Counter-evolution is the application of force to turn the flow of the social cycle in the reverse direction.

If any era reverts to the proceeding one by the application of force, such a change is called counter-evolution (vikranti). For example, the establishment of the warrior (ks’attriya) era after the intellectual (vipra) era is counter-evolution, and is very short-lived. Within a very short time the next era or the one after it again replaces this era. In other words, if the warrior era suddenly supercedes the intellectual era through counter-evolution, then the warrior era will not last long. Within a short time either the intellectual era or, by natural course the capitalist (vaeshya) era, will take its place.

Ananda Sutram (1962)

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