I have new piece on thoughts of one of greatest statesmen of twentieth century India, C.Rajagopalachari who had profound thoughts about "culture" which is the most abused word in the literature anywhere in the world. But his views are civilization transition in nature and has relevance for all times.
According to Rajaji “civilisation has two instruments to achieve the object of curbing the sensual instincts and preventing or deterring over-indulgence.” He explains that one instrument is the government's enforcement of the law through penal codes and other instruments, importantly, the “civilisation is culture which acts through family training, tradition, religious belief, literature, and education. Culture puts down over-indulgence acting as an internal force, as distinguished from penal laws which operate from outside. Where it fails, it acts, though social obloquy and in very bad cases, through social ostracism".
