Anupam- The Dreamer

Let me begin with the basics first. What is the meaning of the term “nation”? It essentially means a political entity wherein the inhabitants of a particular geographical area feel emotionally connected to each other and to the land they live in. Here, the term “emotional connection” is very important. Unless the people of a nation don’t feel the connection and loyalty with the other people of that land, the feeling of nation would be missing.

After the 17^th and 18^th century onwards, when the concept of nation-state started emerging, many countries with defined boundaries came up on the map of the world on the basis of some common connection with their history and culture, whether on the basis of language, race, ethnicity, religion etc. The European countries like Germany, France, England etc. were formed on the basis of language. Some African and Asian nations were formed on the basis of colonial fragmentation and their historic culture.  The people of a particular country, which was a political entity with a defined boundary, came to identify themselves as one nation. And whenever and wherever, the people of one country did not feel the same connection, then the countries fragmented like Pakistan (East and West) became Pakistan and Bangladesh. Some people fought long wars to reclaim their separate identities as nations like the disintegration of the USSR in 1990.

But even after fragmentations and realignments (like unification of East Germany with West Germany in 1990), the notion of nationality is still nebulous. One can argue that even in one country, as big as China or India or even smaller countries like Pakistan, people identify themselves differently in different areas. Although there is a common thread of nationality, but still some people identity more with a particular language or religion or culture more than the feeling of nationality. This is why there are some demands of separatism in some parts of a country. But, the topic of discussion in this article is not the political aspects of nationalities, rather I would like to throw some light on the economic aspects of nationalities.

In today’s globalized world, however hard we may argue about growing conservatism and isolationism, the economy of every country has been integrated integrally with other countries. The degree of integration may vary, but certainly after the coming of internet age and global trade, no country can remain isolated from the outer world. The supply chains across the world have integrated so much that any product, irrespective of the complexity, can hardly be said to be manufactured by a particular country. Take for example, a simple electronic toy. The plastic of the Chinese product may have been made from the hydrocarbons which is a by-product from the petroleum refinery in India which gets its crude oil from Russia, Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia etc. The, the electronic circuitry uses silicon which may have been procured from Brazil, then used to make semiconductors in China. Small parts of this toy may have been assembled in India, Vietnam etc. and then assembled in China. The software code for the toy may have been written by the high-tech software professionals of Indian origin working in silicon valley of the USA. Thus, no product is actually a “Made in China” or “Made in India” in true sense in this globalized world. It gets its name from the country where it is finally assembled into its present shape.

Until and unless the product does not involve some software or hardware applications like a handicraft product, it cannot be called a complete local-made product. But even then, it also cannot be isolated from technology in some sense, like powerlooms to make the cloth may have been imported from Germany. Thus, the pride that you can take from a high-tech product “Made in India” is limited in true sense. As the pride of making the product is fragmented between many nations, so the notions of nationality are also getting fragmented. Can you say that the Tejas aircraft is solely made in India? No! The engine comes from the General Electric company based in the USA, employing people from different nationalities again. So, in conclusion, no one nation can boast of the pride in asserting that they are not dependent on other nations for their needs. That scenario may have been possible in the medieval world, but it is certainly not possible in the modern world.

The notion of nationality has gone tremendous change in this modern world. You may be an Indian working in the subsidiary of a US registered company located in Paris, France. You draw pay from this company and you speak English and French. You spend 335 days in Paris and come to India for just 30 days in a year. Now, can you say whether you are an Indian or an American or a French? Indian, because you have an Indian passport. American, because the profits that the company makes from your sweat and blood goes to its parent company in America. French, because most of the time of your life that you spend is in France and you speak their language, eat their food, and have adopted their culture like watching The UEFA European Football Championship with great fervour. So, in the event of a war-like situation or something like that, where will your loyalty lie is a big question. This is just one case of nebulous nationalities and shifting loyalties presented before you. Everything seems fluidic and ephemeral.

In this integrated world, if any world leader says that they can become great by isolating themselves from the world are not only mistaken but also far away from the realities on the ground. The USA needs Indian skilled professionals more for their own sake, rather than the interests of the professionals themselves who send remittances into India. And no economy can become great by boycotting other economies and the goods and services from the other economies. Globalization prefers specialization and efficiency and you cannot counter these forces easily, no matter how hard you try.

We have entered in a stage where the people from one nationality go on to fight wars for other nationalities. What would you call them? Traitors? If you call them so, they will take the nationality of the other country. Therefore, in the inter-connected world, the boundaries of nationalities are withering away, and the new identity of a global citizen is emerging fast. While identification with a particular nation for a particular thing or a product is good, you cannot ignore the fact that you are integrally inter-connected with the other nations and their people. And it is in the best interest of all of us to work in tandem with each other to create a better world for us all. We either swim together or sink together. There is no third option. Period!