NATIONALISM IN INDIA

 This chapter presents an excerpt from Rabindranath Tagore's 1917

essay "Nationalism in India," in which he considers the specific
challenges faced by India in developing a national self-
consciousness as well as the need for that consciousness to be
grounded in Indian cultural sensibilities. Tagore was a prolific and
accomplished poet, novelist, and playwright and is perhaps best
known for his literary output, a massive corpus comprising
remarkable writing in both Bengali and English. Tagore is less well
known as a philosopher but made significant contributions to the
development of Indian philosophy in the early twentieth century. In
his essay, Tagore argues that the real problem in India is not
political but social, a condition that he says prevails not only in
India but among all nations. He also notes a parallelism between
America and India-the parallelism of welding together various races
into one body. In the end, he claims that India has never had a real
sense of nationalism, and that nationalism has for years been at
the bottom of India's troubles.
 The REAL PROBLEM in India is not
political but social.
 Politics in the West have dominated
Western ideals, and Indians are trying
to imitatate the West..
 Europeans had their racial unity from
the beginning, and where natural
resources were insufficient for the
inhabitants, the civilization has
naturally taken the character of
political and commercial
aggressiveness.
 They had to deal with neighbours who
were strong
 In former days they organized and
plundered, in the present age the
same spirit continues - and they
organize and exploit the whole world.
History of India
 From the earliest beginnings of history, India
has had her own problem constantly before
her - it is the race problem
 Many people in this country ask me what is
happening as to the caste distinctions in India.
But when this question is asked me, it is
usually done with a superior air. And I feel
tempted to put the same question to our
American critics with a slight modification,
'What have you done with the Red Indian and
the Negro?' For you have not got over your
attitude of caste toward them. You have used
violent methods to keep aloof from other
races, but until you have solved the question
here in America, you have no right to question
India.
 India has done something. She has tried to
make an adjustment of races, to acknowledge
the real differences between them where
these exist, and yet seek for some basis of
unity. This basis has come through our saints,
like Nanak, Kabir, Chaitanya and others,
preaching one God to all races of India.

Solution
 In finding the solution of our problem
we shall have helped to solve the world
problem as well. What India has been,
the whole world is now. The whole
world is becoming one country through
scientific facility. And the moment is
arriving when you also must find a
basis of unity which is not political.
 Only those peoples have survived and
achieved civilization who have this
spirit of cooperation strong in them.
 In our early history when the
geographical limits of each country and
also the facilities of communication
were smaIl. In those days they
combined among them-selves and
fought against others. But it was this
moral spirit of combination which was
the true basis of their greatness, and
this fostered their art, science and
religion
Present Scenario
 The most important fact of the present age is
that all the different races of men have come
close together. And again we are confronted
with two alternatives. The problem is whether
the different groups of peoples shall go on
fighting with one another or find out some
true basis of reconciliation and mutual help.
 The gigantic organizations for hurting others
and warding off their blows, for making
money by dragging others back, will not help
us. On the contrary, by their crushing weight,
their enormous cost and their deadening
effect upon the living humanity they will
seriously impede our freedom in the larger life
of a higher civilization.
 During the evolution of the Nation the moral
culture of brotherhood was limited by
geographical boundaries, because at that
time those boundaries were true. Now they
have become imaginary lines of tradition
divested of the qualities of real obstacles. So
the time has come when man's moral nature
must deal with this great fact with all
seriousness or perish.
America Vs Europe
 I realize how much America is untrammeled by
the traditions of the past, and I can appreciate
that experimentalism is a sign of America's
youth. The foundation of her glory is in the
future, rather than in the past; and if one is
gifted with the power of clairvoyance, one will be
able to love the America that is to be.
 America is destined to justify Western civilization
to the East. Europe has lost faith in humanity,
and has become distrustful and sickly. America,
on the other hand, is not pessimistic
 Europe has been cultivating these hedges of
habits for long years till they have grown round
her dense and strong and high. The pride of her
traditions has sent its roots deep into her heart. I
do not wish to contend that it is unreasonable.
But pride in every form breeds blindness at the
end.
 Europe has gradually grown hardened in her
pride of all her outer and inner habits. She not
only cannot forget that she is Western, but she
takes every opportunity to hurl this fact against
others to humiliate them. This is why she is
growing incapable of imparting to the East what
is best in herself,
America better than Europe
 In America national habits and traditions have
not had time to spread their clutching roots
round your hearts.
 But in this present age of transition, when a new
era of civilization is sending its trumpet call to all
peoples of the world across an unlimited future,
this very freedom of detachment will enable you
to accept its invitation and to achieve the goal
for which Europe began her journey but lost
herself midway. For she was tempted out of her
path by her pride of power and greed of
possession.
 All the great nations of Europe have their victims
in other parts of the world. This not only deadens
their moral sympathy but also their intellectual
sympathy, which is so necessary for the
understanding of races which are different from
one's own.
 If you compare England with Germany or France
you will find she has produced the smallest
number of scholars who have studied Indian
literature and philosophy with any amount of
sympathetic insight or thoroughness. This
attitude of apathy and contempt is natural where
the relationship is abnormal and founded upon
national selfishness and pride.
India and spiritual unity
 A parallelism exists between America and India - the
parallelism of welding together into one body various
races.
 In my country, we have been seeking to find out
something common to all races, which will prove
their real unity.
 Men of thought and power will discover the spiritual
unity, will realize it, and preach it.

 India has never had a real sense of nationalism.

 The educated Indian at present is trying to absorb
some lessons from history contrary to the lessons of
our ancestors. The East, in fact, is attempting to take
unto itself a history which is not the outcome of its
own living
 We must know for certain that there is a future
before us and that future is waiting for those who are
rich in moral ideals and not in mere things.
 Nationalism is a great menace. It is the particular
thing which for years has been at the bottom of
India's troubles. And inasmuch as we have been
ruled and dominated by a nation that is strictly
political in its attitude, we have tried to develop
within ourselves, despite our inheritance from the
past, a belief in our eventual political destiny.
Problems in India
 There are different parties in India, with different
ideals. Some are struggling for political
independence. Others think that the time has not
arrived for that, and yet believe that India should
have the rights that the English colonies have.
They wish to gain autonomy as far as possible.

 In the beginning of our history of political agitation
in India there was not that conflict between
parties which there is to-day. In that time there
was a party known as the Indian congress; it had
no real programme.
 Her problem was the problem of the world in
miniature. India is too vast in its area and too
diverse in its races. It is many countries packed in
one geographical receptacle. It is just the opposite
of what Europe truly is, namely one country made
into many. Thus Europe in its culture and growth
has had the advantage of the strength of the
many, as well as the strength of the one.
 Her caste system is the outcome of this spirit of
toleration. For India has all along been trying
experiments in evolving a social unity within
which all the different peoples could be held
together, yet fully enjoying the freedom of
maintaining their own differences.