Acknowledgement

First of all, we would like to praise God for making us finish this work successfully. We would
also like to express our heart-felt gratitude to our civics teacher Mr.Alemayew Bekele for giving
us this unique opportunity to do this academic journal on the topic ‘Self-Reliance’, which helped
us to do a lot of studies and improve our understanding on the topic.

Last but not least, we would like to thank our parents and those who were there for us and helped
us in every step of the way.

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Contents
Introduction...............................................................................................................................................1
1. Self-Reliance...........................................................................................................................................2
1.1. Characters of Self Reliance................................................................................................................2
1.1.1. Self –Reliance and Self- Esteem......................................................................................................3
1.1.2 Self-Reliance and Self –Confidence.................................................................................................3
1.2. How to develop Self-reliance..............................................................................................................3
1.3. Importance of self-reliance................................................................................................................6
1.3.1. Self reliance in Economy.................................................................................................................7
1.3.2. Self-reliance in Politics....................................................................................................................7
1.4. Decision Making.................................................................................................................................8
1.5. Dependency and its impact................................................................................................................9
Summary..................................................................................................................................................12
Reference..................................................................................................................................................13

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Introduction
A great number of people are not able to rely on their abilities and skills. They are afraid to make
their choices and act independently. This void can be filled by the help of self-reliance, which
very important at individual, societal and country level. This trait is actually accompanied by
other essential traits such as self-esteem and self-confidence.

Self-reliance means trust in one’s own ability. In this journal, we will see the characteristics of
self-reliant people and consider the ways to develop self-reliance. We will examine different
important topics such as self-esteem and self-confidence in relation to self-reliance. We also try
to deal with the importance of reliance from social, economic and political aspect. In the last
section of this journal, we will discuss the negative impacts of dependency and explain it in
relation to self-reliance.

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1. Self-Reliance
Self-reliance is the ability to depend on one’s own power, resources and judgment.

 Power is what gives us the will to act.

 A resource is something you use for aid or support, to help achieve your goals.
 Judgment is our ability to think and make the right choices for ourselves.

“If I am not for myself then who is for me? And if I am only for myself who am I?” (Hillel). This
indicates the fact that people are responsible for taking care of their physical and emotional
needs; people themselves are the architects of their own well-being and success. This quote
clearly indicates that becoming self-reliant does not mean becoming selfish.

1.1. Characters of Self Reliance

Self-reliant people are neither cold nor detached. They trust themselves, aren't afraid of
solitude, and don't depend on anyone to make their own decisions. This is a valuable trait
anyone can develop.

Self-reliant people are a mixture of healthy self-esteem and independence. They make their
own decisions and don’t depend on others. In fact, they aren’t afraid of loneliness. What
most defines these people, beyond the aforementioned characteristics, is their freedom of
thought.

It’s curious how the first thing that comes to mind when you think of “self-reliance” is the
image of someone who doesn’t need anyone and can survive on their own. However, this
term actually encompasses many psychological constructs. This journal will delve deeper
into this concept so you can develop it further, set aside stereotypes, and integrate it into
your personal growth repertoire.
After all, this concept isn’t synonymous with detachment. It isn’t about becoming a hermit
who doesn’t need anything or anyone. In fact, self-sufficiency is  the art of believing in
yourself.
Self-reliance means different things to different people. The character traits most readily
associated with self-reliance are, in no order:

 Reliability: You can be depended on to be consistent in everything you do.

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  Perseverance: You keep going, weathering the storm through thick and thin.
 Dependability: You can be trusted to do what you say you’re going to do.
 Hardworking: You believe in the value of hard work and dedication.
 Self-discipline: You control your behaviours in order to improve your actions.

Being self-reliant allows you to survive the harshest of winters and the most brutal of summers.
It gives you a sense of agency over yourself and your decisions. And while it isn’t an excuse to
never seek help from others, it means you are no longer at the whim and mercy of those who
may have other plans for you.

1.1.1. Self –Reliance and Self- Esteem

Self-esteem is the quality of valuing and believing in oneself. It can also be defined as having a
good opinion of one’s own character and abilities. Self-esteem is a reflection of self image. Self-
esteem is one of the key qualities to develop self-reliance. People with low self-esteem can never
depend on their abilities as they believe they are not competent enough which will make them
lack self-reliance.

