The year 2018, Jacinda’s baby-girl, and NZ’s continued tryst with progressivism
Every nation has a “tryst with destiny” moment, which is a defining moment in the nation’s progression as a community, imagined or abstract.
The people of the nation, both current and future generations are expected to cherish those “tryst with destiny” moments, which often forms a moral anchor in the evolution of the nation over a period of time.
For uninitiated, the epithet “tryst with destiny,” comes from the historic speech of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on the eve of India’s independence from the British colonial rule.
“Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially.
“At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom,” Mr Nehru roared in front of India’s constituent assembly – the sovereign body.
Since then “tryst with destiny” has been etched permanently in Indian nation’s minds and hearts.
In that respect, the year 2018 is all set to be etched in New Zealand’s history, if not at a level similar to India’s independence eve, still of considerable significance.
Firstly, this year New Zealand is celebrating the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage. It was on September 19, 1893, that after submitting a petition with nearly 32,000 signatures, New Zealand became the first self-governing country to grant women the vote.
This year, the Ministry for Women Te Minitatanga mo nga Wahine is leading and coordinating activities, and events, to mark this significant milestone.
It is noteworthy that in most other democracies then, including Britain and the United States, women did not get that right until after the First World War.
Indeed, granting of women suffrage, or respectfully winning the right of women suffrage after a sustained campaign (to be politically correct), was a stamp of progressivism.
Progressivism, scholars agree, is the support for advocacy of improvement of society by reform. The idea that women deserve a say in country’s public life, including electing the government was a very progressive – a stage where other contemporary advanced democracies like Great Britain and the United States reached after two decades.
Similarly, the recent delivery of baby girl by New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern imparts the year 2018 with a unique significance in the country’s history.
The idea that a country’s female Prime Minister – the topmost political authority – can deliver a baby while leading the country is still seen as quite a progressive one.
It’s only that New Zealand had not created history in being the first case in the world where country’s political head has delivered a baby while being in power. In fact, it has reached the milestone, if this is a milestone, almost two decades after the South Asian state of Pakistan – a country that many would disagree as anywhere near to being a progressive society as the modern western world understands today.
In this regard, it is a timely reminder to many enthusiastic flag-bearers of western culture who see everything emanating from the global west as the epitome of modernity and progressivism. The countries of orient can also lead the world in showing the light of progression and advancement.
Nevertheless, there is nothing to take away from New Zealand’s tryst with progressivism in 2018, as the idea of a woman Prime Minister having a baby while leading the country has never been brushed under the carpet, despite some robust debates and discussions around the contested topic.
It is to the credit of New Zealand politicians, of all stripes, the media, intelligentsia, and the ordinary Kiwi who found themselves engaging on either side of the public debate around this issue, to allow the idea to progress naturally.
The debates, the discussions, the disagreements around all issues of social importance are paramount for a society’s overall advancement.
In this regard, New Zealand, a small South Pacific nation, which often struggles to find its place on the world map, is continuing its tryst with progressivism and will continue to show the light to the entire world for some conceivable future.
Prime Minister’s delivery of baby girl imparts the year 2018 a special place in NZ’s tryst with progressivism.
Every nation has a “tryst with destiny” moment, which is a defining moment in the nation’s progression as a community, imagined or abstract.
The people of the nation, both current and future generations are expected to cherish those “tryst with destiny” moments, which often forms a moral anchor in...
Every nation has a “tryst with destiny” moment, which is a defining moment in the nation’s progression as a community, imagined or abstract.
The people of the nation, both current and future generations are expected to cherish those “tryst with destiny” moments, which often forms a moral anchor in the evolution of the nation over a period of time.
For uninitiated, the epithet “tryst with destiny,” comes from the historic speech of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on the eve of India’s independence from the British colonial rule.
“Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially.
“At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom,” Mr Nehru roared in front of India’s constituent assembly – the sovereign body.
Since then “tryst with destiny” has been etched permanently in Indian nation’s minds and hearts.
In that respect, the year 2018 is all set to be etched in New Zealand’s history, if not at a level similar to India’s independence eve, still of considerable significance.
Firstly, this year New Zealand is celebrating the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage. It was on September 19, 1893, that after submitting a petition with nearly 32,000 signatures, New Zealand became the first self-governing country to grant women the vote.
This year, the Ministry for Women Te Minitatanga mo nga Wahine is leading and coordinating activities, and events, to mark this significant milestone.
It is noteworthy that in most other democracies then, including Britain and the United States, women did not get that right until after the First World War.
Indeed, granting of women suffrage, or respectfully winning the right of women suffrage after a sustained campaign (to be politically correct), was a stamp of progressivism.
Progressivism, scholars agree, is the support for advocacy of improvement of society by reform. The idea that women deserve a say in country’s public life, including electing the government was a very progressive – a stage where other contemporary advanced democracies like Great Britain and the United States reached after two decades.
Similarly, the recent delivery of baby girl by New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern imparts the year 2018 with a unique significance in the country’s history.
The idea that a country’s female Prime Minister – the topmost political authority – can deliver a baby while leading the country is still seen as quite a progressive one.
It’s only that New Zealand had not created history in being the first case in the world where country’s political head has delivered a baby while being in power. In fact, it has reached the milestone, if this is a milestone, almost two decades after the South Asian state of Pakistan – a country that many would disagree as anywhere near to being a progressive society as the modern western world understands today.
In this regard, it is a timely reminder to many enthusiastic flag-bearers of western culture who see everything emanating from the global west as the epitome of modernity and progressivism. The countries of orient can also lead the world in showing the light of progression and advancement.
Nevertheless, there is nothing to take away from New Zealand’s tryst with progressivism in 2018, as the idea of a woman Prime Minister having a baby while leading the country has never been brushed under the carpet, despite some robust debates and discussions around the contested topic.
It is to the credit of New Zealand politicians, of all stripes, the media, intelligentsia, and the ordinary Kiwi who found themselves engaging on either side of the public debate around this issue, to allow the idea to progress naturally.
The debates, the discussions, the disagreements around all issues of social importance are paramount for a society’s overall advancement.
In this regard, New Zealand, a small South Pacific nation, which often struggles to find its place on the world map, is continuing its tryst with progressivism and will continue to show the light to the entire world for some conceivable future.
Prime Minister’s delivery of baby girl imparts the year 2018 a special place in NZ’s tryst with progressivism.
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