Enduring Issue Essay Outline Introduction ● Identify the Enduring Issue ● Define the Enduring Issue ● In general, how has it changed or continued over time? "We ardently wish to free Italy from foreign rule. We agree that we must put aside all petty
differences in order to gain this most important goal. We wish to drive out the foreigners not
only because we want to see our country powerful and glorious, but also because we want to
elevate the Italian people in intelligence and moral development."
— Count Camillo di Cavour, 1852
Document 2
The document below is an excerpt from the constitution from the organization called Unification
or Death and also known as the Black Hand, which was a Serbian nationalist group that existed
in the early 20th century.
Article 1. For the purpose of realising the national ideals - the Unification of Serbdom - an
organization is hereby created, whose members may be any Serbian irrespective of sex,
religion, place of birth, as well as anybody else who will sincerely serve this idea.
Article 2. The organisation gives priority to the revolutionary struggle rather than relies on
cultural striving, therefore its institution is an absolutely secret one for wider circles.
Article 4. In order to carry into effect its task the organization will do the following things:
(1) Following the character of its raison d'être [reason for existing] it will exercise its influence
over all the official factors in Serbia...
(2) It will carry out a revolutionary organisation in all the territories where Serbians are living:
(3) Beyond the frontiers, it will fight with all means against all enemies of this idea:
(4) It will maintain friendly relations with all the States, nations, organisations, and individual
persons who sympathise with Serbia and the Serbian race:
(5) It will give every assistance to those nations and organisations who are fighting for their
own national liberation and unification.
Article 34. The Organisation's official seal is thus composed: In the centre of the seal there is
a powerful arm holding in its hand an unfurled flag on which - as a coat of arms - there is a
skull with crossed bones; by the side of the flag, a knife, a bomb and a phial [vial] of poison.
Around, in a circle, there is the following inscription, reading from left to right: "Unification or
Death", and in the base: "The Supreme Central Directorate".
Article 35. On entering into the organisation the joining member must pronounce the following
oath of allegiance:
"I (the Christian name and surname of the joining member), by entering into the organisation
"Unification or Death", do hereby swear by the Sun which shineth upon me, by the Earth
which feedeth me, by God, by the blood of my forefathers, by my honour and by my life, that
from this moment onward and until my death, I shall faithfully serve the task of this
organisation and that I shall at all times be prepared to bear for it any sacrifice. I further swear
by God, by my honour and by my life, that I shall unconditionally carry into effect all its orders
and commands. I further swear by my God, by my honour and by my life, that I shall keep
within myself all the secrets of this organisation and carry them with me into my grave. May
God and my comrades in this organisation be my judges if at any time I should wittingly fail or
break this oath!"
Done at Belgrade this 9th day of May, 1911 A.D.
Source: Constitution of Unification or Death, 1911.
Jomo Kenyatta, a leader of the independence movement in Kenya, the country’s Prime Minister
in 1963, and its first President in 1964, gave the following speech at a Kenya African Union
Meeting in Nyeri, Kenya on July 26, 1952. The Kenya African Union was the political party led
by Kenyatta, and it was in power in the country from 40 years after independence.
…If we unite now, each and every one of us, and each tribe to another, we will cause the
implementation in this country of that which the European calls democracy. True democracy
has no colour distinction. It does not choose between black and white. We are here in this
tremendous gathering under the K.A.U. [Kenya African Union] flag to find which road leads us
from darkness into democracy. In order to find it we Africans must first achieve the right to
elect our own representatives. That is surely the first principle of democracy. We are the only
race in Kenya which does not elect its own representatives in the Legislature and we are
going to set about to rectify this situation. We feel we are dominated by a handful of others
who refuse to be just. God said this is our land. Land in which we are to flourish as a people.
We are not worried that other races are here with us in our country, but we insist that we are
the leaders here, and what we want we insist we get. We want our cattle to get fat on our land
so that our children grow up in prosperity; we do not want that fat removed to feed others. He
who has ears should now hear that K.A.U. claims this land as its own gift from God and I wish
those who are black, white or brown at this meeting to know this. K.A.U. speaks in
daylight…We want to prosper as a nation, and as a nation we demand equality, that is equal
pay for equal work. Whether it is a chief, headman or labourer he needs in these days
increased salary. He needs a salary that compares with a salary of a European who does
equal work. We will never get our freedom unless we succeed in this issue. We do not want
equal pay for equal work tomorrow-we want it right now. Those who profess to be just must
realize that this is the foundation of justice. It has never been known in history that a country
prospers without equality. We despise bribery and corruption, those two words that the
European repeatedly refers to. Bribery and corruption is prevalent in this country, but I am not
surprised. As long as a people are held down, corruption is sure to rise and the only answer to
this is a policy of equality. If we work together as one, we must succeed.
Source: Jomo Kenyatta: The Kenya Africa Union Is Not the Mau Mau, 1952.
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Enduring Issue: Nationalism
Definition: Nationalism is a belief or ideology that individuals who share a common history, language, culture, or ethnicity should form a separate and sovereign nation. It often involves a strong sense of identity and pride in one's country, as well as a desire for self-determination and independence.
How it has changed or continued over time:
- In the mid-19th century, Count Camillo di Cavour expressed Italian nationalism as a way to unify the country and drive out foreign rule, emphasizing the importance of national identity and sovereignty.
- In the early 20th century, the Serbian nationalist group Unification or Death, known as the Black Hand, sought to unify Serbdom and fight against enemies of the Serbian race, highlighting the role of nationalism in liberation movements.
- In the mid-20th century, Jomo Kenyatta advocated for Kenyan nationalism and independence from colonial rule, emphasizing the right of Africans to elect their own representatives and achieve equality and prosperity in their own land.
Overall, nationalism has continued to be a powerful force throughout history, fueling movements for independence, self-determination, and cultural identity. It has evolved in response to changing political, social, and economic contexts, but its core beliefs in unity, sovereignty, and national pride remain consistent.