1.1.2 Self-Reliance and Self –Confidence

Self-Reliance and self-confidence are highly interrelated aspects. Exercising self-reliance is a

great way to increase self-confidence. The more you act in a self-reliant way the more certain
you become of your own abilities. By building your self-reliance, you can trust yourself to rely
on your own internal resources to know when to exercise it and when to ask for help in order to
build a meaningful, fulfilled life.

1.2. How to develop Self-reliance

Steps to self-reliance – Mandy Kloppers

In an article on developing self-reliance, mental health counselor Mandy Kloppers offers several
practical steps.

Her main tips include (Kloppers, 2019):

1. Accepting yourself and being your own best friend.

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Learning and appreciating your own character strengths is very important in being able to
support yourself as you go through life. What are your character strengths? Are you kind? Are
you curious? Are you brave? Don’t forget to reflect on your achievements and the things you
accomplish that make you feel proud. It’s important not to put yourself down or sabotage your
own efforts.

2. Inner confidence.

In society, we’re conditioned to feel happy when we receive compliments, praise, and
reassurance from others. If that’s not forthcoming, we can feel insecure or vulnerable, sometimes
even helpless. Being self-reliant involves the ability to feel confident in yourself when these
aren’t around—because they may not always be.

3. Making our own decisions.

Kloppers advises against looking consistently outside for security and relying on others to accept
us for who we are. When we can accept ourselves as unique and practice non-judgment, we can
find security from inner sources.

This rational, independent thinking is something we’ve already touched on. As children, one
learns to look to others for guidance when solving problems or making decisions. The tendency
becomes ingrained within us, and as adults, we aren’t always capable of handling adversity in a
way that we feel sure about. Have confidence in your own capabilities and it becomes a lot easier
to find security within.

4. Recognize and manage dependence.

Becoming aware of when you tend to turn to others is a part of self-knowledge. We may know
that we turn to others for certain things, but sometimes this means we’re missing out on a chance
to build up our own confidence. Setting goals and achieving them your own way not only gives
you a sense of accomplishment and reward but greater belief in your own judgment.

5. Accept yourself for who you are.

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Self-acceptance is a huge thing. Instead of looking to others for approval, it’s alright to give that
approval yourself. Seeking others’ acceptance is yet another way that we practice dependence on
others, and it can be a pervasive, hard-to-shake habit. To develop self-reliance, we need to notice
these tendencies before we can change them. But it’s worth it.

Self-reliance – Ralph Waldo Emerson

We can also draw very clear inferences directly from Emerson’s essay itself. From this, more
ways to develop self-reliance include:

1. Having your own values.

Society’s values may not be aligned with our own deep-rooted beliefs. This can be at such a
subconscious level that we don’t always pick up on it. If society values one thing, and it’s not
congruent with our own, we can feel as though it’s hard to gain acceptance.

For example, you may value diversity and inclusiveness but maybe work somewhere that doesn’t
also value such a culture. This creates cognitive dissonance that can be unpleasant to deal with
(Fostinger, 1957).

2. Not relying on ‘things’ to feel happiness.

Emerson also argued strongly about the negative potential influences of material possessions; he
was of the belief that we live in materialistic times. Life is constantly changing if we tie our
happiness to external objects, what happens when they’re gone?

3. Decide who you want to be, and how you want to get there.

Pretty much, this is almost the same as having your own values. Except that once we know our
own values, we can understand what makes us happy and how we would like to live our lives.
Then, we exercise our own judgment about how we want to get there.

Arguably, these aren’t the only ways we can develop self-reliance. It’s also true that children will
often need much simpler approaches to learning that can often start at a more practical level.
Learning to tie one’s own shoelaces, take on little jobs, and so forth.

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1.3. Importance of self-reliance
Self-reliance is important because getting things done on our own makes us more effective,
increases positive feelings about ourselves, and increases the likelihood that we will work harder
in the future, especially in challenging circumstances (Bandura, 1997). The things we have
trouble doing, or don’t think we can do, tend to become things we avoid doing. Building self-
reliance therefore becomes an important way to stay committed to and actively pursue our goals.
 
