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State & the NationBy Sachin Nandha, 2004

The modern conception of a nation has been somewhat perversed in recent decades due to a

common confusion that the State is solely responsible for the welfare of all and overall

direction in which the nation evolves. Communism and other socialist movements in the 19th

and 20th centuries wholly endorsed this notion of the state being solely responsible. Simply

put, the state is neither the nation nor can represent the entire nation but is only an

institution, which helps the nation fulfil some of its potential.

Just as evolutionists have discovered that nature develops specific organs within the body to

continue life forever adapting to the external environment, so the nation creates institutions,

which assist the fulfilment of the national goals. Trade Unions, pressure groups, political

parties, NGO’s, charity organisations, welfare trusts, media, etc. are all merely institutions

which should assist the nation evolve and in return must evolve in response to the ever

changing external environments. Concepts such as marriage and property are also institutions

which should assist a nation develop. The perversion is that people in contemporary society

have taken the state and the nation to be synonymous. As a consequence the state took over

the responsibility from the other institutions therefore seeming to appear solely responsible for

the welfare of the nation. When in reality the individual has lost all sense of social

responsibility and looks to the state for appeasement of their desires. With the advent of 

mass media (an institution that should assist a nations development) has extrapolated the

problem. Free media has now become an institution, which has lost all sense of national

responsibility due to the concept of corporate profitability as being the sole indicator of prosperity. The media continues to give the impression that it is the state, which is solely

responsible for all of society’s ills and that its position is to merely highlight problems and

achievements with the added ingredient of profit. This growing tendency for the individual

and other national institutions to shift responsibility to the state is damaging to the

development of the nation, as it distorts responsibility and accountability.

We must aim to approach all national achievements and problems with the intent to re-

distribute responsibility back across society and rediscover the true position of the state. All

other national institutions must take on their particular responsibility and fulfil their part for

the betterment of the nation. The state in its current climate is highly confused and therefore

needs to be redeveloped. The position of the state is to merely create an environment where

individuals are provided with the bare minimum for survival from which to create an

environment whereby all are encouraged to achieve their own potential on an individual as

well as social level. The state must project upon society certain eternal values that must be

present in all, values such as the importance of the family unit, full employment, and

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encourage policies that benefit the whole, and not the few with power and influence. In other

words a ‘redistribution’ of power and responsibility back to the individual, and other

institutions is required.

The state must be a plural entity. Just as an individual is a son to his father/mother, father to

his son/daughter, friend to his/her friend, brother to a sister, colleague to other employees,

etc. the state must also take on different approaches and responsibilities in correlation to the

situation. It must fulfil all its designated roles, knowing that when it does not evolve it will

only create disharmony in society. I do not follow the philosophy that suggests that where

there is diversity, conflict is inevitable. Conflict only arises out of neglect and lack of true

understanding. Therefore a movement is required which enables individuals at a grass root

level to take back some of their responsibility from the state while reclaiming accountability

and fulfilling their part to better the nation.

Issues such as referendums on the Euro should always be questioned. The state is

responsible for the betterment of the nation as a whole, the majority of its subjects are in no

position, factually or intellectually to make such holistic decisions, the notion that the

  “majority has spoken” cannot be accepted whole heartedly due to the simple fact that the

majority may not know what is good for the nation. Religion and state must always be

separated; the state must allow every religion to flourish in society as long as no religion

promotes divisive measures and a philosophy, which is against the betterment of the whole.

Therefore this movement aims to promote a way of thinking that shall promote religious

freedom as long as that freedom is not abused and encroaches on another’s freedom. The

state must take it upon itself to uphold the highest level of conduct, which it wants its subjectsto adhere too, therefore there, must be no contradiction at the highest level of society.

I think we as a citizens need to re-start the debate about the relationship between the nation

and its State. If we do not address this enquiry with sufficient depth, I firmly believe that we

will end up with a national catastrophe, and a nation without the means to cope.