Question

What do you mean by nation building?

Hint:

Think of nation-building as constructing a house. You need a strong political foundation (integration), economic pillars (development), and a social cement (cohesion and identity) to hold it all together.

Answer 1

Step 1: Key Concept:
Nation-building is the process through which a state constructs or develops a strong national identity and a sense of unity among its diverse population. It involves creating a cohesive, integrated, and legitimate state that can command the loyalty of its citizens and function effectively.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Nation-building is a multi-faceted process that includes several key dimensions:
1. Political Integration: This involves creating a sense of shared citizenship and loyalty to the state, overcoming narrower loyalties to region, tribe, caste, or religion. It includes establishing legitimate political institutions, a common legal framework, and ensuring the territorial integrity of the country.
2. Economic Development: This involves building a viable national economy that can provide for the well-being of its citizens. It includes creating infrastructure, promoting industrial and agricultural growth, and ensuring equitable distribution of resources to reduce regional disparities.
3. Social Cohesion: This involves fostering a sense of common identity and fraternity among different social groups. It includes promoting values like secularism, democracy, and social justice, and addressing issues of inequality and discrimination.
For a country like India, with its immense diversity, nation-building has been a continuous challenge involving the management of linguistic, religious, and regional identities within a democratic framework.