PERSONS FOR ALTERNATIVE SOCIAL ORDER
Dr. Nirmal Selvamony
(selvamony@satyam.net.in)
Persons for Alternative Social Order is a human collective which attempts to work towards an alternative social order, especially in the South Indian context. Those who associate themselves with this collective effort are convinced that only a change in the social order can bring about the desired social change. Such constituents of the present social order like materialist values, injustice, caste, inappropriate technology, suppression of positive indigenous traditions among others necessitate an urgent move towards a better social order. This collective also understands that the pressing social maladies of today like poverty, overpopulation, malnutrition, pollution, communalism, crime and so on have to be tackled from a structural angle rather than an institutional one. In other words, neither the institution of economy nor polity nor religion nor family nor any other can remedy these ills. Only a social order so structured as to promote proper distribution of resources and persons within proportionate extent of geographical spaces, technology appropriate to the geographical regions in question, indigenous traditions and values can effectively counter the present social crisis.
Model:
The most ideal model for fashioning an alternative social order in the south Indian context is tinai, the indigenous social order of the Tamils. Tinai is a type of biome with its corresponding human communities sustained by it. The Tamils identified five basic tinai-s, the montane, scrub, desertic, riverine, and coastal. The most important factors which recommend tinai are the following: traditionality, indigenousness, smallness of scale, controlled diversity and value orientation.
Objective of PASO:
Fashioning or creating the congenial conditions for the emergence of an alternative social order.
Activities:
Studying and researching the various dimensions of alternative social order.
Documentation.
Conducting workshops and conferences on the subject.
Conscientizing people.
Drafting policy.
