The word slogan comes from a Scottish battle cry that roughly translates as “cry of the people.” While now largely associated with advertising, slogans are still used to define national identity, a politician’s promise, or the basis of protest.

A slogan is an imagined future intended to become a reality, while a motto defines existing core principles. “Liberté, égalité, fraternité [liberty, equality, fraternity]” became a slogan during the French Revolution, while “In God we trust” remains a national motto of America. National mottos tend to be static abstract ideals, mostly about liberty and freedom, a refreshing exception being the national motto of the African nation Lesotho — “Peace, Rain and Prosperity.” Public attitudes and opinions are more easily driven by evolving slogans that reflect current conditions.

Sometimes, old slogans survive, such as “Mayibuye iAfrika! [May Africa return],” first used in the 1920s in South Africa but revived this year, suggesting the anti-colonial struggle continues, and freedom has not yet been won.

Britain revived a World War II slogan, “Keep calm and carry on”, to see them through the recent pandemic, reflecting (or perhaps inspiring) the British character to endure in every crisis. Queen Elizabeth II’s unofficial motto, “Never complain, never explain”, first coined by Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, says a lot about official British strategies.

Across history, slogans have served as imagined futures aiming to become realities. They can define national identity, political promises and protest movements in both good ways and bad

Pakistan has revived the pre-Independence call for azadi [freedom]. The movement for independence from British rule was turned into a mass movement to a large extent by poets whose verses spread like wildfire across the country. Hasrat Mohani coined the phrase “Inquilab zindabad [Long live the revolution]” in 1921, popularised by Bhagat Singh in 1929 when he was sentenced to hang.

As the demand for Pakistan became a possibility, Basheer Ahmed wrote, “Ao kardayn aaj ailaan chaahay apni jaaye jaan/ Le ke raheingey Pakistan, Le ke raheingey Pakistan! [Come let’s announce today, even if it’s at the cost of our lives/ We will not stop until we have Pakistan!].” To this, Kaif Banarsi added, “Le ke raheingey Pakistan/ Bat ke rahay ga Hindustan! [We will not stop until we have Pakistan and Hindustan is divided!]” and “Door hato ai dunya waalon, Pakistan hamara hai! [Move aside people of the world, Pakistan is ours!].”

Asghar Saudai’s call, “Pakistan ka matlab kya? La ilaaha il-Allah [what does Pakistan mean? There is no god but Allah],” written originally to support the ‘Two-Nation Theory’, now resonates with the right wing politics of Pakistan.

Slogans are intended to drive nations towards ideological goals — although, as philosopher Alan Watts cautions, “The river is not pushed from behind, nor is it pulled from ahead. It falls with gravity.”

Slogans take time to catch on but, once established, they are hard to change. Effective slogans can last for years and even decades. A 17th century French minister asking businessmen how the government can help commerce was told “Laissez-nous faire [Leave it to us].” This phrase — laissez-faire — put into action free-trade policies and the dominance of raw capitalism, which places profit above sustainability,

respect for the environment or human beings and bypasses morality.

Pakistani aspirations were changed with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s 1966 slogan, “Maangta hai har insaan, roti kaprra aur makaan [Everyone wants bread, clothing and housing].” Intended to address poverty, its focus on material needs seems to have travelled up the echelons of class to create aspirations for land and lavish lifestyles.

Psychologist Dylan Selterman suggests slogans can become “symbolically sacred, like hymns or mantras.” After Bhutto was hanged, his supporters responded with “Kal bhi Bhutto zinda tha, aaj bhi Bhutto zinda hai [Bhutto was alive yesterday and is still alive today]” and “Tum kitnay Bhutto maro ge? Har ghar se Bhutto niklay ga [How many Bhuttos will you kill? A Bhutto will emerge from every house].”

Sociologist Muzafer Sherif points out that “slogans, especially at the time of crises and tension, become short-cut battle cries.” Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s “Rok sako tau rok lo, tabdeeli aayi re [Stop it if you can, change is coming]” appealed to a largely young electorate, despondent with repetitive feudal politics. The tenacity of political will is expressed by the South African activist Steve Biko: “It is better to die for an idea that will live, than to live for an idea that will die.”

Sometimes, images can be silent slogans. A floating island of plastic waste brings home the horrors of environmental pollution. The shock of images of planes crashing into New York’s Twin Towers equated Islam with terrorism.

On December 28, 1947, Muhammad Ali Jinnah urged the new nation to have unity, faith and discipline. Gen Ziaul Haq changed the order to faith, unity and discipline — subtle but significant changes, with a far-reaching impact on Pakistani Society.

One can only wonder what Pakistan would have achieved if, instead of “roti, kaprra, makaan,” the slogan had been taaleem, tarbiyat, taraqqi [education, upbringing, progress].

Durriya Kazi is a Karachi-based artist.
She may be reached at durriyakazi1918@gmail.com

Published in Dawn, EOS, July 7th, 2024