Chapter 4

The International Effect-a preparatory reflection

Feudal languages have a tendency to create rupture in society and interpersonal relationships. Yet, feudal language societies can also be very strong and harmonious. An example of this would be the erstwhile* financial superpower Japan. Another would be Germany of the pre-Second World War time. Yet, they are not efficient or intelligent in the long term. These things I would discuss later.

We can first discuss the various countries. First of all, I must admit once again that I do not know any European language or even Asian Languages other than some Indian languages. Yet, India does have a wide variety of languages, each with a number of dialects, and also, certain languages do have different social structures imprinted on them, the design of which may change with differing geographical locations.

First of all, let us take the case of England. Here I am not saying Britain, for I am not very sure of the languages in the other parts of Britain, namely Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. I know that these places do have different languages, though English is more popular all over. And I do believe that these other languages may have traces of feudal structure in them, as I do induce that from historical incidences.

It is true that English does have words, which are feudal in structure. Words like Your Majesty, My Lord, My Lady, His Highness, Your Excellency etc. Yet, it must be insisted that these are only words that are used to the nobility. And their usage does not come down into the midst of the common folk. Meaning that the different social levels among the layman do not necessitate their usage among them. For example, a worker does not address his boss as Your Majesty, or My Lord.

Britain existed on the fringe of the European continent, with a resounding resilience that was rarely seen elsewhere. The easiest supporting argument for this is the fact that this nation has rarely been conquered by outsiders. And the saying: England always wins the last battle.

The seeming coincidences

·           One may say that the Magna Carta, that was signed in England, which indeed shows that the nobility could debate with the Monarchy, happened in England as a coincidence;

·           That Sir Ferdinand Drake* could rule the seas and defeat the Spanish power both in Europe and in the Americas, was a coincidence and his destruction of the Spanish Armada was a piece of pure luck;

·           That the small England could have so many geographical discoverers because of their proximity and affinity for the seas;

·           That small groups of English men could go out into the newly discovered geographical areas and take over the leadership of these societies and transform them from strangle-dom to liberated societies because they were more capable than the natives in both physique and intelligence;

·           That Robert Clive*, a young English youth, with just a handful of men, more of natives, could defeat the combined power of French and the mighty Indian Emperor and Kings due to a string of strange coincidences that led to the defeat of his enemies;

·           That the Sepoy Mutiny*, which has been later described by Indian Historians as the First War of Independence, which was going gloriously for the Indians suddenly turned disastrous for the Indian side because of the brilliance of the Military leadership that immediately reached India from England.

·           That everywhere the English went, they ultimately won and ruled as a single political entity and not as mutually competing states, as has always happened in India even if a son is given power to rule a province, as proof of the innate intelligence of the English people.

·           That Industrial Revolution* commenced in England due to a strange historical coincidence.

·           That the common Englishman contributed much to all sort of sciences, including Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Medicine etc. because, due to some factor of luck, they had some scientific genes in their chromosomes.

·           That almost all wars, with the possible exception of one with their own people, that of USA, they have won at the end, braving and bearing all reverses and adversities because God always saves their Kings and Queens.

·           That megalomania* and dictators are not a common English phenomenon, because of again some historical coincidences.

Well, all these coincidence and pieces of luck are believable in themselves and in isolation; but when all of them are listed out, they pale beyond the realms of just pure coincidences and luck. There must be a most logical causative factor that pervades the whole English history in sharp contrast to the other nationalities and societies. And this factor is the lack of hierarchy or feudal positioning that does not creep into the language when English is spoken between persons. And its immediate effect, in sharp contrast to feudal languages is that one cannot be addressed to or referred to or described in varying level of dignity in accordance with what one does for a livelihood, or in accordance with one's family stature or of one's family members, or in comparison with one's financial soundness.

This gives a sense of security to the individual and also to the total society, and its finer effects are of so vast a domain that each need to be discussed in relation to the effect a feudal language has on the individual and his society.

But before going to the various aspect of this in the context of England, we need to discuss about the various other countries all round the world. We can start with France, a country that existed very near to England and has immense themes in its history to correspond with that of England.