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.