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The Wondrous World Of Pluralism

By Pratap Antony

30 October, 2015
Countercurrents.org

Relationships between nations, are not built on business deals and international salesmanship. Relationships between nations are built on respect and shared values, ideals and experiences.

Nowadays in India, there is an increasing use of the word ‘nationalism’, though the notion of nationalism is not really clear to all who use it. Surprisingly, or unsurpisingly, the word is used mainly by politicians, though they do not know the true meaning of the word, even while they are wooing other countries to do business with India.

Another group of people who wallow in the word ‘nationalist’ are NRI’s, Non Resident Indians, who abandon the country of their birth for greener pastures, preferably in the Nortwestern hemisphere, to build their careers, educate their families and settle there; and gloat over how much financially better-off they are than their friends and relatives back in India; and boast about their big homes and cars, and how clean, hygienic and disciplined the cities they live in are. And when they meet their fellow NRI’s, they tell each other how difficult it is for them to live in India even during a short holiday visit to the families they left behind because they couldn’t get them visas to escape from india too. These very NRI’s claim to be nationalistic, because they are tuned into Indian films, Indian pop music and follow some rituals and customs that they brought back to their real homes in USA or UK, but where they only mix with other Indians from the community and region they belonged to in India, in informal ‘social’ ghettos.

Many of us who are not politicians, use the words, ‘nationalist or nationalism’ notionally, thinking it means patriot or patriotism. We often confuse nationalism with patriotism and vice versa without knowing exactly what the words mean.

Nationalism and Patriotism, are not the same, they are quite different from each other.

Patriotrism is a value, an ethical principle of human consciousness. It is intrinsic and personal. A patriot is one who loves her/his nation based on its values and beliefs. Affection for the country is essential and ingrained in patriotism.

Nationalism is a political ideology. A social belief concerned with power and the balance of power. Nationalism, is an aggressive concept, an exaggerated and belligerent belief in national and religious superiority and glory. Religious nationalism is unthinking faith and intolerance; a convoluted muddle of religious conviction and political expediency overtaking critical reasoning.

An excerpt from George Orwell’s essay, ‘Notes on Nationalism’, written in 1945, during the final stages of World War II.“Nationalism is not to be confused with patriotism. Both words are normally used in so vague a way that any definition is liable to be challenged, but one must draw a distinction between them, since two different and even opposing ideas are involved. By "patriotism" I mean devotion to a particular place and a particular way of life, which one believes to be the best in the world but has no wish to force on other people. Patriotism is of its nature defensive, both militarily and culturally. Nationalism, on the other hand, is inseparable from the desire for power. The abiding purpose of every nationalist is to secure more power and more prestige, not for himself but for the nation or other unit in which he has chosen to sink his own individuality”.

So, we could say that patriotism could be viewed as desirable; it is rooted in affection and love for a nation based on its values and beliefs. Nationalism on the other hand is not desirable. A nationalist considers his own nation superior to all or thinks that the nation should be made great and superior by any means, fair or foul, it is therefore rooted in insecurity, low self regard, rivalry and hatred, hence it could be described as the worst enemy of peace.

A few other words that are confusing to many of us are, ‘secularism’, and ‘pluralism’. So,

lets see what these words really mean.

Secularism as a concept means that religion is a matter of personal belief and convictions, and so, religion should have no connection with politics.

Secularism is, according to the Readers Digest Universal Dictionary - the view that religious considerations should be excluded from civil affairs or public education. According to Chambers Dictionary: Secularism is the belief that the state; morals, education etc. should be independent of religion.

Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia says, “the term ‘secularism’ was first used by the British writer George Jacob Holyoake in 1851”. “Holyoake invented the term ‘secularism’ to describe his views of promoting a social order separate from religion, without actively dismissing or criticizing religious belief”.

Secularism in modern India was conceived as a system that sustained religious and cultural pluralism. From its birth as a nation-state, Jawaharlal Nehru officially adopted the modern political concept of secularism as India's path to national integration. Mahatma Gandhi said "I do not expect India of my dreams to develop one religion, i.e., to be wholly Hindu or wholly Christian or wholly Mussalman, but I want it to be wholly tolerant, with its religions working side by side with one another.'' India is a constitutionally declared secular state.

Pluralism is the recognition, engagement, understanding and acceptance of diversity in people and their ways of life. Cultural pluralism - is a lively commitment to dialogue and building relationships with people across the lines of diverse religious, cultural, ethnic, regional identities.

Pluralism assumes that diversity is beneficial to society – Brittanica.com. Pluralism is the recognition and affirmation of diversity within a political body, which permits the peaceful coexistence of different interests, convictions and lifestyles. Wikipedia (political philosophy)

Pluralism is an affirmation that peaceful coexistence of a diverse society is beneficial to a nation.

Pluralism is what makes the world so interesting. And India is pluralistic in so many ways, in the number of regions with different geographical features, in the origin of the people of the different states and regions of India who speak several different languages, eat different foods, follow different rituals, have different and varied regional cultures, wear different clothes, practice different religions and customs, and pursue different art forms, folk traditions, architecture, art, music and dance.

India is an exemplar of diversity, plurality and secularism. Let us celebrate harmonious and peaceful co-existence!

Pratap Antony is a Passive activist.Active pacifist

 



 

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