The statement linking the prosperity of a nation to the general welfare of its people plays with human experience dating back to the prehistoric times. Since the first traces of human life were discovered in the districts of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, the human society has come a long way. In ancient and medieval days, the nature of human societies was primarily hegemonic. Thus the well-being of a nation depended largely on the wisdom of its ruler. The ruler himself/herself had all the prerogative of whether to patronize arts and science. But, nowadays, most of the human societies are democratic. The denizens themselves have the right to choose their leader. A nation, these days, no longer reminds us of its ruler. Rather it reminds us of the people who hail from that nation. So, the question pertinently arises “How is a nation classified as great?” Is it by the virtue of the achievements of its leaders or other eminent personalities in the fields of arts, science and technology or by the general welfare of its natives?
The welfare of the common people is obviously one of the key parameters that decide a nation’s well-being. For a nation to thrive in its path of success, every citizen should contribute his/her part. Thus, a nation cannot prosper if the majority of its people do not progress. If a nation is plagued by poverty, famine, illiteracy, unemployment and slothful economic growth and other related problems, then it is difficult for the nation to progress and be known as a great nation.
There is ample evidence in history that suggests that one of key factors that make a nation great is the common welfare of its people. Even in the ancient times, the kingdoms which prospered were the ones where its ruler was concerned about the prosperity of its people. For example, let us take the example of