The Analysis of Nationalism - Research Paper Example

The Analysis of Nationalism Nationalism is a multidimensional and multifaceted process of looking at the various issues, keeping national interests at the core. While history has long since been regarded as a very important document of a country’s inheritance of its cultural values, people and its socio political and economical evolution, nationalism has not been mentioned as a prominent ideology or socio-political thought. The colonization and post colonization has seen the beginning of nationalism gradually coming to the forefront of socio-ideological paradigm of the nations. The process has prompted an ideology based social movement that primarily keeps the national interest over and above to that of the individual. National movements are characterized by distinct sentiments of national pride that strives for self rule and liberty. The movement has emerged as a result of the oppression of natives by the dominant forces of the external agencies or countries. The colonization of countries occurred when British Empire and the European countries like France, Germany and Portugal etc. used military forces to overcome the local resistance and ruled the countries in a manner that served their interests. The colonial rulers exploited the local people and the local resources for their own and their country’s interests. Oppression and total disregard for the welfare of the locals are the dominant features of the colonial rulers. A national movement was started to unite the people on the common ground of freedom from the foreign rule. The nationalism thus became a socio-political ideology that was designed towards the creation of self rule with unique national identity. The post colonial writers and others believe that nationalism is the most significant factor that is responsible for the nations to strive towards socio economic development and promote unique socio-cultural identity that cuts across regional factors and individual interests. The colonial rulers had stripped the nations of their resources and wealth, leaving it gasping for food, shelter and resources of income generation. Hence, the people’s desire to restore their dignity through creation of channels for development and establishment of a government that would work for the cause of common man became the key factor in national movements. But, the most interesting facet of nationalism in the post colonial literature was their obsession with the ‘post colonialism’ that makes it difficult for the country to establish a distinct national identity without relating it in some way with the colonial rule. Indeed when Davies quotes Lorna Goodison, Caribbean poet who laments, ‘when is post coloniality going to end? (Davies, 1994), she raises the most important question of contemporary leadership who would not let go of colonial consciousness and the inability of the masses to hold on to it so that it can become a measure of their independence from the colonial rule. Colonialism has emerged from the European Empires like French, British, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish etc. who went out of their own territorial boundaries to establish their dominance in far flung areas, some discovered and some yet to be discovered. Thus the colonial rulers in south west Asia and Africa had long been established while the new world, later called America, came into existence. The impact of the colonial rule and its repercussions in the form of revolutions and civil movements only became intense in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. The two world wars saw the disintegration of the colonial rule and emergence of independent states. The post colonial structure and political ideologies of the new nations became vastly different and the lingering affects of the colonial rule became the hallmark of the post colonial literature. The authors of ‘The Empire Writes Back’ assert that post colonial includes ‘all the culture affected by imperial process from the moment of colonisation to the present time’ (Ashcroft et al., 1989). But despite the traces, the nationalism became the strongest force to motivate the new government towards development issues and strive for socio-cultural and economical independence. Nationalism too has fostered widely disparate political thoughts and ideologies but no one can deny that the social movements and civilian revolution across the colonial rule were prompted by an innate sense of collective vision for self rule and a desire for their own exclusive identity as a nation. The concept of nation, by default, presents a vision of well defined homogenous group that may have common culture and racial identity. Anderson has proposed that nations have emerged as ‘imagined communities’ due to communication and media exposure (Anderson, 1983). It is equally true that the sentiments of nationalism have promoted traditions and rituals to glorify events or as expression of solidarity within certain predefined socio-cultural constraints (Hobsbawm, 1983). The new festivals, holidays, monuments etc. are recent entry in the annals of European traditions, especially after the First World War. Indeed, nationalism thrives on issues and symbols that portray national