When is it that the oppressed become justified in taking the life of the oppressor? And when do Revolts, graduate into Rebellions, and they become Revolutions?
These are questions which first came to my mind when I read accounts about the French Revolution of 1789, considered especially bloody by the standards of the day. The most famous metaphor defining the cruelty which accompanied this revolution was that peasants were given to examining the hands of those suspected of being nobles, dressed in a garb to hide their social class. And if these did not bear the callouses of a working man’s hand, they were run through with the dagger. So intense was the poor man’s hatred for the nobles whom he held responsible for all his troubles.
This was followed by the Haitian Revolution [1791-1804]. This was one of the most remarkable revolutions in history in which an enslaved black population rose up and defeated its white oppressors, the French. And then the Haitians went on to defeat the British, the other great power of the day. The atrocities inflicted by the Haitians on their erstwhile oppressors were not mild, to say the least.
The Haitian Revolution was followed in Aug 1831 by Nat Turner’s slave revolt in the U.S. This did not last long but was especially bloody. Turner was for killing every white person the revolting slaves could lay their hands on. It is remarkable however that some Americans in the north thought that Turner’s fury was a natural reaction to the extremely inhuman treatment meted out to most of the slaves in the U.S.
In our own day, we saw Hamas strike out against unconscionable Israeli oppression [on Oct 7, 2024] which had lasted unbroken for nearly a century. It was an article of faith with the Israelis that they had so broken the spirit of the Palestinians that they would never be able to drum up the courage to resist. In the estimation of some experts though, Hamas has already inflicted more casualties on the IDF than they had suffered in any war or military engagement before their assault on Gaza.
From all of the above it may be deduced that after oppression reaches a certain point, the oppressed are compelled and justified to use violence to overthrow the oppressor. And when inequity and injustice reach a certain point, provided their victims are acutely conscious of this, a rebellion is always on the cards. And this can always turn into a revolution.
When Imran Khan was ousted on the night of Apr 10, 2022, and unbidden, millions turned out on the streets of the country in protest, that was a rebellion.
It must be remembered though that at the time of his ouster, Imran’s popularity and his support among the people was on the wane. And yet the moment the deed was done, millions flocked to him. Their message was clear: it was after decades that the people had got acquainted with the novelty of an incorruptible leader, and they were loath to see him go lightly. At some level each Pakistani knew that every problem of Pakistan had its root in the all-pervading disease of corruption. All social inequities arose from it, and every national institution had been destroyed by it. And the only man who held the promise of destroying this cancer was Imran.
This, the Generals never understood. Thus they resorted to a long roster of crimes to suppress this rebellion. But with each new crime, the resistance of the people only stiffened.
Eventually, on Feb 8, 2024, by the manner the people voted, this rebellion blossomed forth in the form of a most remarkable peaceful revolution, the like of which has not been experienced in living memory anywhere.
It will be good for the Generals to look for the wall, and then read the writing on it.
It will be good for them and for the country, if they now called a halt to the fraud they have been perpetrating on the people of their country for the last two years and move back to the barracks.
They have to go. If is for them to go in peace or bequeath bloodshed to the country in their retreat.
The people will not take it from them any longer.
Feb 11, 2024.
The Judges Might. The Generals Won’t.