Witch Trials

In the literal sense witchcraft means an investigation carried out ostensibly to uncover subversive activities but actually used to harass and undermine those with differing views. "words like Dayan, tohni, chudail, etc., are used to refer to a woman as a witch.<br><br>We all know what it means but let us try to understand the jurisprudence behind it.<br>If one of the main figures of a religion protect someone then this person will start to believe in him and his ideology that would increase the power of his religion.<br><br>The same happened in Europe, where the Christian authorities tried to popularize themselves and their ideology by portraying themselves as someone who protect people from witchcrafts.<br>In the article of Peter Leeson, he clearly showed the trend as to whenever there was an increase in competition between the religious groups like Christians and the revolutionaries the number of witch hunts increased. They only used it to gain popularity among masses, to make them convert to their group. To gain dominance in the market.<br><br>Apart from it he also tried to identify the causes as to why people believe in witchcrafts. Apart from superstition they just need a scapegoat on whom the can blame bad weather, low income, diseases etc.<br><br>The article did not provide any remedy or did not suggest any laws to stop it but it clearly showed disgust towards the witch trials.<br><br>The earliest evidence of witch-hunts in India can be found in the Santhal witch trials in 1792. The Chhotanagpur region was majorly populated by an Adivasi population called the Santhals. Witches were feared and were supposed to be engaged in anti-social activities. Therefore, according to the Adivasi population the cure to their disease and sickness was the elimination of these witches who were seen as the cause. <br><br>And which is to a certain extent a mix of Superstition and reality. But when we start to look behind this façade we see that there are also some political and religious forces working behind it.