SOCIAL HARMONY

SOCIAL HARMONY O NCE, a dispute arose between two farmers, over the boundary between their fields. To begin with, the dispute concerned a piece of land but soon developed into an issue of honour. Withdrawing their respective claims, they thought, amounted to losing face. Thus the quarrel which had started on a petty issue was blown up, out of all proportion, and neither party was willing to make a compromise. Things went from bad to worse and took a violent turn leading to murders and destruction of their lands and property. Eventually the matter was brought to court. Judicial procedure was long and drawn out and the cases were brought to an end only when both the parties had lost everything in the process—family, fields, health and wealth. And all only in an attempt to recover something of much lower value. It is more circumspect to seek out the root causes of problems; not there and then, in terms of the prevailing circumstances, but elsewhere. In a comparable case, another farmer found himself in a similar situation. But, instead of taking immediate action, he chose to stop and give the matter serious consideration. He consulted his friends in order to determine what steps he should take. Finally he came to the conclusion that the boundary dispute should be settled not at the boundary, but on some other front. He started to think over the issue; not in terms of today, but in terms of the past. Being deeply hurt at the usurpation of a part of his farm, he felt the same sense of dishonour and material loss as the men who had decided on quick action in the previous example. How was it that his opponent had the daring to infringe upon his land, he thought. A great deal of cogitation led him to the conclusion that it was his own weakness that had emboldened his rival in this matter. Now, it was not so much a matter of a boundary dispute as it was of his position in society. His position being weak, he could not inspire sufficient awe in his neighbour to prevent him from laying hands on his rightful property. Thinking coolly, he arrived at the conclusion that