brought the calamity on himself. It is his own doing and he cannot
blame others. The child as it grows up, quickly learns how the Law
of Requital works in the physical sphere and how, by respecting it,
he may protect himself against physical injury and pain.
- In the social sphere, the Law of Requital operates in the
form of civil law. Society cannot exist without law and order.
Actions which threaten the integrity of society have to be punished.
Men often act in an antisocial way. Impelled by selfish desires, they
often act in such a manner as to disrupt the group to which they
belong. They can be restrained only by the knowledge that their
wrong actions will bring upon themselves highly unpleasant
consequences. A man may inflict injury on his fellow being or rob
him of his property, but he knows that afterwards he will have to
serve time or pay a heavy fine. The prospect of suffering
punishment deters him from acting against the interest of society.
In a well-organised society men are usually law-abiding because they
see that everyone who transgresses the law is invariably punished.
However, we must not forget that even in a well-governed state,
some criminals go unpunished while some innocent men are
unjustly condemned. Human laws are not perfect and there are, in
every society, serious defects in the administration of justice.
Cunning men, especially if they are wealthy, can often find some
way of evading the punishment which they deserve. That is why
every society has its criminals. The only remedy lies in perfecting the
machinery of the administration of justice. Thus we see that the
Law of Requital does operate in the social sphere, although its
working is not free from defects. - In the moral sphere, the Law of Requital is seen in its purest
form. Here it points to the necessary connection between man's
action and the ensuing modification of his personality. Man's
action, besides producing effects in the world and in society,
produces also effects within him, changing his self for better or
worse. External factors have no effect on a man's personality. Man
can be free although he is confined in a prison cell. On the other
hand, though outwardly free, he may have a cramped and inhibited
personality. Human personality is keenly sensitive to the moral tone
of his actions. Every transgression of the moral law debilitates it in
its ability to play its proper role. The working of the Law of Requital
The Law of Requital 151