India -- Politics and government -- 1919-1947; Nationalism -- India
It is worth noting that, by receiving English education, we have
enslaved the nation. Hypocrisy, tyranny, etc., have increased;
English-knowing Indians have not hesitated to cheat and strike terror
into the people. Now, if we are doing anything for the people at all, we
are paying only a portion of the debt due to them.
Is it not a most painful thing that, if I want to go to a court of
justice, I must employ the English language as medium; that, when I
become a barrister, I may not speak my mother-tongue, and that some one
else should have to translate to me from my own language? Is not this
absolutely absurd? Is it not a sign of slavery? Am I to blame the
English for it or myself? It is we, the English-knowing men, that have
enslaved India. The curse of the nation will rest not upon the English
but upon us.
I have told you that my answer to your last question is both yes and no.
I have explained to you why it is yes. I shall now explain why it is no.
We are so much beset by the disease of civilization, that we cannot
altogether do without English education. Those who have already received
it may make good use of it wherever necessary. In our dealings with the
English people, in our dealings with our own people, when we can only
correspond with them through that language, and for the purpose of
knowing how much disgusted they (the English) have themselves become
with their civilization, we may use or learn English, as the case may
be. Those who have studied English will have to teach morality to their
progeny through their mother-tongue, and to teach them another Indian
language; but when they have grown up, they may learn English, the
ultimate aim being that we should not need it. The object of making
money thereby should be eschewed. Even in learning English to such a
limited extent we will have to consider what we should learn through it
and what we should not. It will be necessary to know what sciences we
should learn. A little thought should show you that immediately we cease
to care for English degrees, the rulers will prick up their ears.
READER: Then what education shall we give?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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