What Good will Impeachment Do?

Revolution
excerpt from Conversation with disciples, December 30, 1973, Los Angeles

Make Democracy Work

Power to the People A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

If somehow or other we can convince the majority of the United States population to take to Krishna consciousness then the whole world will become Krishna conscious. This is a fact. The United States is the leader of all other nations. You simply educate the people in this Krishna conscious philosophy and then there will be no difficulty in capturing the government. In your country there is very good system of democracy. As we have seen just recently the people, as the common people have so much power, that they were able to get down this Nixon, who is obviously a rascal. So if we can simply convince a good majority of persons then they will automatically want a Krishna conscious leader. And if there are Krishna conscious leaders in the government then they will act as Krishna's representative and will be able to save the world from the disastrous condition of life. At the present moment there is nothing but great calamity but by injecting Krishna consciousness into the masses we can change this situation greatly. more

Prajapati: In this morning's class you were giving us the example of the takeover of the kingship, of the brahmanas getting rid of a bad king. So many times in the literature you've given us, whether Krishna killing His uncle King Kamsa, or the Maharaja Yudhisthira and Arjuna in the Battle of Kurukshetra killing the old political regime that are demoniac consciousness. Is this the recommended means in Vedic literature for getting rid of bad government, or are there other means that are described, that one can get rid of demoniac government and take over with godly rulers?

Prabhupada: Well, in politics, unless there is violence, you cannot take. Simply by sweet words, not possible. That was the difference between our political leaders, Mahatma Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose. So Subhash Chandra Bose was of opinion that—and that is a fact—that "You are agitating non-violence. These people will never care for your non-violence. Unless there is violence, so these Britishers will never go away." So Gandhi would say, "No, I am not going to accept this violence theory. I shall continue." So for thirty years... He started from 1917 and up to '47, the Britishers did not go. But when Subhash Chandra Bose, he saw... He took the political power. He became the president. But Gandhi was angry. So because he was old leader, out of respect, he resigned the presidentship. Then he thought that "So long this man will live, there will be no independence." So he went out of India and joined with Hitler, and Tojo, Japanese.

Nitai: Who went out of India?

Prabhupada: This Subhash Chandra Bose. And he organized the INA, Indian National Army. So when this Indian National Army was organized and the Britishers... They were great politicians. They saw, "Now the army is going to national movement. We cannot be." Then they left. Because it was not possible. They were maintaining British Empire with Indian money, Indian men. You see? They did not conquer by their British soldiers all round the Far East, Burma and the Mesopotamia, and the Egypt. That was Indian army, the Sikh soldiers and the Gurkha soldiers, and Indian money. On the pretext that "For Indian protection, we are maintaining this army." Actually, they were expanding their empire. Africa, Burma. And when they saw that "India is lost," voluntarily they liquidated all others. Went back... Back to home, back to Godhead. [devotees laugh] So in politics this is nonsense, non-violence. It is nonsense, cowardism. In politics in sweet words you cannot get. There must be fight, arms. That is army. "If you don't agree, then fist." That is politics. There must be violence. Otherwise you cannot control. When there is educated good men, then you can argue. But when people are ruffians, there is no question of good... Argumentum vaculum, I told you the other day... In the beginning of creation, the fight between the demons and the demigods, devasura-yuddha. That is always there. In the European history, without revolution, no order changes. Even the Russian Revolution was there. French revolution was there. In England, Cromwell? Cromwell? Cromwell Revolution?

Nara-narayana: Yes.

Prabhupada: Yes. So without revolution, you cannot change old order. "Old orders changes, giving place to new." That old order changes... Everywhere it is by violence. The Mahabharata also [recounts] the Battle of Kurukshetra. Krishna was there. He tried to settle up. But it was not settled without violence. Paritranaya sadhunam vinashaya cha dushkritam [Bhagavad-gita 4.8]. Krishna also comes, vinashaya cha dushkritam, for killing the demons. Krishna also comes.

Nalinikantha: [break] ...will be overthrown and replaced with God conscious beings?

Prabhupada: No. I am not talking of any government. We are not in politics. We are talking of preaching. Why? Why this government should you try to change? Where is the better replacement? First of all find out the better replacement. Then you talk of changing. Where is the better replacement? To replace one rascal with another, that is not... Now democratic government, if the people become Krishna conscious, then naturally their leader will be Krishna conscious. So automatically it will change. There is no question of violence. What is the use? Now, suppose by violence you become the president of the United States. Will you be able to do something?

Nalinikantha: No.

Prabhupada: Then what is the use? Because under democratic government, your order is not final. So if the people are demons, then what you will do? You cannot do anything. Therefore the people's mentality, consciousness, should be changed by this Krishna consciousness movement. When they become God conscious, Krishna conscious, they will select Krishna conscious president. Then everything finished. Formerly people used to accept the king as the final authority, but at this present moment, that is not accepted. People must accept. Now it is people's government. So unless people are God conscious, you cannot find good government. In comparison to other governments, your government is far better. People here are not starving.

Nalinikantha: Yes, I have seen.

Prabhupada: Yes. In other governments the people are starving. They have no food. That is the worst government. First necessity of life, that one must eat, one must have shelter, but other governments cannot even do that. But in your country, you have got enough food, enough shelter, everything is there. That consideration, your government is very nice government. Bare necessities of life must be supplied. Here the fault is extravagancy.

Nalinikantha: Too much.

Prabhupada: Too much, yes. Luxury leads to poverty. Too much luxury. Now it will deteriorate.