Sikh religion is a lot more than a protocol on how to worship God or a Higher Power (Akal Purakh).
In the Westernized world, there is separation of religion and state. Most people in the West support this separation.
Sikh religion has a different approach with no such separation. Religion and state go together (Miri Piri), and balance between the two is essential for healthy and just society and state.
Religion unites people, sensitizes them to morality and virtue, and motivates them into action. Large groups of oppressed people driven by morality and justice, and fueled by religious zeal are a grave threat to oppressive regimes everywhere. Oppressive rulers can't allow that.
There is an ongoing war on Science (knowledge, enlightenment) and Religion (morality and virtue) as together they are unbeatable, and a threat to oppressive forces in this age of exploitation of labor and extraction of resources. Oppressive rulers want the public without knowledge, enlightenment, morality or virtue as such people are incapable of offering any resistance to exploitation of labor and extraction of resources.
The whole world is looking for an alternative to the current Neoliberal capitalism which is the socio-economic model of our times.
Origins
To understand the relevance of Sikh religion and philosophy, we have to dive deeper into the past to its origin.
During the 1500-1700's, India was the largest economy in the World due to abundant fertile land and hard-working people. However, even with this largest economy, people's productivity and GDP was stifled due to corrupt and incompetent rulers and administrators; regular invasions by invaders from Central Asia; stifling social structures, practices, and beliefs which kept people weak and distracted; and over-taxation and exploitation of the workers.
Francisco Pelsaert of the Dutch East India Company wrote an account of his travels in 'Jahangir's India' during 1620-7 and said "the manner of life of the rich in their great superfluity and absolute power, and the utter subjection and poverty of the common people poverty so great and miserable that the life of the people can be depicted or accurately described only as the home of stark want and the dwelling-place of bitter woe. The Governors are usually bribed by the thieves to remain inactive, for avarice dominates manly honour, and, instead of maintaining troops, they fill and adorn their mahals with beautiful women, and seem to have the pleasure-house of the whole world within their walls".
The rulers of that era were corrupt, incompetent, and only concerned with their riches, comfort, and pleasures in great courts and palaces. The ordinary people were brutally suppressed. The elite intellectuals were in service of the rulers. North India was repeatedly attacked by invaders from Central Asia as the rulers and governors were too weak and incompetent to resist. Instead of resisting the invasion, the ruler's and administrator's strategy was to conspire with the invaders and let the invaders rob the common man. Cultural and social traits made people weak, distracted, and incapable of improving their lot.
It is in this environment of great riches for few and utter poverty for most; brutal suppression by their own rulers; foreign invasions; stifling social structures, practices, and beliefs; that the native people of North India produced its finest model for social, economic, and political prosperity.
Dr. Gurdeep Kaur says “The emergence of Sikhism hundreds of years ago was in response to the existing socio-economic inequalities, orthodoxy and dogmatism”.
Religion for social, political and economic prosperity
Guru Nanak showed a metaphorical mirror to the people and helped them see their moral degradation which led to their social decline. Guru Arjan Dev institutionalized Sikh philosophy and compiled the Adi Granth and completed the construction of Darbar Sahib. Guru Gobind Singh ji transformed ordinary people and made them virtuous (pure), free of traits that weaken and corrupt them, and worthy of providing good governance for the benefit of all. The Sikh religion is more than a religion. It is a practical, rational, and proven social-economic-political model for prosperity for all (Sarbat da Bhala). It is intended to be pan-India, inclusive, and a stand-alone independent model and religion.
With the establishment of Sikh rule under Banda Singh Bahadur in 1710, "he earned the blessings of the poor and destitute whose cries had not been heard by any for centuries past", and "he introduced one of the greatest fiscal reforms in the country by abolishing the Zamindari system of the Mughals which had reduced the cultivators to the position of slaves... the actual cultivators of the soil became the proprietors of their holdings, and the oppression resulting from the old system was forever eradicated from the Punjab": S. Ganda Singh in 'Life of Banda Singh Bahadur'.
This is how Jats in Punjab became land owners and subsequently acquired power and status from their wealth. Jats continue to enjoy the rewards of events 300 years ago. So many of Sikh business’s and houses in Canada/USA/UK are built on money from land they sold in Punjab. The gift from the sacrifice of Ladli Foujan and Nihangs that fought alongside Banda Singh Bahadur continues to benefit Jats today in Punjab and abroad.
This socio-economic-political model was a great success until the British colonialism with its guns and deceit destroyed the just and fair empire of Sikh Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Relevance today
The conditions in the Neoliberal world today are the same as in 'Jahangirs's India'. The rulers of today are incompetent, clueless of their incompetence, greedy, self-centered dangerous narcissists; and only concerned with their riches, comfort, and pleasures.
The elite educated intellectuals sell their knowledge and intellect in the form of 'jobs' and 'careers' to the highest bidder (always the rich rulers). The ordinary people are brutally suppressed ("use as much violence as you want"). Large corporations and brands are above the law or bend the laws, and control the economy and food production. Family and social structures that held communities together have been intentionally destroyed by the Deep State with support of the elite intellectuals and the media. The life of most ordinary people is of "poverty so great and miserable that the life of the people can be depicted or accurately described only as the home of stark want and the dwelling-place of bitter woe".
History is repeating itself. The conditions that were there under Mughal rule exist today as well.
What to do
Sikh teachings and philosophy were relevant then, and are relevant today in solving all our problems by ushering in a new socio-economic-political model for prosperity for all (Sarbat da Bhala). Not just North India, but the whole world is searching and waiting for such a socio-economic-political model.
Human nature is the same today in our Silicon age as it was 550 years ago. It is unlikely to change significantly in the next 50-500 years when we will live in the Space Age.
Sikh religion and philosophy help us understand our current socio-economic-political dilemma, and has the solutions to it as well.
Sikh religion and philosophy were relevant before, is just as relevant today in the Silicon age, and will continue to be relevant in the Space age and beyond.
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