National Independence: Hostage to World Capital

Rahimia Magazine (August, 2012)

It is commonly believed that Pakistan acquired its freedom in 1947 and hence during the month of August for the last 65 years, a lot of commotion is raised in the name of independence, while in reality the country has been besieged all this while by capitalist powers of the world. Not just that but Pakistan has remained in the vanguard of cronies protecting capitalism since the Second World War. The country has existed under the shadow of the Great Game and has been utilized by capitalist powers for their vested interests.

The reasons for not being sovereign have been present all along. The country was devoid of any significant national or financial capital and thus had absolutely no chance of resisting the imperial agenda for the region. Our national identity never really emerged because the people here never had the political consciousness and collectivism that could have resulted in it. The country also had an impoverished economy. There was no disciplinary political force based on the political consciousness of the masses. There was virtually nothing that could have resulted into a national social force which strengthens a nation state.

The force that anchored its might in the masses and emerged after 1920 in this region was sabotaged by the conspiracies of the colonial rulers. The parties that emerged instead had feudal backgrounds, were puppets to colonial administrators and were offshoots of international outfits.

Because of the hegemony of feudals, lack of trade infrastructure and industrial development forces of international capitalism had a free hand to use the country for their interests. Conservative forces within the country were used to spread hatred against regional countries and when it was needed to organize these forces and to promote strategy of war, international imperialist forces showered immense resources on them to do just that.

Despite all this imperialist conniving, regional countries kept developing economically on the basis of their collective, national might. To counter their development imperialist countries spent “dollars” to strengthen militant forces within the region. While all this was going on, forces that challenged the might of international capitalism focused on spreading political consciousness and rekindled the love for freedom. The countries that founded capitalist systems, in the meanwhile, also found themselves in a pit in the last few decades and because of that in many capitalist countries the ship of capitalism started shaking and its internal conflicts began to emerge. That is precisely why Capitalism has already started saying goodbye to many of its foundational principles.

The outcome of all these changes is that the military establishment of Pakistan started aligning itself with the regional countries. This new strategy was formulated because of the pressing force of capital in the changing economic scenario, greater pressure from regional trade and with the intention of promoting national capital. Hence, the political and economic might that was required at the beginning to protect national sovereignty is only beginning to get itself recognized. An expression of this fact is gradually emerging. In the context of Afghanistan’s geographical significance and the tussle regarding its future, the real force of the country has started acting to preempt our country’s future in our favor. In the same context efforts have been made to develop relationships with the regional countries, Bonn, Shanghai conferences and increased visits of the Russian leadership have to be taken into account in this regard.

Within the same context, our country now has an opportunity after more than sixty years to wrest our country’s sovereignty out of the shackles of capitalism. Utilizing this opportunity fully will be a test of our national consciousness. It is yet to be seen whether those who govern our country can benefit from the opportunity? Although it is a fact that the consciousness which may lead to reap the benefits of these dynamics is still missing. Also, the old guard with feudalist and conservative mindset is ill-equipped to appreciate the beauty of the new Sun rising in the East. Slaves to their narrow bigotry, they are dreaming the bygone days when “dollars” were showered on them. A big change, thus, cannot be anticipated, yet it is a fact that after 65 years chances of genuine sovereignty are now emerging.

It is important now to consciously look around and observe ground realities without any preconceived notions and study the political and economic imperatives that go into the establishment of a society. The emerging East has to be taken into account in rescuing and strengthening our national freedom. Sovereignty that is besieged by capitalism can result only in the destruction of our national existence. Islam propagates the idea of consciously protecting one’s freedom; as nations develop only on the basis of comprehensive freedom.