Look at the basics

Ana Velitchkova
Eye on Earth

It is amazing how some people cannot make the difference between the People and the State. The People are all human beings and the State is just a structure created and used by the People to divide them into groups according to where they live and serve them.

In order to ameliorate the structure of the State so that it serves them better, the People have to analyze it, criticize it when they see malfunctioning and change it when needed, constantly. If they do not do it, the State degenerates and, in stead of serving them, enslaves the People. Two of the biggest mistakes of the so-called 'communist' regimes, for example, were to try to impose to the People the belief that the State and the Party are the People and to refuse to accept changes to these service-structures. Eventually, the Peoplerejected these regimes.

Astonishingly, some people in the US nowadays seem to advocate the same type of regime but with another name: 'conservatism-patriotism'. It is often forgotten that the very forefathers of this country recommended periodic changes to the Constitution √ the document defining the structure of the State in the US √ so that it corresponds to the changing needs of the People living here.

The tool the State has developed to attach the People to itself and separate them from one another is called 'Nation'. No matter which country one considers, France, the US, Bulgaria or Bangladesh, the pattern is the same and is known by anybody who cared to read anything about 'Nations' and 'Nationalism'.

First, the State creates a myth of the greatness of the country where it is established. Then, the State imbibes the children in that country with the idea that 'their' country is 'the greatest'. Finally, in order to strengthen the internal bondage of the 'Nation' thus created and underline the differences from 'Other Nations', the State identifies or creates, and exaggerates the threats these 'Other Nations' represent. It is obvious, therefore, that rivalries and conflicts are inherent to the Nation-State system ruling the world.

Logically, the People should be able to identify the flaws in this system and change it.

Unfortunately, the system has strong mechanisms for resisting change. A tiny minority of the People benefits from it and, naturally, does not want to lose its privileged position. Moreover, it is in control of the means of production and of the means of coercion, and therefore has advantage in pursuing its interests.

Having also control over discourse, this privileged minority imposes the belief that the system it benefits from is the perfect one √ that is obviously the case for this minority √ and nobody must dare to challenge its supremacy.

The rest of the People are held in a state of ignorance so that they are not able to understand and question what they are given as natural.

The 'Nation-State' system in the world today is not natural. This division of the People is artificial.

All People are equal and they have fewer differences than they have similarities. The other night, for example, I was having a conversation with People from India, from Congo and from Malaysia at the same time.

Our 'belonging' to a 'Nation' did not matter at all.

We understood each other perfectly; we had the same beliefs; we wanted the same thing; we were just People.

I am happy with my Bulgarian cultural heritage but I am trying to get rid of my Bulgarian 'Nation' pride.

Pride was a sin, wasn't it? How can I be as arrogantas to believe that only what is Bulgarian is 'right'? I have traveled in several countries and I have metand talked to people from almost everywhere in the world: every time I meet a new person, I face a newtruth, a new idea to question and situate in my systemof ideas.

Thus, every Person I deal with enriches my internal universe.

I cannot glorify a system of 'States' and 'Nations', which is so imperfect as to separate me from other People. It is a human creation that needs improvements with each Person and each generation. Instead, I respect People for what they can and do bestow to all other People.

At this time of thanksgiving, I would like to thank my family, my teachers at school and in life, and my friends for teaching me how to love and care about the People and how to think critically in order to serve them better.

Copyright 2009 - Daily Egyptian