Pseudo nationalism and Quasi nation state

Pseudo literally means not authentic or genuine. Going by the events that have plagued Nepal for decades, I could not help wonder if all we have culminated for our nation is the feeling of pseudo nationalism. May it be the riots on the unspoken hatred by an Indian actor or after the killings of Nepalese in Iraq or the recent hysteria over an Indian of Nepali origin winning a reality television show award. We have never been true nationalists. If we had been, there wouldn’t have to be the Maoists armed struggle, corruption would not have become an integral part of our bureaucracy and we would not have been so indifferent to the real development issues that needed to be addressed. Our display of nationalism is most often than not fuelled by our emotional instability owing to the feeling of inferiority and helplessness. May be this is what have made our nation a quasi nation state or it might be the other way round.

Quasi literally translates to resembling something but not quite there. Oswaldo De Rivero has explained this in his book “The Myth of Development” albeit in the context of post-colonial nation states. However, his explanation somehow fits into the situation of our nation. He elaborates “Every human group endowed with some ethnic, cultural and religious affinity felt that it had the right to become a state even though it did not constitute a true nation and did not have the economic and technological means to be viable”. In context of Nepal his views can be compared to the ongoing demands for numerous federal states by various communities, the boundaries of almost all being inter-conflicting. It can be assumed that such demands have risen due to the desire of the political elites within these communities to establish themselves in the larger political elite circle of the nation. It must however be acknowledged that such a situation has risen due to the gross discrimination and inequality which has been the defining feature of our nation state for too long. This has mainly been due to the unhindered access to power of a few select communities. As Rivero states, “Totalitarian interpretations have risen confusing the general will of the majority or of the nation with that of a predominant ethnic group or a predestined social class”. Thus, the structure of the federal states should be inclusive, whereby not discriminating against the minorities within the state which should in turn facilitate a proportionate participation in the policy formulation. There should also be an inclusive bureaucracy, but the fundamentals of which should be merit. This will require the restructuring of the education process and selection process, which at present favors the ruling elites. This will certainly take some time, more for the education system so till these are achieved there should be reservations. However, the basis of reservations should be aptitude, economic condition and geographical location. Then only will we be able to uplift the status of the citizens at the lower spectrum of the society and instill in them the confidence to compete with the formerly unchallenged elites. The economic and social development of our nation will then be fuelled by these engines of growth from all spectrums of the society. This I believe will cultivate in us the true sense of nationalism and creation of a truly sovereign nation viable in all aspects. Let us hope that this transition from a quasi nation state inhibited by pseudo nationalist to a truly inclusive and sustainable nation state fuelled by its coherent work force is not squandered as another utopian dream of an El Dorado.