▶ Your Answer :
In our current society, many people adamantly believe that the welfare of people is the surest indicator of a great nation. Although the statement above regards the achievements of great people and the gemeral welfare of people as two separate factors of a great nation, I believe that these factors go hand-in-hand. Thus, both are equally important in determining a great nation.
First, successes of great people cannot indicate a great nation. To llustrate, many prominent leaders in India have been successful, but it does not mean India is a great nation. To be specific, Gandhi can be seen as a pioneer of non-violent resistance. He went the extra miles to protest British oppression in India and as a result achieved independence. Moreover, distinguished scientists, such as C.V.Raman, introduced the scattering of light and obtained the Nobel Prize in Physics. Regardless of these leaders, not many would deem India as a great nation because its people are still mired in poverty and welfare is not prevalent among its citizens. Thus, great achievements by famous leaders alone contribute to the nation being heralded as great.
Next, general welfare itself cannot attribute to a great nation. Take Switzerland for example. It possesses a social welfare system that provides citizens with a subsidized health care, including maternity benefits. Also, long-term nursing care and old-age pensions are readily available by the state. Despite such general welfare benefits, people do not regard Switzerland as a great nation because it does not boast distinguished leaders. In light of the case above, general welfare alone cannot be generlaized as a great nation.
Moreover, the achievements of the leaders and general welfare of the people go hand-in-hand, and therefore, the combination of these factors can contribute to a great nation. In the realm of politics, leaders, such as Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Churchill, came from countries in which the general welfare of the people was of a high standard. Furthermore, in the field of science, the names that will never be forgotten - Darwin, Einstein, Newton - are people who come from contries that placed weight on the welfare of the people. Thus, both the achievements of influential leaders and the general welfare of the country would indicate a great nation.
In summary, the successes of the leaders and the general welfare of the people both attribute to a great nation. In this fact paced society, one factor alone cannot indicate the greatness of a nation.
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