pride. Notwithstanding the minor reminders of colonialism, it is important to identify and evaluate the national movement in terms of nation building processes and establishment of socio-cultural and economic identity. The post colonial literature has been significant in promoting ideological and political thoughts of nationalist movements. The evolution of socio-cultural and political values has been well documented in the literature and reflects the changes that can be contributed to the freedom struggle. The empirical case study of India and Argentina, two most prominent post colonial states that had undergone tremendous oppression and exploitation by the colonial rulers, would be discussed vis-à-vis nation building process, cultural identity and traditions and socio-political conflicts. In the contemporary time, India has emerged as one of the fastest developing economies in the world. After more than 400 years of colonial rule, the remnant of colonial oppression and traditions can still be observed in the general conduct of people at large. But the long and oppressive colonial rule has left some indelible mark in the diaspora of its culture. But by the middle of nineteenth century, fermentation of discontent and nationalist sentiments had started taking shape in the country. The revolt of 1857 against the religious sentiments of communities had sown the first seed of national movement. The extreme poverty and the gradual realization amongst the elitists that the foreign rulers were using them and their resources to fill their own coffers became the main plank for their nationalist sentiments. The emerging new breed of young leaders like Subhash Chandra Bose, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Nehru, Gandhi etc. urged the people to come together and fight against the foreigners. The elite’ Indians like Bose, Gandhi etc. had studied in Britain and they became aware of the vast disparity in the rule. While the people in Britain enjoyed free speech, equality, democratic functioning, the Indians in India were not only denied those rights but their exploitation was deliberate. If the common man (Indians) remained poor and backward, he would not be able to rebel against them. The Indian nationalist leaders and social reformers took up their cause and raised support for their nationalist movements to oust the foreigners. The non cooperation movement literally brought the country to a stand still. Gandhi’s ‘Swadesi movement’ made the Indians discard foreign goods and spin their own clothes and eat and use goods which were produced and made by Indians only. This was a big blow to British economy who had hitherto exploited Indians and depended on them for their own blooming economic gains. The freedom movement of India is identified with non violence that withstood the unmitigated violence and atrocities of the British forces. It was able to generate global empathy and ultimately gained freedom from the British rule in 1947 to become an independent sovereign state. Salman Rushdie, one of the most prominent post colonial writers has portrayed the socio-cultural paradigm of independent India. In the ‘Midnight Children’, he says ‘I was born…on 15 August, 1947.. I had been mysteriously handcuffed to history, my destinies indissolubly chained to those of my country’(1981). The poignancy of the beginning becomes the most paradoxical statement of the book. The hopes and expectations of the common man from free India are crushed in the race for survival. While Rushdie has described the social prejudices and poverty ridden life in detail where influence of British culture could be clearly seen in stories and thoughts, many people have missed the pertinent point that years of subjugation had not crushed the spirit of nationalism and the Indian leaders were not only capable of taking decisive actions to protect their people and their territory, they were equally concerned for the welfare of their neighboring states like Bangladesh. The development processes had begun with a vengeance that was palpably visible when Indians win the Bangladesh war for Bangladeshis! Henry Kunzru (2002) in ‘The Impressionist’ and Kiran Desai (2006) in ‘The Loss of Inheritance’ has written in English and talked about the subjects where the two cultures have produced an undetermined clash of identities. Both the authors have shown explicit leaning towards a new cultural identity that has crossed borders of nationality. But it must be noted that the post colonial Indian writers may have boldly claimed identities but the ambiguities of those have remained elusive for them. ‘..his boundaries have dissolved altogether and he is lost, or perhaps not so much lost as dispersed through the darkness, his turning world bereft of still points, radially uncertain about who or where or why he is..