What a nation means

A thoughtful definition of a nation [via The Pioneer]

Former RSS spokesman MG Vaidya, while defining nationalism, wrote: One, nation means people, or the society with memories of their history; two, Nation means people who share a common heritage, a common value system, that is, common culture; three, in order to constitute and sustain a nation, the people must have a desire to live together and the will to improve upon the past inheritance; and, four, nation has little to do with material benefits; it lives in sentiments.”

Mr Vaidya further wrote, “There is a tendency to blissfully forget our identity and to engage in vociferous condemnation of our identity so much so that even the name Hindustan is an anathema for some. If state is a legal association, nation is a patriotic association. No constitution can make people patriotic, or make people sacrifice for the nation’s good. It is national pride that alone can prompt people to sacrifice; feeling of nationality can only make people feel they are one, which alone can inspire them to rise to great heights…”