In every age, there are politicians who seek popularity by exploiting race, religion, and fear. General Aung San warned against this dangerous form of politics long before Burma gained independence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He declared:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cSome people still continue to practice the same old dirty politics. But politics itself is not dirty. It is the people who corrupt politics who are dirty.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Aung San rejected the idea that ordinary people should avoid politics. Echoing the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, he reminded the public that every human being is, by nature, a political being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Politics, he explained, is not merely about elections, speeches, or power struggles. Politics is woven into everyday life itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It concerns how people eat, sleep, work, and survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even those who try to avoid politics cannot escape it, because politics shapes their lives every day \u2014 in their homes, offices, farms, factories, and marketplaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The worker struggles for fair wages and decent living conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The farmer tills the land in hopes of improving his livelihood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The clerk and civil servant seek security, dignity, and independence beyond endless drudgery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The trader and businessman seek fair opportunities and economic justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All these struggles, Aung San said, are political because they concern human livelihood and human dignity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As society changes, politics changes with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For this reason, freedom is essential:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- freedom to live,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- freedom to create,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- freedom to develop both individually and nationally,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- and freedom to improve living standards without oppressing others.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
This, Aung San emphasized, is the true meaning of politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Politics is human.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is not dirty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is not dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is not superstition, magic, or something beyond understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Trump Card of Dirty Politicians<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Aung San sharply criticized opportunistic politicians who misuse religion and ultranationalism to manipulate the masses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cThey say politics is dirty. They say politics is religion. They say all these contradictory things in one breath.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
He dismissed such tactics as deliberate attempts to confuse the public and hide the real issues facing society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Aung San:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cReligion is a matter of individual conscience, while politics is a social science.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Politics must protect every individual\u2019s rights, including the right to religious freedom and worship. But religion and politics, he insisted, are fundamentally different spheres and must not be recklessly mixed together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If religion is weaponized for political purposes, both religion and politics become corrupted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Religion concerns moral and spiritual life, while politics deals with worldly governance and social affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Politics, Aung San argued frankly, is secular in nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Message to Religious Leaders<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Aung San also addressed Buddhist monks and religious leaders directly, urging them to guide the people toward unity, compassion, and enlightenment rather than division and hatred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He called upon them to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- preach unity and love among the people,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- spread freedom of religious worship,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- defend freedom from fear, ignorance, and superstition,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- encourage self-reliance and reconstruction,<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- and help rebuild society materially, morally, and spiritually.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
These, he said, were among the noblest responsibilities of religious leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Race, Religion, and Nationalism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Aung San warned that slogans based solely on race, religion, or language could never form the true foundation of nationalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every modern country contains multiple races and communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People of the same nationality may follow different religions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
True nationalism, therefore, must be built not on exclusion or chauvinism, but on shared citizenship, mutual respect, equality, and collective progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His message remains deeply relevant today, as many politicians across the world continue to exploit ultranationalism and religious hatred for political gain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
General Aung San envisioned a nation united not by racial supremacy or religious domination, but by justice, freedom, and human dignity for all its people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
General Aung San\u2019s speech: What is\u00a0politics?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n