Eugene Lanti 1935
First published: Sennaciulo n-ro 428 (1935-04-25);
Source: Anationalism Cosmopolitanism Antinationalism.
To assert that capitalism is the only cause of war is too superficial. Men were butchering each other before a capitalist society existed. So one can suppose, without being accused of undue pessimism, that wars will still be possible after a new social system has been established, if, in spite of that, men's minds are still infected by nationalism. Undoubtedly economic factors play a big role in causing wars. However, in my opinion, it is insufficient to explain why men agree to become corpses or to murder in the name of a nation. Ideological and psychological factors under certain circumstances can play a very important or even decisive role. The love of immortal glory, the consciousness of social duty, the fear of foreign rule and imposed customs and languages, some kind of mystic blood relationship of primeval origin makes men take part in those bloodfilled epics which are sung by all peoples.
In general men are not first and foremost human beings, but members of a clan, a tribe, a nation. They feel this more or less strongly and in this lies the great, latent, explosive force, which big capitalists, rulers and demagogues know how to utilise in order to drive peoples on to battlefields or into mass slaughter.
One must be blind, or wilfully close one's eyes, not to see that nationalism is the most potent idea-force of our age. By means of it Mussolini, Pilsudski, Mustaph-Kemal, Hitler and other national heroes, were able to take power.
It is a great fraud to identify the interests of the bourgeoisie with those of the working-class of any nation or state whatsoever. It is, moreover, a dangerous illusion to believe that solutions to world crises can be applied within the confines of nations conserving their independence and sovereignty.
"What do you suggest, then?"
I have no wondrous remedy in my pocket to cure all the world. I am no advertising a panacea. Nor am I a specialist in economics. Besides which, science is still too new and liable to error for its principles to be acceptable as infallible laws to be obeyed. No one knows mankind's final goal; I am just looking at obstacles which hinder progress. One of these obstacles, and, in my opinion not the least important, lies in the heads of men. It is the nationalistic ideology which obstructs every rational solution of social problems despite the present state of technology. Nationalisms are irreconcilable to one another. This would be against their very nature. So, what more urgent task is there than to try [to] destroy that dangerous ideology?
For destroying, for exterminating nationalism, there is no better or more efficient means than first to break down the language barriers which divide peoples. We have the necessary tool for doing this. It was given to us by Zamenhof. We know from experience that Esperanto suits our purpose admirably. Making it known, spreading it and teaching it should be daily tasks. But first it is most important to become expert in its use. Esperanto should be to us, not only an aŭiliary language in which one stammers at a hotel or restaurant, but a living language in which we think, reason, argue. The artificial, rational, non-national language should enter so deeply into our consciousness that it becomes our chosen means of expression, dispelling all feeling of strangeness between ourselves and those from all parts of the world, who speak Esperanto with us.
Briefly – we must be Esperantists to the very marrow of our bones. Those who treat the Zamenhof creation as only an aŭiliary language, are philistine Esperantists, not Esperantists. They have not understood the profound meaning which the inventor of Esperanto called "the internal idea".
It is indeed true that lies and hatred can be spread through Esperanto. Various brands of fascists have used our language for their foreign propaganda. But they do that because Esperanto exists; it is a reality. Could you imagine a fascist creating a world language? Is it necessary to perpetuate nationalism in order to advance? Certainly not! But can one imagine a world at peace, without boundaries and without Esperanto? No, one cannot. Draw your own conclusion, dear Reader.
Nationalism is the pest and plague for our epoch. To combat it successfully Esperanto is absolutely necessary. Therefore, I am glad to be an Esperantist. in working for our language, using it and endeavouring to acquire the mind of a world citizen, I am convinced that my time and energy are not wasted. I am glad of my Esperanticity because it enables me to avoid the disagreeable feeling of foreignness caused by people speaking different languages. By means of Esperanto I have acquired friends and acquaintances in all parts of the world. Yes, it is also true that I have acquired opponents in the most diverse countries. But it is better to feel and experience opposition than foreignness!
... For me, it is almost better to be insulted in Esperanto than to be praised in French ...
Maybe our present civilisation will perish like the Greek, the Egyptian, the Roman and others; perhaps we shall never have peace in the world, but, thanks to our language, I can at least live that ideal life in imagination; because of my membership of S.A.T. I have the pleasant feeling of being a conscious unit of that embryo of a non-national society, of which our world organization consists.
Yes, I am glad to be an Esperantist and a member of S.A.T.. But if I have not, like Zamenhof, that illusion that Esperanto can pacify the world, I have at least the strong conviction that without it men will not be able to fraternize throughout the entire world. Consequently our language is a necessary pacifier, if not entirely sufficient. I am glad to be an Esperantist because its use has given me the feeling of freedom from responsibility for the abominable frenzies of war, such as all kinds of nationalists are now preparing.