India, Dec. 15 -- India's journey from a feudal society towards a potential democratic society based on modern industries and equality began during the colonial period. This was the period when the rise of modern industries created the working class. The modern education introduced by Lord Macaulay laid the foundation of the education system, with the potential to build a liberal, open society where the concept of rights was also ingrained. The feudal, semi-feudal, and similar societies lacked the concept of rights; they were based on the "divine" power to rule over the lower classes. It was during this period that the tendencies which emerged articulated the rights of emerging sections of society.

While the freedom movement was led by l...