One thing that is true for any group of humans, be it magnificent civilizations or warring nations, is a constant shift in the social paradigm. Throughout history, laws and lawmakers have shaped nations for the better or for worse. So, it makes one wonder, are the laws made in light of the prevalent social environment or do the laws change the very fabric of society itself? This is where the Overton Window comes into play. The Overton Window is a window of political ideologies and possibilities that are acceptable to the general population.

The existence of such a window can be seen throughout history.In India, one can take the abolishing of the caste system, Sati and the establishment of the right to free education. This was not always the norm. A world that speaks for the discrimination on the basis of caste and the act of forcing a widow into her husband's funeral pyre exist only in a dystopian past. 

The idea of the window  is credited to Joseph P. Overton , who was an American libertarian and vice president of Mackinac Center for Public Policy , a popular think-tank. He proposed that the duty of the lawmakers and politicians was to understand where window lay by making use of the public opinion, while stating that it was the duty of think tanks and activists to shift the position of the window altogether. But policy makers can themselves cause a shift. Propose a piece of legislation that is bound to cause ripples, that ensures opposition from both the people and the group in the parliament that shares the same name. Any alteration in the legislation,no matter how small will look like a compromise from the lawmaker's part. Forcing the people to think “ This might not be good, but at-least its not as bad as what they proposed”.  Consider an example, a government decides to remove all forms of social security and welfare to reduce government spending and redirect the funds to set up new employment opportunities. This is a drastic step that leaves millions of people in any country at the mercy of the free market and homeless. Opposition against the new bill rises rapidly , strikes and protests plague the nation. So the government says, “Okay, we'll keep the pensions and government sponsored healthcare as it is, redirect what remains to provide jobs to more people to encourage the citizens of this nation to be independent and take care of themselves”. Certainly feels like its a much more moderate option right? And ever so slightly, the window shifts.

So, the next time you hear some polarising piece of legislation, do not forget to contemplate, “Will you draw the blinds on this window to open a new one or will you watch the window move closer to you?”