Development through sacrifice

The President was on a State visit to Vietnam last week. Many a commentator reporting the visit said that we could learn a lesson from Vietnam. True. Let us see what lessons we could draw.

Vietnam is a country that faced more than three decades of armed aggression by imperial powers. Even after the country was liberated it stood divided since the French held on to its south. Even after the ignominious defeat of the French following the epic battle of Dien Bien Phu and their evacuation the United States stepped in to replace French occupation.

The Vietnamese did not give up or surrender. They fought the world Super Power relentlessly in face of carpet bombing which scorched out entire villages. They matched the superior technology of the United States' war machine with innovation, skill and international solidarity. The US lost one third of its Air Force in Vietnam. It taught the world a lesson. That is, no nation united in its resolve to defend its sovereignty can be defeated. It is not by resolve alone that they won. They won through sacrifice, immense sacrifice.

Following the unification of the country after liberation, Vietnam has developed fast. It is one of the fastest growing economies. There again it is due to pragmatism and sacrifice.

Development does not come in a platter. It has to be achieved through hard work. It comes through sacrifice. To speak in economic parlance, there should be sufficient national savings for an economic take off. In Sri Lanka domestic savings are still low, somewhere near 20 percent of the GDP. It should be increased at least up to 30 percent.

If you study the success stories of many individuals or their families you could see how much thrift and savings have contributed to their success. What is true of individuals is also true of countries or nations.

If Sri Lanka is to develop we should give up two things. The first is the dependency syndrome or the mentality that we should depend on foreign aid under whatever conditions. The pleadings and accusations on the GSP Plus issue betray this mentality. This does not mean the refusal of aid but refusal to accept it as the main means of development. We cannot develop the country by charity alone. And charity nowadays also comes at a price.

The second is consumerism. It is consumerism and the advertising fraternity which decides our priorities. We should decide our priorities - whether we should go for a motor vehicle and a home theatre system for each family or whether we should provide basic needs of life for a decent living for all.

We should also give up all ostentation. How could we stick on to ostentation and extravagance when several thousands are still in relief villages and the economic crisis is threatening the livelihood of thousands?

Extravagance here also means the extravagant use of time, which is none other than idling or less profitable use of time. Profitable, not necessarily in the monetary sense. We are poor time managers. How much would our country develop if each of us does at least the stipulated eight hours of work honestly and conscientiously?

Small is potent

Small is beautiful, the family planners are fond of saying. China followed this policy to the hilt. Now it has found itself faced with a manpower shortage in future. That is besides the point we want to drive in here. Small may be beautiful or not. But is certainly potent. Take for example the atom, the smallest chemical particle. The potency of atomic fusion needs no introduction.

Bulk is not always helpful. Taken in small doses medicine will cure many a disease and is life saving. On the other hand, taken in bulk it would threaten life. Even a simple Paracetamol capsule testifies to the truth of this statement. The notorious cyanide capsule that adorned the necks of two-legged Tigers too vouched for the potency of things that are small.

If one examines legends one is reminded of David and Goliath where the small outwits the big. Here are also many examples of modern day Goliaths and modern day Davids too. Being inhabitants of a small island, it is refreshing to reflect of the potency of all that is small.