Hinduism all through history. The imminence of God differs in the different objects that are worshiped, and the more the worthiness of the object, the more it is respected. Thus the Hindu religion believes that God exists in unique degrees in the unique things on the earth.

The other characteristic of Hinduism is its syncretistic penchant, as depicted in Rig-Veda. Vedic godlore is a conglomerate, a type of godlore disarray of tongues that came up as a result of a combination of various cultures (Griswold, 1912). There is a probability that each Vedic clan had its own tribal god initially, or had a trivial pantheon as compared to that offered by Rig-Veda. Sufficient evidence exists for the belief that the hymns to the gods were mediatory theologists (Griswold, 1912). Considering the parallel circumstances in Israel during the reign of Solomon and Ahab, Israel had Yahweh. However, while combining with other tribes there was religious syncretism that almost distorted the earliest religious landmarks by substituting Yahweh with Baal and Ashtoreth. It took the efforts of Elijah and other prophets to resist this change. Conversely, in India, there was no resistance against the mediatory penchant (Griswold, 1912). Religious syncretism is very evident in India, with Bhagavadgila being a monument of religious syncretism. If anything represents God as explained by radical immanence, then different individuals have the right to glorify anything in heaven, and on or beneath the earth depending on their taste and pleasure. This reveals why Hinduism respects all forms of religious beliefs and practices across India and the world.

Moreover, the contrast that Hinduism with takes and absolves amid priestly and popular religion is the other characteristic of Hinduism. The contrast already appears in the early history of the Hindu religion. The Rig-Veda is completely priestly, whereas the Atharva-Veda is enchoric and represents magic, incantations, and spells of popular religion (Griswold, 1912). The imprint of deific power was attached to the textbook of religion as well as a popular religion. It is similar to the Old Testament that contains both the prophetic writings and a similar part consecrated to the popular practice of witchcraft and sorcery. Prophetic religion had an enormous fight with the popular religion, but there was never a reconciliation with the popular religion as observed in Rig-Veda and Atharva-Veda. The Hindu sacred scriptures that are available in the West through translation are archives of priestly religion. Popular religions involve the unwritten practice of arrogant crowds of India.

The other characteristic of Hinduism is the supremacy of the religious standpoint in the entire affairs of life or the dominance of religious wistfulness. In Hinduism, religion embraces the entire life. Among the explanations for this is that the separation that has been created in the West amid social custom and religion has never occurred in India (Griswold, 1912). While converting India to Hinduism, every clan and society in India brought both its religious practices and social customs in the Hindu system and at the same time accepted religious sanction. This principle has been overturned in the West but still stands in India. Therefore, Hinduism and Christianity impact life differently. According to Christianity, whatever someone does, they are supposed to do it in glorifying God, but Hinduism diktats that whatever someone does, they should do it all. Freedom prevails in Christianity, while legalism in Hinduism. This explains why Hindus seem so religious.

Additionally, the huge veneration for the ideal of renunciation and higher capacity for sacrifice is another characteristic of Hinduism. There is no place on earth with such veneration for religion as in India (Griswold, 1912). However, in India, the veneration for the ideal renunciation is oftentimes indulgent reverence, that is accountable for existence here, of at least five and one half million of religious friars, many of whom are non-religious and non-productive thus dragging the economy. Similarly, the capacity for self-sacrifice in relation to religion has many times actualized itself in mean and impractical ways, the religious devotee commonly being utmostly interested about his own salvation alone, and searching it by a process of self-eradication as opposed to self-development.

The last way in which Hinduism is characterized is the existence of aspirations and expectations still greatly unaccomplished and uncontented in it. These aspirations are still in the Rig-Veda. In practice, each one of the nine or ten hymns addressed to Varuna has an admittance of sin and cry for forgiveness (Griswold, 1912). Therefore an obvious aspiration for forgiveness and the renewed fellowship of divinity exists, although it is not clear. Such may explain the penance kind of hymn stopped with the Varuna hymns of Rig-Veda. An important experience of pardon was not attached to the Indian religious wistfulness. The Hindu's aspirations for a flawless incarnation about to arrive are as wrecked as the Jewish anticipation of the return of the Messiah.

Impact of Hinduism to Economic Development

The implementation of Hinduism had various effects on the economic development of India. Religion resulted in an increase in agricultural activities and increased trade. The discovery of the good use of iron in ploughing the land, coupled with bazaar and agrarian reformation raised the economy. The agricultural system was improved and scientific approaches were applied to enhance productivity. Land grants were given to people, temples as well as mathas to conduct different activities.

Trade was done both on the land and in the coastal regions, and India did business with both the eastern and the western states. Trade and commerce developed steadily, and the traders were organized in guilds. The guilds were then offered concession in the levees that were supposed to be paid to the government (Mitras IAS, 2018). These guilds had an important role in the goods industry and enabled the strengthening of the economy. The guilds regulated their rules and all members were required to respect the rules. Churches or sanghas were used as bankers and offered financial support where necessary. At this period, loaning was not that much expensive due to the lack of a uniform tax rate as the government had put forth none. Interests could only be high if the involved parties agreed so. This was a fundamental factor in the progress of the economy. Many ports were developed in India and were well connected to the inner routes to enhance trade. India formed good business relations with many nations including Burma, China, and South-Eastern Asia, while also sustained good Maritime relationships with Arabia, Sri Lanka, Africa, Persia, and the West.

Industrial development was also influenced by Hinduism. The textile industry, in particular, was an important industry. Among the chief items produced included silk, muslin, calico, linen, wool as well as cotton. Other industries that prospered include ivory, carving and cutting of stones and metal works that involved silver, gold, lead, iron, bronze, and copper. Pearl industry also gained popularity (Mitras IAS, 2018). Nonetheless, the most significant industry was pottery. Business activities were well managed throughout the region, with animals carrying goods from one area to the other. Ships were also used in transporting goods through the sea routes. The Gupta era was marked with increased production and trading of gold coins. Other coins that were introduced for trading include silver and copper, and they tremendously boosted trade.

Social, Economic and Political Consequences of Globalisation

Globalization has had many consequences across the majority of which are positive while others are negative. In many of the third world countries, globalization has led to increased rates of unemployment which has deteriorated the living standards of many people. Globalization led to increased transportation and high technological advancement in both communication and transportation across the world, thus bringing markets and countries together (Orizalieva, 2010). Therefore, economic development has been greatly internationalized in various aspects. The novel technology facilitated the movement of economic units as well as the sensitivity of markets and communities, and therefore globalizing economies of the universe. The change resulted in global free trade that was actualized through the World Trade Organization. Globalization facilitated the relocation of industries from their initial centers in wealthier nations with expensive labor costs to new places with an entirely cheap workforce. Initially, labor remained a very essential factor of production. However, due to the breakthrough in technology, the requirement for the human workforce is gradually declining and therefore increasing unemployment and underemployment.

Globalization also resulted to increase in labor migration across countries. Seemingly, this has increased social conflicts due to the relocation of labor to the highly industrialized nations of the West and the oil-rich states of the Gulf. Racial discrimination in Germany and the Western states and the local people's bitterness towards immigrants in the Gulf are instances of the conflicts (Orizalieva, 2010). Although revolutions have tried to harmonize people, it is still inadequate in the creation of a universal society. Another consequence of globalization is the fragmentation of communities and the increase in the movement for ethnic, nationalistic as well as religious identities.

Globalization has also been accused of creating inequality in various ways. The fresh global economy, the gap amid the benefactors and the excluded are increasing proportionally to the increase in the world's population. With the globalization of industries and bazaars, the location of production might be moved from one area to the other, which could result in individual states being d...