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Demonstrations are acceptable, provided they are not accompanied by violence

If analysed, the spirit of the question is whether collective bargaining should be allowed and, if so, to what extent.

What is the philosophy behind collective bargaining? When the capitalist was hard and heartless and exploited the labour force, mistreating them and overworking them, sympathy went to the worker and, by degrees, the workers’ right to form, unions was legally established. Not only were these unions recognised but also their power began to grow and to be felt.

Thanks to these unions, the labour could bargain and drive the capitalist to yield to demands whenever they were reasonable. They made the capitalist realise that the unions had come to stay and hence had to put up with them, however irksome and unpleasant it may be. This right to form unions has helped the labour force in getting welfare measures and several benefits like bonus, compensation against accident, gratuity and other perks.

So it can be said confidently that the position of labour is not what it was a century back; rather they hold the upper hand.

But one can see that labour force is not always satisfied. In spite of the benefits there is always the cleft between the capital and labour and the latter feels that they are being exploited while the former feels that the labour is always a disgruntled lot. Situations are bound to arise when there cannot be absolute agreement between the employer and the employee. Where such differences cannot be solved in an amicable way, the labour resorts to many types of coercive steps, of which demonstration is one.

Demonstration goes to show to the public what grievances are there and how they are in the right. The demonstration may be one-sided sometimes. Whatever may be the grouses, demonstration serves one purpose; it helps create public opinion. Demonstration may take many forms. There may be posters, public meetings, and processions with slogans, mass petitions or virulent strikes.

Demonstration is a sort of an agitation and the public may be affected immediately directly or indirectly. Strikes urge the attention on the part of the government and a solution may be sought. So chains of negotiation and arbitrations may go till some sort of solution is arrived at. Very often it is the labour who benefits in the end.

There is no guarantee that demonstrations may always be quiet and peaceful. Where numbers are concerned, more often than not, demonstrations are likely to turn violent. It may be due to an inadvertent remark or imprudent act. It depends largely on the leadership and education of labour, where the leadership is in safe hands, things may not go out of control.

Very often trouble is caused because someone in the crowd feels he is an injured party and begins to act violently. In all these cases the stateless and addressless mob jumps into the fray. It is not often those who are having grievances that cause trouble but the mob. From this view point demonstrations are not wholly acceptable.

Perhaps human society will have to evolve a new method of settling disputes without resorting to demonstrations. It is time that the ideas of unionist are changed, the sooner the better for all.

Though demonstration in relation to labour has been discussed, there are other demonstrations especially students whose causes are different. So for all demonstrations a suitable solution ought to be found.

Demonstrations for even minor complaints are popular today because everybody wants to assert his right without remembering his responsibility. This kind of demonstration is unacceptable.

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