WHAT DEFINES THE STRENGTH OF A NATION?

 

WHAT DEFINES THE STRENGTH OF A NATION?

Pulling together or pulling apart?

 

When it comes to defining nationhood there are two dueling forces competing for the hearts and minds of its people.  Some believe that a nation is only as strong as its people want it to be.  But what defines a nation?  Is it the land it occupies, language and culture, recognition by others, wealth, prosperity, or a lack of all of the above that is the main cause for discontent?  I don’t think there is a nation around the world where there are no undercurrents of dissatisfaction.  Nearly all nations are divided into regions, provinces or states, especially when distance plays a role and distinct differences exist within its borders: ethnic backgrounds, language, culture, a diversity of economies and income.

We always want and demand a lot.

Federal governments have a difficult time keeping everybody happy, especially in this day and age as massive population numbers challenge a nation’s ability to provide for all in a fair and equitable manner.  For the sake of convenience I am going to stick in this article to the nation I belong to: Canada.  Canada will do nicely to illustrate the differences that do exist within its borders.  Made up of provinces and territories it hosts a wide variety of languages and cultures.  Big, diverse and with widely varying backgrounds in development and economic strengths.  Separation sentiments and anxiety have played a role for decades and you need to take a look at what feeds it.  Ignore the happy feelings for a moment because it has little to do with happy.  I mean, does anyone really suffer in Canada?

Striking a chord.

Emotions play an important role in how people feel about themselves and where they live.  Separatism is often fueled by sentiments of alienation or by developments perceived as a threat.  Individuals harboring strong national feelings identify with the whole, confident about the role federal government plays and how it protects the nation.  Separatism is often marked by feelings of isolation, of being cut off and a loss of control.  And it doesn’t have to be based on fact. 

Feed into the unhappy.

How we feel, even as a nation, often resembles the flow of the tides, either pulling one way or the other.  We need to recognize that there are no wrong or right feelings, just dominant ones.  Separatism reflects human nature.  Let’s use personal relationships as a comparison.  Sometimes we put up a good fight in making it work and sometimes we are determined to leave and if necessary with a good fight.  Combative and determined versus a more conciliatory attitude.  Once the knives are out in earnest it often takes a miracle to avoid a bloodbath.  A status quo rarely works as feelings of resentment continue to linger and we no longer ask the important questions that we should be asking of ourselves.

Are we stronger as a whole or fragmented?

What are the consequences of fragmentation?  Because that is what separatism is all about.  Once you separate you’re no longer part of the whole.  You are either in or out, and you can’t just pick and choose as to what you want to keep: open borders, currency, protection and foreign trade agreements and relations, just to name a few of the biggies.  Keep one and reject another.  One foot in the grave and one out.  Does the satisfaction lie in the act of separation or is it something truly desired, justified and responsible? 

No half measures.

In the case of Alberta and Quebec it is all about keeping the perks but ignoring the obligations and responsibilities of nationhood.  Federalism comes at a price and it occupies the bigger picture for a good reason.  Like it or not, we are living in a global environment, we trade on the world stage and the world prefers to deal with Canada the nation.  One face, one voice.  And that important factor has been driven home lately when the entire world is facing an out-of-control American president who has been driving a wrecking ball through global financial and political stability.  A person who loves to divide and conquer and then pretends that he can pick up the pieces.  No rhyme or reason, just an unfortunate loose cannon who got elected . . . and . . . based on pure emotion and sentiment!

We rarely follow reason.

Once upon a time Alberta didn’t have oil, blissfully unaware of the gooey stuff buried beneath the soil.  And it needed the rest of Canada to connect and prosper; building roads, bridges, railroads, ports, etcetera.  It has oil now, but oil will eventually run out and it is not a case of. . . if . . .  but when.  When this happens they will be back to square one.  Then what?

It is typically human to exaggerate and nothing showcases it more than cranking up the rhetoric on a political issue and each side excels at blowing grievances out of proportion.  We dig in and some of us keep digging and digging.

This by the way is a global phenomenon and is the main reason why so little is accomplished to diffuse conflicts.

You don’t get out when you have something you don’t want to share and reserve the option to get back in when things sour.  When your luck runs out.  The fortunes of any nation and its strength depend on how it comes together in times of need.  Do we pull together or do we pull apart?

What will our legacy be?  In my humble opinion nationhood should be motivated by a willingness to share, respecting differences, but making things work despite differences.

How do you feel about separatism?  A worthwhile exercise to take the pulse of the nation and see how it feels?  Or . . . best leave it alone.  Don’t fix what isn’t broken.

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