Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

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unifying body of ideas, common vocabulary of hoped an protest,
something, in short, like a common “revolutionary psychology.” In
the revolutions of our day this ideological preparation has been the
concern of political parties but there were no such parties in the
eighteenth century France. In this case, the ground was prepared, in
the first place, by the writers of the Enlightenment.. 3
If this be true of the French Revolution, the role of Sikh ideology
in the genesis and development of the Sikh Revolution assumes even
greater significance. The need to provide ‘cohesion’ and a common
‘revolutionary psychology’ to the mutually hostile caste elements was
far greater and indispensable that it was in the class society of France.
Without indulging here in abstract issues, we only wish to emphasis
that the primary role and importance of the ideological and emotional
content of revolutionary movements are well recognized.
(2) Revolutionary and Post-revolutionary Phases
Ideological upsurges, wherein the participants, for the time being
atleast, rise above ordinary human and environmental limitations,
wherein groups and classes forget their parochial narrow interests,
loyalties or antipathies and make common cause for a higher objective,
are a phenomenon distinct from the placid course of human history.
As such, the study of the revolutionary phase of a movement should
not be lumped together with that of its post-revolutionary phase in a
manner so as to undermine the distinctiveness of the former. Secondly,
the two phases cannot be measured by the same yardstick; To evaluate
the revolutionary aspect of a movement in the light of its postrevolutionary
developments would be no more valid than it would be
to ascribe the rise of waves in the ocean to the very gravitational pull
of the earth which brings them back to their original. Thirdly, the
history of the revolutionary phase of movements should not be
regarded as inconsequential, simply because revolutions, in the course
of time, fall from the high ideological pitch to which they raise the
people. Besides inching humanity forward towards its ultimate goal
of freedom and equality, the revolutionary movements provide a
perpetual source of inspiration for future efforts. This is more true of