Tagore on jingoism

May 31, 2019 16:01

A little over a century ago, a man who had been born in a British colony, and who would die in it, pronounced this judgement, "The idea of the Nation is one of the most powerful anaesthetics that man has invented. Under the influence of its fumes the whole people can carry out its systematic programme of the most virulent self-seeking without being in the least aware of its moral perversion, -- in fact feeling dangerously resentful if it is pointed out."

He made this statement in the United States of America right in the middle of what would later be labelled the First World War. The man was, of course, Rabindranath Tagore, and this is one of several prescient pronouncements he made as he toured Japan (picture) and the US in 1916, comprehensively critiquing the canker of nationalism even as the world seemed intent on destroying itself at the altar of jingoistic patriotism.

Read the column here.

« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES

In Pictures - City make history! 4th straight EPL title secured

Manchester City celebrate unprecedented fourth successive league title

Raisi's Instagram post urges Iranians to pray for him

Raisi's condition currently remains unknown, Iranian state news agency IRNA has reported, after the helicopter he was traveling in crashed in the country's East Azerbaijan Province.

KKR await SRH in Qualifier 1; RR face RCB in Eliminator

Rajasthan Royals paid the price for their shoddy show during the business end as a washout of their final IPL league game

In Pictures - Sunrisers demolish Punjab Kings to finish second

Images from the IPL match between Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, at the Rajiv Gandhi stadium, Hyderabad, on Sunday.

Gopi Thotakura becomes first Indian space tourist on Blue Origin

Thotakura was selected as one of the six crew members for the NS-25 mission, making him the first Indian space tourist and the second Indian to venture into space after the Indian Army's Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma in 1984.