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Defined by slogans

The word slogan comes from a Scottish battle cry which roughly translates as cry of the people. While now largely associated with advertising, slogans are still used to define national identity, a politician’s promise, or the basis of protest.

A slogan is an imagined future intended to become a reality, while a motto defines existing core principles.   ‘’Liberté, égalité, fraternité became a slogan during the French revolution while ‘In God We Trust’ remains a national motto of USA. National mottos tend to be static abstract ideals mostly about liberty and freedom, a refreshing exception being the national motto for Lesotho - Peace Rain and Prosperity. Public attitudes and opinions are more easily driven by evolving slogans that reflect current conditions.

Sometimes old slogans survive such as “Mayibuye iAfrika!” (May Africa return!), first used in the 1920s in South Africa, but revived this year suggesting the anti-colonial struggle continues, and freedom has not yet been won.

Britain revived a WWII slogan ‘Keep Calm and Carry on’ to see them through the recent Covid pandemic reflecting (or perhaps inspiring) the British character to endure in every crisis. Queen Elizabeth II’s unofficial motto "never complain, never explain”, first coined by Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, says a lot about official British strategies.

Pakistan has revived the pre-Independence call for ‘Azadi’ or freedom. The movement for independence from British rule was turned into a mass movement to a large extent by poets whose verses spread like wildfire across the country. Hasrat Mohani coined the phrase Inqilab Zindabad ( long live the revolution) in 1921, popularized by Bhagat Singh in 1929 when he was sentenced to hang.

As the demand for Pakistan became a possibility, Basheer Ahmed wrote Ao kardayn aaj ailaan chahay apni jaye jaan , Lay ke rahenge Pakistan  Lay ke rahenge Pakistan, ( come lets announce today, even if at the cost of our lives, we will take Pakistan) to which Kaif Banarsi added Lay ke rahenge Pakistan,  Bat ke rahay ga Hindustan (We will take Pakistan, Hindustan will be divided) and Door hato ai dunya waalon, Pakistan hamara hai ( move aside O people of the world, Pakistan is ours). Asghar Saudai’s call ‘Pakistan ka matlab kiya? Lal ilaha illalah’ ( what does Pakistan mean? There is no god but Allah), written originally to support the two-nation theory, now resonates with the rightwing politics of Pakistan.

Slogans are intended to drive nations towards ideological goals.  Although as Philosopher Alan Watts cautions, “The river is not pushed from behind, nor is it pulled from ahead. It falls with gravity.”

Slogans take time to catch on, but once established, they are hard to change. Effective slogans can last for years and even decades. A 17th century French Minister asking businessmen how the government can help commerce, was told "Laissez-nous faire" ("Leave it to us") putting into action free trade policies and the dominance of Raw Capitalism, which places profit above sustainability, respect for the environment or human beings and bypasses morality.

 

 

Pakistani aspirations were changed with Z.A. Bhutto’s 1966 slogan “Maangta hai har insaan, roti kapra aur makaan” ( everyone wants bread, clothing and housing).  Intended to address poverty, its focus on material needs seems to have travelled up the echelons of class to create aspirations for land and lavish lifestyles.

Psychologist Dylan Selterman suggests slogans can become ‘symbolically sacred, like hymns or mantras’. After Z.A. Bhutto was hanged, his supporters responded with “Kal bhi Bhutto zinda tha, aaj bhi Bhutto zinda hai” and “Tum kitne Bhutto maro ge? Har ghar se Bhutto nikle ga”. ( Bhutto was alive yesterday and is still alive today. How many Bhuttos will you kill? A Bhutto will emerge from every house)

Sociologist Muzafer Sherif points out ‘slogans, especially at the time of crises and tension, become short-cut battle cries’. PTI’s "Rok sako toh rok lo, tabdeeli ai re"( stop me if you can – change is coming)  appealed to a large young electorate, despondent with repetitive feudal politics.  The tenacity of political will is expressed by Steve Biko : “It is better to die for an idea that will live, than to live for an idea that will die.”

Sometimes images can be silent slogans. The floating island of plastic waste brings home the horrors of environmental pollution. The shock of images of planes crashing into New York’s Twin Towers, equated Islam with terrorism.

On 28 December 1947, Muhammad Ali Jinnah urged the new nation to have Unity, Faith and Discipline.   General Zia ul Haq changed the order to Faith, Unity and Disciple, subtle but significant changes with a far-reaching impact on Pakistani Society.

One can only wonder what Pakistan would have achieved if instead of Roti, Kapra, Makaan, the slogan was Taaleem, Tarbiyat, Taraqqi ? ( education, upbringing, progress)

 

Durriya Kazi

June 28, 2024

Karachi

durriyakazi1918@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

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