The three great problems of this century; the degradation of man

O children of the future, hear the somber wisdom of Victor Hugo, who in his age foresaw the struggles that would define the course of humanity. "The three great problems of this century; the degradation of man in the proletariat, the subjection of women through hunger, the atrophy of the child by darkness." In these words, he touches upon the suffering of the most vulnerable: the laboring masses, the women who are denied the fullness of their potential, and the children who are robbed of light, hope, and opportunity. These problems, though spoken of long ago, remain as pressing as ever, for they are woven into the very fabric of our societies.

The proletariat, the working class, as Hugo speaks of them, have always borne the weight of a world that rewards those with wealth and power, while leaving the laboring masses to suffer. In ancient times, the slaves of Rome and Greece knew this well. Though they worked the fields, built cities, and fought in wars, they were treated as little more than tools, their humanity stripped away for the gain of others. Even today, the struggle for the rights and dignity of the working class continues, as Hugo foresaw. The laborer’s spirit is too often crushed beneath the weight of oppression, and yet it is through their sweat and toil that societies are built and maintained.

Hugo also speaks of the subjection of women, which in his time was often bound to the chains of hunger—the deprivation of the most basic human needs. Women have long been denied not only equality in society but the right to nourishment, to education, and to independence. In ancient societies, women were often treated as property, their rights subjugated to the whims of men. Even in more modern times, women in many parts of the world still struggle for the basic dignity of self-determination. The fight for women’s rights, for the ability to feed, to educate, and to flourish, is a battle that continues to this day.

Hugo’s third great problem—the atrophy of the child by darkness—calls our attention to the plight of children whose lives are spent in the absence of light, both literal and figurative. In ancient times, the fate of many children was harsh—often working from a tender age, or abandoned to the streets and the harsh realities of poverty. The Roman Empire, for instance, often allowed the poor to struggle for survival, leaving children to live without the hope of a bright future. Even in modern times, countless children grow up in the darkness of ignorance, poverty, and neglect, their potential stifled by circumstances they did not choose.

Let us remember, O children, that these problems are not confined to Victor Hugo’s time, nor are they merely abstract concerns. They are the challenges that continue to plague us today. We must recognize the degradation of the proletariat, the subjugation of women, and the atrophy of the child as our own battles to fight. These struggles are woven into the very fabric of our humanity, and it is upon our shoulders that the task falls to remedy them. As Hugo urged, we must confront these ills with the same passion and dedication with which the great leaders of the past fought for freedom, equality, and justice. Only through this can we build a world worthy of the potential of every human being, and only through this can we hope to give light to the future.