Scion of Ikshvaku (Ram Chandra, #1)

by Amish Tripathi

But will freedom help each person realise his dreams? What if one person’s dream is in conflict with that of another’s?’ Bharat gave that question some careful thought before replying. ‘You are right. A strong man’s effort will always overwhelm that of a weak man.’ ‘So?’ ‘So the government has to ensure that it protects the weak. We cannot allow the strong to keep winning. It would create discontent among the masses.’ ‘Why, Dada?’ asked Shatrughan. ‘I would say, allow the strong to win. Will that not be better for the society as a whole?’ ‘But isn’t that the law of the jungle?’ asked Vashishtha. ‘The weak would die out.’ ‘If you call it the law of the jungle, then I say that this is the law of nature, Guruji,’ said Shatrughan. ‘Who are we to judge nature? If the weakest deer are not killed by tigers, the population of deer will explode. They will eat prodigious amounts of greens and the jungle itself may die out, in the long run. It is better for the jungle if only the strong survive — it is nature’s way of maintaining balance. The government should not interfere with this natural process. It should merely establish systems that ensure the protection of the weak, giving them a fair chance at survival. Beyond that, it must get out of the way and let society find its own path. It’s not the government’s job to ensure that all achieve their dreams.’ ‘Then why even bother with a government?’ ‘It’s needed for a few essentials that individuals cannot provide: an army to protect t...