National pride versus international brotherhood

 

The Nationalist Forces which in different parts of the world, successfully countered the challenges posed by the Colonialism, which proudly guarded, protected and preserved the illustrious cultural heritage as well as the uniqueness of so many nationalities over the ages, can the same now prove to be a threat to the International Brotherhood? This article is an effort to discover the facts and the fiction, the tapestry of which has concealed the concept from the light of truth.

The Word Web Dictionary gives the following meaning for the word "Nationalism":

Nouns 1. Patriotism. Love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it.

Adjectives 2. The doctrine that your national culture and interests are superior to any other.

Adverbs 3. The aspiration for national independence felt by people under foreign domination

wordweb.info 4. The doctrine that nations should act independently (rather than collectively) to attain their goals

The aforesaid concept has been the motive power that was responsible for the evolution of many national states. This is the force that inspires the millions and millions of human beings to sacrifice their lives with a magnificent smile on their faces as and when, the need may arise. The nationalism strengthens the sentiment of the patriotism which, in turn, incessantly stands like a rock - the guiding peak - as a guardian of the nation. This is the sentiment which keeps on binding together the inhabitants of a particular land. Over a period of time, they develop a mutual sociocultural unity. This unity further strengthens the bondage between the inhabitants and thus, a feeling of national brotherhood is developed. The spiritual love for the Holy Motherland instinctively evolves as the feeling of the patriotism and nationalism inspires the fellow beings to live together like a big family. Gradually, as the time passes, they develop a congenial cultural heritage which is able to fulfill the common aspirations of the inhabitants. Hence, they love their common culture. They are bound to believe that they are the sons and the daughters of the motherland which gives them food and shelter. This leads them to assume that they belong to the land – they possess the land. This possessiveness which they cherish like a lovely dream makes them proud and some times, egoistic as well.

From this point onwards the trouble arises. They wish to extend the boundaries of the land they possess in the name of the same nationalism which helped them to grow like a family. In order to establish their superiority over the other nations, they wage war and hence inflict damages to the other nations and themselves as well. The stronger nations get engaged in these struggles in order to extend the possessions whereas the weaker ones take on the battle so as to defend their national pride as well as the motherland. None of them has the slightest desire to desist from it. When Asoka the great attacked Kallinga, there was no prior conflict between the two. Both were independently marching to the path of progress. However, Asoka's will to become a "Chakravarti" emperor, led him to declare a war against the tiny Republic. Before this war between him and the republic of Kalinga, none of the Republics had resisted the attack so strongly and so courageously. But Asoka wanted nothing short of Kalinga. He achieve his target but after so much disaster and damage to the humanity. The mission of Asoka the great was accomplished but alas! After the devastation and distress all around.

Moreover, the progress and prosperity of one nation, more often than not, troubles the other nations. Sometimes, this prosperity happens to become the cause of war between two countries. Most of the attacks on India, from the outside, were initiated out of sheer desire of looting the enormous wealth which the country possessed. The attacks of Mahmud Ghaznawi and Muhammad Ghauri fall in the very same category. There are many more reasons which are responsible for the wars between the two nations. But I will not go deep into them. My objective here is to ascertain the role of the nationalism in establishing the world-peace.

Initially, there were mono-national states. But in due course of time, the multinational states have come into being. These national states are multilingual, multicultural, multi-religious and multi-ethnic in their demography. Therefore, the intra-national disputes have also joined the international struggles and both of them are the greatest threats to the international peace.

Presently, we are living in a world of the highest kinds of the hypocrites. On one hand, we spend millions and millions of Dollars on the conferences for the unity of the world. (The United Nations' Organization is the best example of this kind.) And on the other hand, the weapons of mass-destructions are developed in the name of the same world peace. At one level, the workshops and seminars are conducted and emotional speeches are delivered on the nonviolence and the international brotherhood and at the same time, the so-called developed States try to indirectly rule the weaker States by virtue of so-called International institutions like the IMF, the World Bank etc. the US attack on Iraq was not to defend the rights of the Kuwait but to capture the Oil-Fields of that country. The same trap is under construction for Iran too.

In India too, the BJP is using the sentiment of Hindu Nationalism in order to grab power in politics. Likewise, the Congress with other like-minded Parties is banking upon the appeasement of the minorities and other divisive forces like OBC, the Scheduled castes and the scheduled Tribes etc. by creating intranational disputes and by rousing the sentiments of the innocent people, most of the political Parties try to accomplish their goals. They are not the least bothered about the well-being of the people of this country.

Access of everything is bad. The nationalism in its extreme form is dangerous to the unity of the world and to the wellbeing of the humanity. That is why, our ancestors, while worshipping the motherland, never suggested that the inhabitants of the land anywhere are the real possessors of it. They preached that the land has been given to us by Nature with many other of its gifts. By preserving and protecting the part of land we live in, we insure that all the inhabitants of mother earth have this sacred duty to protect their portion. There is a Sanskrit verse:

सर्वे भवंतु सुखिनः सर्वे संतु निरामयाः.

सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यंतु मा कश्चित् दुःखभाग्भवेत्.

In English it can be summarized as:

May all be happy. May all be healthy. May all look like the gentlemen. May nobody be in a state of sorrow.

This is the real feeling which can lead us to the unity of the world. Concept of "Vasudhaivakutumbakam" is the most urgent requirement of the humans of the era. This can inspire us towards the real and the long-lasting peace.