The themes in “Building the Nation” by Henry Barlow include political hypocrisy, class dichotomy, corruption, and misgovernance.
Themes in “Building the Nation”
Theme of Political Hypocrisy
Political hypocrisy is one of the dominant themes in “Building the Nation”. This can be deduced from the pretense and insincerity of government officials. They say they are working hard for the country, but they are actually enjoying themselves and doing very little real work.
The Permanent Secretary clearly embodies this trait in the poem. He claims he’s doing “important work” for the country. But all he really does is go to a fancy lunch, eat fried chicken, drink beer and wine, and laugh at jokes.
After the meal, he pretends to have “had no lunch” even though he just had a lavish meal only moments before. He pretends he is suffering, just like the driver.
This theme shows how some leaders lie and exaggerate about the work they do. They act like they’re making big sacrifices for the country, when in truth, they are comfortable and well-fed.
Against the backdrop of post-colonial Africa, the poem does picture social reality of African leaders who inherited colonial privileges and used them for self-enrichment rather than public service. They do not care about the people. They only use their position for enjoyment.
Theme of Class Dichotomy
Class dichotomy is portrayed as one of the important themes in “Building the Nation”. The poem presents a stark contrast between the elite ruling class (represented by the Permanent Secretary) and the working class (represented by the driver).
We see how class differences shape access to power, comfort, and recognition in the process of nation-building. We can draw this much from the roles the driver and the PS play and the recognition they get for their respective contributions.
In the poem, the driver does real, hard work. He takes the PS to his meeting, waits for him, and drives him back. But he is not given lunch and is hungry all day.
The PS, even though he does little, enjoys a special meal and doesn’t even think about the driver’s hunger until much later. When the PS finally asks if the driver ate, he only does it to keep himself awake, not because he really cares.
At the end of the day, both the PS and the driver go home with stomach pains. But the PS’s pain is from eating too much while the driver’s pain is from having nothing to eat.
This shows that while both say they are “building the nation,” only one of them is really suffering and working hard, and it’s not the person in power. Despite the obvious, the PS’s role is valued and glorified. On the contrary, the driver’s contribution is trivialised, even when it is essential.
Theme of Corruption
“Building the Nation” critiques the quiet but insidious forms of corruption practiced by political elites; forms that are often masked by official duties and nationalistic rhetoric.
The Permanent Secretary is depicted as a representative figure of bureaucratic power, one who enjoys the perks of office under the guise of national service. His journey to an “urgent function” turns out to be nothing more than a lavish luncheon at The Vic.
This outing, while seemingly harmless, underscores a deeper moral failure: the PS uses state resources (a government car, driver, and time) to indulge himself. He passes off personal pleasure as patriotic labour. He declares, “I attended to matters of state.” This statement is steeped in irony.
The true corruption here lies in ethical decay: the normalisation of luxury and self-indulgence in a context where others, like the driver, go without food.
This soft, “acceptable” corruption reflects the disconnect between duty and self-interest in many post-colonial governments. Barlow subtly condemns how the ruling class exploits public offices for personal comfort while masking it with bureaucratic language.
The PS’s declaration that his “delicate diplomatic duties” give him “ulcers” becomes laughable when placed against the driver’s hunger pains.
Theme of Misgovernance
Closely tied to the theme of corruption is the theme of misgovernance, particularly anti-people leadership. This is a governance style that fails to address or even recognise the basic needs of the population. Barlow dramatises this through the sharp class divide between the PS and his driver.
Both are, in theory, “building the nation,” but in vastly unequal ways. The PS feasts, laughs, and dozes off, while the driver remains alert, hungry, and unacknowledged.
The PS only asks whether the driver has eaten when trying to stay awake, and his belated concern is met with a smile of resigned amusement. It’s a smile that reflects how low expectations are when it comes to those in power showing genuine empathy.
Even more telling is the PS’s attempt to equate his own discomfort with that of the driver. He claims they both suffer from stomach pain. But where the PS’s pain is the result of overindulgence, the driver’s is a symptom of neglect.
This moment encapsulates misgovernance: leadership that equates symbolic presence with actual service, that confuses visibility with effectiveness, and that fails to serve or uplift those who keep the system running.
Barlow’s poem paints a picture of a nation where those in power are out of touch with the people they lead, where the mechanics of governance are misdirected towards elite satisfaction rather than public well-being.
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