How Freedom Led to Violence

When a country gains independence, important things must be considered. One of these things is the transition of power.

When America was fighting for its freedom, it knew exactly how it wanted to govern itself. It knew exactly what its borders would look like, since the original 13 colonies didn't border any country at the time. After Independence, America smoothly took the form of a democracy comprising of 13 states.

Other countries weren't so fortunate, such as India. Gandhi is largely credited as a founding father of modern-day India. His legacy of being one of the first to use non-violence to protest is known worldwide. He was an important freedom fighter and an inspiration to many. But he failed in his final goal, and never lived to see the "United India" that he dreamed of. After India gained independence, it was partitioned into 2 (now 3 countries): India, and East/West Pakistan. The name Pakistan translates to "Land of the Pure" It's founder Jinnah Ali envisioned it as a Muslim utopia where people could practice freely without the persecution of Hindus, the majority religion of India. In essence, it was the perfect ethnostate.




This transition wasn't smooth at all. As Hindus and Sikhs in present-day Pakistan migrated to India, and Muslims in present-day India migrated to Pakistan, violence erupted. Muslims who wanted to stay where they lived for generations didn't want their villages, towns, and cities to be completely overrun by Hindus, and vice versa. Communities that had coexisted for centuries turned into animals: murder, rape, and forced conversions were rampant. It is estimated that over 100,000 women were abducted, and deaths ranged from 200,000 to 2 million. 14 million people were displaced.

The Partition was clearly hastily done and rushed, as the British wanted to leave India as soon as possible after the war. Without careful planning, two lines were drawn on a map that defined where what kind of people could live where. There was a lot that had to be sorted out. Monarchies surrounded by India get annexed, while others choose to remain independent. Modern states are carved out based on language: every state in India speaks one unique to itself. East Pakistan will eventually declare independence and become a separate country called Bangladesh.

This phenomena isn't just unique to India. If the transfer from one government to another isn't carefully thought out, it can lead to disastrous consequences. In fact, almost every country in the world has struggled with deciding who should run their country, how they should run their country, and what kind of people get to live in their country, at one point int their history. Though people unite on one thing, they can disagree on others. But sometimes conflict is inevitable: you simply can't predict the future.

Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_sGTspaF4Y