The Positive Background of Hindu Sociology c3.70

c3.70

2. The new ideas, aspirations, movements, etc. engendered by the steam-and-machine age are revolutionary not only to Asians but also to Eur-Americans. The economic, political, military, social and domestic polities of the West prior to the epoch-making triumphs of human intellect did not differ, except superficially and in a few trifling incidents, from the contemporary institutions obtaining in Asia. The institutions and ideals, the achievements and experiments, the motives and inspirations, the theories and hypotheses, the fads and hobbies prevailing today in England, Germany, France and America should not consequently be regarded by unbiased investigators of facts as anything (i) peculiarly occidental or (ii) non-oriental or (iii) unsuited to oriental "genius" or (iv) antagonistic to the "spirit" of the Orient or (v) materialistic. Scientifically speaking, all these are to be honestly known (i) as modern, constituting one of the phases of the world's evolution, and (ii) as spiritual to the same extent and in the same sense as anything in previous epochs of human culture since the Pharaonic and Vedic ages. These can, therefore, be availed of by and assimilated to, any system of human polity according to the stage and requirements of its growth (e.g., as has been done by Japan without practically changing any of her old-Asian institutions, ideals, prejudices and superstitions).