The feeling of nationality may be present and yet the feeling of nationalism may be quite absent. That is to say, nationality does not in all cases produce nationalism. For nationality to flame into nationalism two conditions must exist. First, there must arise the “will to live as a nation”. Nationalism is the dynamic expression of that desire. Secondly, there must be a territory which nationalism could occupy and make it a state, as well as a cultural home of the nation. Without such a territory, nationalism, to use Lord Action’s phrase, would be a “soul as it were wandering in search of a body in which to begin life over again and dies out finding none.” The Muslims have developed a “will to live as a nation”. For them nature has found a territory which they can occupy and make it a state as well as a cultural home for the new-born Muslim nation. Given these favorable conditions, there should be no wonder, if the Muslims say that they are not content to occupy the position which the French choose to occupy in Canada or the English choose to occupy in South Africa, and that they shall have a national home which they can call their own (p.38 & 39).
“What justification have the Musselman’s of India for demanding the partition of India and the establishment of separate Muslim States? Why this insurrection? What grievances have they?” – ask the Hindus in a spirit of righteous indignation.
Anyone, who knows history, will not fail to realize that it has now been a well-established principle that nationalism is a sufficient justification for the creation of a national state. (p.41)
Thus, history shows that the theory of nationality is imbedded in the democratic theory of the sovereignty of the will of a people. This means that the demand by a nationality for a national state does not require to be supported by any list of grievances. The will of the people is enough to justify it.
But, if grievances must be cited in support their claim, the Muslims say that they have them in plenty. They may be summed up in one sentence, that constitutional safeguards have failed to save them from the tyranny of the Hindu majority. (p.42).
