Chesterton’s Fence

When coming up with a new policy, law or idea, first understand the older ones thoroughly, especially
the rationale behind them, and only then try to dismantle them and bring the fresh ones. If we take Indian history,
Aurangazeb reversed Akbar’s Rajput and secular policies not knowing a simple fact that they
kept the empire stable and sound and paid the price. Understand the tradition first and then break it.
Indian government perhaps understood this and could achieve at least a modicum of success w.r.t
Swachh Bharat Mission. It recognized the caste equations, water issues, and lack of functional toilets
before pushing the idea of ending open defecation. However, sadly it did not apply Chesterton’s law
while coming up with the GST. And
Supreme courts too need to remember this more often while reversing the earlier and even the minority judgments
and the orders of lower courts.