Patriotism is not enough
Love of one’s country is one of the noblest sentiments. It has been placed among the highest virtues in almost all countries and all ages. He, who does not love his country, must have a dead soul. Betrayal of one’s country and the rebellion against one’s king, who was treated as the symbol of the country in the ancient times, were regarded as the most heinous and condemnable offenses, punishable with banishment or execution. Law does not provide any protection to such criminals, and justice shows no mercy. Even lynching is justified as a suitable punishment for traitors and quislings. Indian law-givers and jurists have also prescribed the severest punishment to ‘Rajdrohis’ and ‘Deshdrohis’-the enemies of the king and the country. Those who die for the country are hailed as heroes and martyrs, and those who betray her are condemned as traitors. This shows that patriotism is universally treated as a noble virtue. But Indian thinkers have not stopped short here. They did not think of patriotism as the summum bonum of life. In fact, they have gone further and placed humanity above patriotism. Their sympathies were not confined only to their fellow countrymen. Their mental horizon was broader and embraced the entire human race. That is why they could give the famous dictum: For the noble and liberal-minded, the entire world is their family. It was not just a poetic outburst but a guiding principle of great significance. In the modern historical context, especially through the two World Wars, the birth of another Hitler can impel doom on the world by exploiting national sentiments and planting the prejudice of racial supremacy. For now, he would have not only the gas chambers to choak the jews to death but the atom bombs that would put a final end to entire life. It is, therefore, urged that we should not be satisfied with patriotism but look farther, across the borders of our own country and give humanity its due.
