The juxtaposition of the words Nationalism and Borderless World appears paradoxical and confusing at first sight but in reality raises issues that can no longer be wished away. Are we living in a borderless world in the Age of Globalisation? Or, poised at the threshold of an emerging world order with nation states enmeshed inextricably with ties technological and cultural clinging on to identities forged in a fast fading past we must be ready to get rid of deadwood—identities based on concepts no longer relevant?
At the outset it must be understood that borders that are most problematic and divisive are lines drawn on the political map of the planet in the era of colonialism. Contending imperial powers of Europe drew these arbitrarily settling claims carving out vast tracts of land in Asia, Africa and Latin America dividing people who shared ethnic, religious and linguistic ties. The enslaved were exploited, oppressed and dispossessed. The ‘Civilisational Mission’ of the victors included erasure of pre-colonial memories of the vanquished, destroying their self-respect and confidence. This project was essentially a strategy to divide and rule the subjugated who had till then lived harmoniously. The ruthless plunder of natural resources and systematic destruction of indigenous knowledge and sense of community exacerbated the problem. It was inevitable that people treated like cattle would rebel to regain their independence. The struggle to throw off the colonial yoke was fuelled by what can be termed as national awakening. During the freedom struggle in different lands religious, regional, linguistic differences ceased to divide the people. Colonies ruled by the same metropolitan master had blurred the borders between their possessions. The spheres of influence that excluded rivals kept shrinking or advancing with the tilting of the balance of power in Europe
It was this colonial rivalry of imperial powers that injected jingoism and chauvinism in the discourse distorting our understanding of nationalism and patriotism. It was not long before from ‘Breaths there a man so dead who never to himself hath said, this is my own my native land’ patriotism became for common man the ‘last refuge of scoundrels’. By the advent of the 20th century, chauvinism and jingoism had raised their ugly heads. Borders drawn arbitrarily by powerful invaders had inevitably resulted in distortion of ideas. The wretched of the earth were branded and driven like cattle to identify with the foreign masters. The violent wars of national liberation as well as non-violent civil disobedience and resistance both strove to forge a unity among a people who had been brutally separated by foreign colonisers. Unfortunately, the forces of xenophobia, chauvinism and jingoism enfeebled the unifying nationalist sentiment. The aftermath of two ‘world’ wars only accelerated the poisonous spread of racism and sectarian strife. The process of decolonisation followed a different pace in different geographies. The attempt of colonial powers to establish control over their former possessions that had emerged as new nations continued till late 1960s. The advent of the Cold War after the dawn of the Age of Atom Bomb extinguished all hopes of unifying the divided humanity. The ideological battle for the minds of men drew new borders. These lessons from past shouldn’t be forgotten at the present moment pregnant with unprecedented promise and perils. India has always believed in the world being one family— vasudhaiva kutumbakam—and it’s easy to delude ourselves that others share this belief. The globalised world alas isn’t borderless where nationalism has become obsolete. There are barriers and borders that painfully and unjustly separate the rich and the poor. The technologically and militarily powerful unabashedly claim the right to plunder natural resources possessed by the weak. They arrogantly partner with rivals and enemies opportunistically to impose the peace dictated by them impinging on the sovereignty of those who dwell in the global south.
There is an urgent need to rethink and revitalise nationalism to defend ourselves against the impending onslaught of xenophobic jingoism. There is no place for divisive patriotism anywhere in the contemporary world that is not yet borderless.
The intolerance once accepted, as the new normal in the post-truth world becomes lethally infectious; almost like a self-mutating virus that is immune to any vaccine. The strife that has surfaced in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu over perceived threat of Hindi imperialism is just one such case. The small spark can ignite an all-consuming conflagration if we fail to wake up in time. It may be totally imaginary but the short-sighted formulations and implementation of language formulae to appease politically bothersome elements has created a slippery slope to the precipice. The Hindi chauvinists make ridiculous claims about the “elder sister” born pure from the noble Sanskrit, oldest classical language used by Gods, etc. In the past few years, encouraged by the polarisation in the run up to the pran pratishtha in Ram Temple they have smelt an opportunity to go for the jugular and get Hindi recognised as the national language of India. Tragicomic theatrical performances are staged in TV studios declaring Valmiki to be the ‘Adi Kavi’ of Hindi and propping up Tulsidas as the real Tuti-e-Hind to debunk Amir Khusrau. This isn’t just fanning flames of Hindu-Muslim enmity but alienating Marathis, Bengalis and variants of Hindi, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Awadhi and Braj over Khadi boli.