The Inputs of Nation-Building

The Inputs of Nation-Building

1989 5 May 13-14 The Inputs of Nation-Building (451) “Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.”

When discussing the slowness of human progress, philosopher once made the point that “it is not that people are deficient in strength but in intention.” It would certainly be true to say that people possess ability, but lack the drive to make the most of it. Any venture – if it is to be successful – requires strenuous and unremitting effort over a long period of time. The virtues of patience and endurance are vital, therefore, for anyone who wishes ultimately to see the fruits of his labours. If one is lacking in these qualities, one should give up the hope of any great success. The secret of achievement in life can be summed up thus: the longer the wait, the greater the progress. As Benjamin Franklin put it, “He who can have patience can have what he will.”

The building up of a community life may be achieved in a larger or shorter period of time, depending upon the kind of nation building you want to do. Do you want to work the community up to fever pitch, in the mistaken belief that the rapid instigation of temporary, therefore, negative zeal should be the main objective? And do you imagine that you are really achieving something by shouting provocative slogans to assemble large crowds at showily arranged functions. If, according to you, this is the way to construct a community, you could, given conditions which are favourable to your project, lead the nation, to disaster. In effect, you would be building not the nation but the image of your personal leadership. This is not devotion to the community, but mere glorification of the self.

This kind of work can be advantageous to the self-proclaimed leaders of a community, but not to humanity at large. It is the result not of dedication to the highest ideals, but of an egocentric drive towards instant leadership. It is a way of placing oneself in the limelight at very little cost of oneself. While some resort to such tactics for personal gratification, others do so out of sheer ignorance.

Where there is a desire for community development, we should take a lesson from nature. As Emerson puts it, “Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” We must, therefore look for our inspiration to the permanence of the banyan tree, and not to the transience of the fragile creeper. Work of this nature requires time. It cannot be achieved in haste. It is only ignorance, or the craving for self-aggrandizement which causes leaders to think otherwise. Any community which aspires to the fulfillment of its dream of progress and prosperity without patience and assiduity should realize that such a dream can never become a reality.