Tagore’s concept of Nationalism:

Kalyan Sen Gupta notes in his ‘the philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore’ “while he (Tagore) was receptive of ideas
associated with the Bauls and Sufis of Bengal as well as Hindu vaishnavism and Buddhism. It was always to be the
upanishadic endeavour to relate everything to a single. The ultimate reality is that he remind thankful”. According to him,”
the love of the country was not the characters of that time……”he says in Nationalism in India : I believe in the truth of the
meeting of the east and the west”Benedict Anderim defines the nation as an"Imagined community". Tagore took the view
that nationalism is a great mirace and the propaganda of universal peace is only a left remedy to overcome this.

“Nationalism”, according to Tagore,”is not a spontaneous self-expression of a man as a social being”, but rather a political
and commercial union of a group of people. He found the fetish of Nationalism as a source of war, hatred and mutual
suspicion between Nations. His poem”sunset of the century”proclaims his ideas of negative patriotism and was
published as an appendix to his “Nationalism”. Commenting on the boxer revolution (1899-1901) he could comprehend
how Britain, France, Germany, Russia and Japan attacked and defeated China. He condemned war as it contained the
barbarous attitude of the belligerent Nations-

According to Tagore Nationalism bred Patriotism which in turn stood for the love of our country and hatred for others. He
warns :

“……. Nations who sedously cultivate moral blindness as the cult of Patriotism will end their existence in a sudden and
violent death”. Dr Aurobinda Poddar observed that Tagore condemned the Indians who crossed the limits of praising the
Britishers in the social and political affairs and instead suggested cultivation of love of nation and Nationalism. He is early
views were forcefully loaded with the emotions and patriotic feelings, but it later changed with the change in the national
and international situation along with his age and experience.

The Idea that the rise of Nationalism coincides with the decline in the whole of the religion is the predominant attribute of
Nationalism. This has been the case in Europe,"where wars of religion give way to the wars of the nation". In the case of
India, duality prevailed between the ruler and the ruled on one front and on the other, discrimination was observed in the
case of Hindus and Muslims. The problem remains that man is different in colour, language, nature, behaviour, creed and
religion but humanity is great in this diversity. Tagore held:

“Whoever lives in India, whoever has come to India, we shall be one by accommodating all. This will solve in India the
great problem of the world.

Mentioning Nationalism as a menace to civilization, Tagore recommended a cure for it too. The cure was internationalism.
Tagore’s thinking on nationalism shows that the greatest obstacle on the road to success for animation was the
aggressive mein towards nationalism and he seemed to have established organic views”of the relationship that had
existed between the individual and the society. He found the anarchy of spirit in the modern civilisation reflecting just a
lust for power and profit. He wanted the complete elimination of the present ills. Thus, Tagore’s world view is moulded by
his Ideas of internationalism and his doctrine of universal brotherhood. He is the true advocate of the slogan:

“Live and let alive”.

In the words of sastry, Tagore came as the profit of the age. Tagore had full faith in the solidarity of human races but
believed that it was the politicians who mishandled the world situation In their tradition of nationalism and fantasism.So
he pleaded that every nation should smilingly behave like a member of the international society and submit whatever it
had to do with the wealth of mankind. He merely emphasized certain basic rules in ‘Nationalism in India’ which men of
wisdom had no need in all ages and could ignore at their own peril.So, being a product of Bengal Renaissance, he
propagated universal brotherhood and global cooperation by negating negative Nationalism.