Venezuela 2026 and the Reality of Global Power Politics
When International Law Collapses, Matsyanyaya Prevails
Ancient Indian Thought on Lawlessness and Power
Kautilya, Mahabharata and the Law of the Jungle
Why Weak Nations Are Punished in the Modern World
Lessons for India from the Venezuela Crisis
Industrial Strength as the Foundation of Real Independence
The Need for a Historic People’s Struggle
Responsibility Towards Future Generations
Venezuela 2026 exposes the reality of global power politics. Justice Katju explains why international law fails and why India must grow stronger.
The lesson from Venezuela
The events in Venezuela on 3rd January 2026 have taught us a valuable lesson, viz, despite the rules of international law, weakness will be punished.
This is a lesson to us Indians, too. If we are to become truly independent and a force to be reckoned with on the world arena, we must give up our hollow pretence of being a 'Vishwa Guru' etc, but in reality being pushed around by powerful countries, and transform our country into a modern industrial giant, like another China.
The truth is that, despite the United Nations and the UN Charter, 'matsyanyaya' or the law of the jungle prevails in the world today. This is proved by the fact that the President of Venezuela, a supposedly sovereign state, and his wife were captured by US troops on 3,1.2026 and carted away blindfolded and handcuffed to the USA to face a kangaroo trial on concocted charges.
Our ancient thinkers were of the view that the worst state of affairs possible in the world is a state of lawlessness. When the rule of law collapses, it is replaced by matsyanyaya, which means the law of the jungle.
In Sanskrit, the word ‘matsya’ means fish, and matsyanyaya means the state of affairs when the big fish devours the smaller one. All our ancient thinkers have condemned Matsyanyaya ( see ‘History of the Dharmashastras’ by P.V. Kane, Volume 3, page 21).
This idea of matsyanyaya ( the maxim of the larger fish devouring the smaller ones or the strong despoiling the weak) was frequently dwelt upon by Kautilya, the Mahabharata, and other works. It can be traced back to the Shatapath Brahman (Chapter 11,1.6.24), where it is said, “Whenever there is drought then the stronger seizes upon the weaker, for the waters are the law”, which probably means that when there is no rain, the reign of law comes to an end, and matsyanyaya begins to operate.
Kautilya says, “If danda be not employed, it gives rise to the condition of matsyanyaya, for in the absence of a chastiser the strong devour the weak”. That in the absence of a king (arajaka) or when there is no fear of punishment, the condition of matsyanyaya follows has been declared by several works, e.g. Ramayana ( Chapter 67), Shantiparva of Mahabharata (15.30 and 67.16), Kamandaka (@.40), Matsyapurana (225.9), Manasollasa ( 2.20.1295), etc.
Thus, in the Shantiparva of Mahabharata, it is stated :
” Raja chenna bhavelloke prithivyaam dandadharaka
Shule Matsyanivapakshyun durbalaat balvattarah”
which means
” When the king carrying the rod of punishment does not protect the earth, then the strong persons destroy the weaker ones, just like in water, the big fish eat the smaller ones”.
In the Shantiparva of the Mahabharat, Bheeshma Pitamah tells Yudhishthir that there is nothing worse in the world than lawlessness, for in a state of matsyanyaya, nobody, not even the evil doers, are safe, for even the evil doers will sooner or later be swallowed up by bigger evil doers.
What happened in Venezuela on 3rd January 2026 proves that matsyanyaya prevails in the world even today, international law means nothing, and weakness will be punished. This should wake us up to realities. If we do not wish to face a fate similar to Venezuela, our national aim must be to transform India from a relatively backward country into a powerful industrial giant, which no other powerful country can mess around with.
This can only be done by a mighty, historical, protracted, people’s struggle and a people’s revolution.
It must be clearly understood that such a transformation will not be easy. There are powerful forces, both national and international, which will oppose it tooth and nail, as their vested interests will be adversely affected by it. They fear that if India becomes a modern industrial giant, for which it has all the potential, having a huge pool of technical talent and immense natural resources, and with our cheap labour, we will undersell their goods, leading to the collapse of their industries, throwing millions of their people out of employment.
But we owe this transformation to our children, grandchildren, and succeeding generations, for without it they too will suffer terribly from massive poverty, unemployment, malnutrition, lack of proper healthcare and good education, etc, as our generation and our ancestors suffered from, and be subjected to the rule of the powerful countries.
It is therefore the duty of the patriotic modern modern-minded section of people in India to set about working for this goal
(Justice Markandey Katju is a former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, and former Chairman of the Press Council of India. The views expressed are his own.)
