পাতা:চিঠিপত্র (দ্বাদশ খণ্ড)-রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর.pdf/৩৮০

of the internal politics of western people. It has helped to distribute the power of government all over the country and thus has given it a permanent foundation which cannot be tampered with or destroyed by the will of one individual or whim of a group of the m. This consciousness of the dignity of the individual has cricouraged in the West the frcc.dom of conscience and thought. We in the Fast come to Europe for this inspiration. We arc also dreaming of the time when the individuals belonging to the people of India will have the courage to think for the mselves and express their thoughts, feel their stro ngth, know their rights and take charge of their own governmcrt. The fascist organ is evidently fascinated by the prospect of economic self-aggrandist ment of the nation at the cost of n.osal sclf-respect of the people. But it is the killing of the goose for the sake of the golden cggs. In the olden civilisations the slavery of the pcople did build for the time being stupendous towers of splendour. But this spirit of slavishness constantly weakened the foundations till the towers came down to the dust, offering as their sole contribution to humanity ruins haunted by venerable ghosts. In bygone days in India, the state was only a part of the people. The mass of the population