(Kunzru, 2002). Argentina, on the other hand, is the second largest country in South America. It was accessed by the Spanish explorers in 1516. After more than 200 years of colonial rule, in 1810, Argentines were able to create Junta government through May revolution. The nationalist movement headed by General Martin greatly succeeded in defeating royal forces of Chile and Peru to gain independence in 1816. The presence of colonial rulers in the neighboring countries remained a threat to the peaceful co-existence for the Argentines and development remained a byword for successive wars with their enemies. Nationalism and intense desire to improve their economic status prompted them towards investment in agriculture which is their major source of cash flow. Their nationalist feeling of pride was the major propeller of change for the Argentines and by 1925 they were one of the richest nations. Though accession of General Peron in 1946, heralded the decline in the fortune of Argentina, they, nevertheless, have now been able to regain economic stability and the first woman President, Kirchner, elected in 2007 has ushered in an era of hope and gender equality that was hitherto not very visible. The post colonial literature of Argentina abounds with the tales of war and at the same time, they are also able to portray the betrayal and excesses of the wartime. Surprisingly, the typical touch of colonial oppression is distinctly lacking in the Argentine’s post colonial literature. Leading Argentine José Hernández has been hailed as the nationalist poet, whose poem, Martín Fierro has been hailed as the expression of ‘the heroic life of our race, like the [Cid] Campeador’ (Lugones). The poem eulogises the national hero Martin and poem is a saga of Martin’s exploits in the war against the enemies and his empathy with his people and their welfare. Many others authors and critics have identified the poem with national identity. While the poem is highly patriotic in theme but it can also be called culturally liberating. The obsession of the poet with the war has also brought out issues that have yet to be analyzed for its reality or perhaps imagery and surreal impression. Gauchos, Indians, and Blacks have been described as barbarians and savages, raises the very pertinent question of the obsession of the poet with colonial oppression that could have perhaps transgressed human sensibilities. The poem not only extols patriotism and social justice but has also indicated that revenge is also an integral part of life that does not always yields the right results as the experiences of the protagonist reveal. Indeed, the military and presence of good men, subtly Raises support for social justice and national movement that would support national interest against other forces. Indeed, the poet has acknowledged the presence of more than one force that is detrimental to Argentines. Indeed, in Fierro’s poem, the colonial rulers are just one of the many enemies! In yet another Argentine writer, Manuel Puig's 1976 novel Beso de la mujer arana (Kiss of the Spider Woman), the main theme revolves around the atrocities of the colonial rulers but if one looks deeper into the details, one finds that Puig has poignantly woven the general concern of prevailing barbarous traditions of witchcraft and enslavement of people. The reference to Zombie, the cult figure of the 1943 Hollywood classic, I Walked with a Zombie directed by Val Lewton, is clearly reflects the increasing concern of the author. The zombie is an embodiment of enslavement, sexual perversity and a desire to possess. Indeed, it becomes highly disquieting to think that even after more than 200 years of independence from the colonial rule, the remnants of colonial excesses are continuously influencing the socio-political processes of the common man in Argentina. The post colonial literature has a pronounced impact on the contemporary traditions and cultural values primarily because their obsession with colonial traditions and socio-political ideologies, they ferment the legacy of distress, poverty, cultural vacuum and subversion of national identity. The nationalism is increasingly losing its relevance in the current era of rapid globalization where regional and national boundaries have become redundant. There should not be any post colonial literature because once the colonial rule has ended, the independent nation must usher in an era of free thoughts and independent socio-political and cultural identity. If the nations and thereby the people, persist in claiming post colonial literature, art etc. the very purpose of their struggle to gain the much cherished liberty and freedom fails and they remain enslaved to the concept of colonialism. Reference Ashcroft, Bill, Griffiths, Gareth and Tiffin Helen (ed.).(1989). The Empire Writes Back: Theory and Practice in Post-Colonial Literature. London. Routledge, p2. Anderson, Benedict. (1983) Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. London: Verso. Desai, Kiran. (2006). The Loss of Inheritance. Grove Press. Hernández, José. (1987). Martín Fierro. Ed. Luis Sainz de Medrano. México: Letras Hispánicas. Kunzru, Hari. (2002). The Impressionist. Hamish Hamilton. Lorna Goodison quoted in Davies, Carole Boyce.(1994). Black Women, Writing and Identity: Migration of the subject. London. Routledge. P 95. Lugones, Leopoldo. (1962). El Payador. Obras en prosa. Madrid; México; Buenos Aires: Aguilar. Hobsbawm, E & Ranger, T. (editors) (1983) The invention of Tradition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Puig, Manual. (1979). Kiss of the Spider Woman. Thomas Colchie, tr. New York. Vintage. Rushdie, Salman. (1981). Midnight’s Children. Random House. Read More