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Nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism
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Nationalism

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Nationalism is a comprehensive exploration of the historical, political, and cultural phenomenon of nationalism. Written by Rabindranath Tagore, a renowned poet and philosopher, this thought-provoking book delves into the complexities and consequences of nationalistic fervor. Engaging readers with insightful analysis, Tagore challenges prevailing notions of patriotism and encourages a broader understanding of humanity.

  • A profound examination of the impact of nationalism on society and individual identity.
  • Tagore's eloquent prose that stimulates critical thinking and introspection.
  • Relevant and timely reflections on the pitfalls and potential of nationalist ideologies.
  • A valuable resource for students, scholars, and anyone interested in political and social theory.
  • A classic work that continues to inspire discussions on nationalism and its implications.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateSep 1, 2015
ISBN9789354408793
Nationalism
Author

Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was an Indian poet, composer, philosopher, and painter from Bengal. Born to a prominent Brahmo Samaj family, Tagore was raised mostly by servants following his mother’s untimely death. His father, a leading philosopher and reformer, hosted countless artists and intellectuals at the family mansion in Calcutta, introducing his children to poets, philosophers, and musicians from a young age. Tagore avoided conventional education, instead reading voraciously and studying astronomy, science, Sanskrit, and classical Indian poetry. As a teenager, he began publishing poems and short stories in Bengali and Maithili. Following his father’s wish for him to become a barrister, Tagore read law for a brief period at University College London, where he soon turned to studying the works of Shakespeare and Thomas Browne. In 1883, Tagore returned to India to marry and manage his ancestral estates. During this time, Tagore published his Manasi (1890) poems and met the folk poet Gagan Harkara, with whom he would work to compose popular songs. In 1901, having written countless poems, plays, and short stories, Tagore founded an ashram, but his work as a spiritual leader was tragically disrupted by the deaths of his wife and two of their children, followed by his father’s death in 1905. In 1913, Tagore was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, making him the first lyricist and non-European to be awarded the distinction. Over the next several decades, Tagore wrote his influential novel The Home and the World (1916), toured dozens of countries, and advocated on behalf of Dalits and other oppressed peoples.

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    This work by Rabindranath Tagore is truly remarkable. In “Nationalism”, he writes about his interpretation of nationalism. He also points out the pitfalls of nationalism gone wild. His fundamental premise rests on the comparison between the nationalist movement in Europe and the Indian situation.To India has been given her problem from the beginning of history—it is the race problem. Races ethnologicallydifferent have in this country come into close contact. This fact has been and still continues to be the mostimportant one in our history. It is our mission to face it and prove our humanity by dealing with it in the fullesttruth. Until we fulfil our mission all other benefits will be denied us.He wrote this during the early days of the nationalist movement in India, and could see some threats that this had for Indians.As he mentions in his book, the problem in India is social rather than political. Rabindranath Tagore specifically wrote about the social and human condition under the monarchs of India. He does not say that the situation under rulers was ideal. Yet, it gave people wriggle room, in which to explore their individuality. A nationalist stare, he states, seeks to enforce uniformity on people, and how they view themselves as part of a larger whole.We feel this all the more, because the teaching and example of the West have entirely run counter to what wethink was given to India to accomplish. In the West the national machinery of commerce and politics turns outneatly compressed bales of humanity which have their use and high market value; but they are bound in ironhoops, labelled and separated off with scientific care and precision.India is not, and has never been, a homogenous country. In his view, India should find its own solution and not imitate the West. He wrote of the caste system, briefly. In his view, the problem was not in the system itself, but because we forgot the laws of mutation.What is more, we have to recognize that the history of India does not belong to one particular race but to aprocess of creation to which various races of the world contributed—the Dravidians and the Aryans, the ancientGreeks and the Persians, the Mohammedans of the West and those of central Asia.Rabindranath Tagore admired Japan, and he also contrasted the Western and emerging Indian model with the Japanese one. The Japanese seemed to blend the new concept of nationalism with their own ancient culture.The truth is that Japan is old and new at the same time. She has her legacy of ancient culture from the East,—theculture that enjoins man to look for his true wealth and power in his inner soul, the culture that gives self possessionin the face of loss and danger, self-sacrifice without counting the cost or hoping for gain, defiance ofdeath, acceptance of countless social obligations that we owe to men as social beings. In a word, modern Japanhas come out of the immemorial East like a lotus blossoming in easy grace, all the while keeping its firm holdupon the profound depth from which it has sprung.Rabindranath Tagore’s views diverge from those of his contemporaries like Sri Aurobindo. Aurobindo was a revolutionary who became a mystic.I quote Aurobindo from the Orissa Review * November—200827In 1908 he said in a public meeting in Bombay,“Nationalism is not a mere political programme; Nationalism is a religion that has come from God; Nationalism is a creed which you shall have to live. If you are going to be nationalist, if you are going to assent to this religion of nationalism, you must do it in the religious spirit. You must remember that you are the instrument of God,”.In more recent times, Shashi Tharoor has quoted extensively from Tagore in his book, “The Battle of Belonging”, which I reviewed.This volume by Tagore is exceptional. I am not a great fan of his novel, “Gora” in which he probed the question of nationalism. I reviewed “Gora” as well.In “Nationalism”, he has expressed his views directly, clearly and in a style that is quite poetic. He does not beat about the bush. You can feel the flow of the words. They are almost like a river stream that flows calmly to the delta.His words, composed almost a century ago, ring true today.Nationalism is a great menace. It is the particular thing which for years has been at the bottom of India'stroubles. 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 politicaldestiny.

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Nationalism - Rabindranath Tagore

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