INTRODUCTION If one by one we counted people out For the least sin, it wouldn’t take us long To get so we had no one left to live with. For to be social is to be forgiving (Robert Frost) Political theory has been generally wary of looking at themes like forgiveness as a public virtue. This is because “ forgiveness appears to be a rather softheaded, unrealistic way to respond to anything political” (Digeser 1998: 700). Janover says: “Against the backdrop of a world in which hatred and resentment loom larger than amity and recognition, forgiveness appears an oddly idealistic theme to emerge as central to some recent political thinking” (2005: 222). As a theme most clearly articulated in the Christian scriptures, forgiveness came to be understood as an apolitical virtue, a derivative of love, a largely private matter. Political thinkers have also neglected forgiveness for the same reasons. Political realism upholds the principle of autonomy of politics, i.e. moral principles derived from interpersonal life cannot be applied to the political world, which is governed by a different set of rules. Accordingly, although individual victims can forgive their offenders, institutions cannot. There is now increased recognition that for- giveness can have a healing effect on societies torn apart by conflict. Calls for forgiveness as a means to address lingering social wounds and historical wrongs also abound. The adoption of this strategy in more than twenty nations such as Sierra Leone, Argentina, Peru, Kenya, Ecuador, Solomon Islands and East Timor and the increa- © Kamla-Raj 2011 J Soc Sci, 26(1): 11-18 (2011) Remorse and Forgiveness: A Contemporary Political Discussion John S Moolakkattu School of Gandhian Thought and Development Studies Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala Phone: 04822-254299; Email: moolakkattu@gmail.com KEYWORDS Forgiveness. Apology. Reconciliation. Repentance. Worldview. Victims. Offenders ABSTRACT The theme of ‘forgiveness in politics’ has come to occupy considerable attention in recent times. Yet politics is seen as one of the most difficult spheres for ideas relating to forgiveness to flourish. Dubbed as a private virtue with religious moorings, it has nonetheless proven to be useful in countries recovering from conflict, particularly when the oppressors and the victims share the same territory and a common destiny. This paper seeks to make a case for forgiveness and apology in public affairs drawing on the contributions of the main exponents of forgiveness in the contemporary world, even as it identifies some of the moral and practical difficulties of its operationalisation. sing flurry of interest in establishing Truth Commi- ssions in many parts of the world suggest that the idea of forgiveness has now come to occupy some space in the social and political imagery of people everywhere. The experiment of Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa that allowed the former oppressors to acknowledge their guilt and reconcile with the victims following the dismantling of the apartheid system, despite its several shortcomings, has been hailed as a path-breaking attempt at conflict transformation. Regarding the scope of these commissions, we have examples like the South African commission which took on board “reconciliation” suggest- ing a broader approach to post-conflict peace building, while others like Peru decided to focus on “truth”, leaving out “reconciliation” given its controversial character (Avruch 2010). Just as revenge can be used to stir passions, forgiveness can also be used to stir emotions based on recognition of a shared future. Govern- ments are now seeking forgiveness from their former colonial subjects, dictators from political prisoners in post-dictatorship phase, former terrorists from their innocent victims, banks and businesses from their looted or polluted clients, and churches and cults from victims whom they had abused or persecuted. Hence, forgiveness and the process of reconciliation are modern manifestations of an emotionally assisted, human problem-solving capability that we possess to extricate ourselves from the hate trap. Forgiveness is a subject of interdisciplinary enquiry. Scholars who have discussed the theme come from diverse backgrounds such as political science, theology, psychology, sociology, peace