Most Western cultures place a high priority on self-reliance and have done so for thousands of
years (Goodin, 1988). In fact, these societies have often been called “individualistic” cultures,
where it is seen as very valuable to independently care for oneself and one’s family, and relying
on others is often considered a weakness. Leaving aside the question of whether these are good
beliefs to have, it is helpful to be self-reliant in a society where social supports may not always
be readily available.
The whole purpose of the concept of self reliance is to make a person independent and to induce
a sense of being a whole from within. Now self reliance is not just required in day to day
activities, it is required for increasing the role of one’s own mind and body to fulfill the function
of living at the optimum level. The issues that many people face that draws them away from self
reliance is a need for company, which comes from the famous acronym FOMO, that is, fear of
missing out. The social life is given more importance these days than one’s personal life. People,
in an attempt to be around others forget their own selves. This dependence on social groups
make people get blind sighted for what is in them. So, to deal with life, self reliance is over
shadowed by dependence on others. Thereby, adopting ideas from others and taking help from
others makes people weak enough to get through their lives. This signifies the need to be self
reliant.
‘Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.’(Ralph Waldo Emerson) From here, one should
understand that to experience life, one should experience all hardships and the good days by their
own self. For being ‘themselves’, people need to be independent of other people. Success might
not get in their steps always, but life will be experienced in a better way. Self reliance can
therefore, teach everyone, how to live by themselves. This might make life edgy, but it will
certainly make one powerful in different ways.

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1.3.1. Self reliance in Economy
Economically, first and foremost, to be independent, self-reliant, a country must have real
strength concretized by an independent and self -reliant economy. It is a well-structured, efficient
and secure economy which includes sustainable development and high competitiveness,
balanced export and import structure, diversified and abundant product structure with a great
proportion of technological and high value-added products. An independent and self-reliant
economy in the context of globalization can be understood as an economy which is highly
adaptable to changes of the international situations and less vulnerable to such changes.

Economic self-sufficiency at societal level is the ability of individuals and families to maintain
sufficient income to consistently meet their basic needs – including food, housing, utilities,
health care, transportation, taxes, dependent care, and clothing – with no or minimal financial
assistance or subsidies from private or public.

Self-reliance implies discouraging the imports of those goods that could be produced
domestically. Achieving self-reliance is of prime importance for developing countries like, India
as otherwise, it would increase the country's dependence on foreign products.

1.3.2. Self-reliance in Politics

From the political, security and foreign relations perspective, independence and self-reliance are
the requirements of principle in the process of international integration of our country. The
political independence and self-reliance imply self-determination of goals and path for national
development; self-formation of developmental directions, policies and strategies; self-
establishment and maintenance of political institutions, and no acceptance of any external
intervention. Political independence and self-reliance are expressed both in domestic and foreign
affairs, economics, culture, society, national defense and public security, etc.
Therefore, self reliance benefits the society in the following ways
- It leads to the encouragement of wealth creation and development.
- It helps the country to be economically self-sufficient.
- Reduction in level of unemployment.
- Increment in the standard of living of a nation.
- It helps to reduce social vices in the nation.
- It helps to reduce frustration and poverty.

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1.4. Decision Making
Decision making is the process of making choices by identifying a decision, gathering
information, and assessing alternative resolutions.

Using a step-by-step decision-making process can help you make more deliberate, thoughtful
decisions by organizing relevant information and defining alternatives. This approach increases
the chances that you will choose the most satisfying alternative possible.

Step 1: Identify the decision

You realize that you need to make a decision. Try to clearly define the nature of the decision you
must make. This first step is very important.

Step 2: Gather relevant information

Collect some pertinent information before you make your decision: what information is needed,
the best sources of information, and how to get it. This step involves both internal and external
“work.” Some information is internal: you’ll seek it through a process of self-assessment. Other
information is external: you’ll find it online, in books, from other people, and from other sources.

Step 3: Identify the alternatives

As you collect information, you will probably identify several possible paths of action, or
alternatives. You can also use your imagination and additional information to construct new
alternatives. In this step, you will list all possible and desirable alternatives.

Step 4: Weigh the evidence

Draw on your information and emotions to imagine what it would be like if you carried out each
of the alternatives to the end. Evaluate whether the need identified in Step 1 would be met or
resolved through the use of each alternative. As you go through this difficult internal process,
you’ll begin to favor certain alternatives: those that seem to have a higher potential for reaching
your goal. Finally, place the alternatives in a priority order, based upon your own value system.

Step 5: Choose among alternatives

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Once you have weighed all the evidence, you are ready to select the alternative that seems to be
best one for you. You may even choose a combination of alternatives. Your choice in Step 5 may
very likely be the same or similar to the alternative you placed at the top of your list at the end of
Step 4.

Step 6: Take action

You’re now ready to take some positive action by beginning to implement the alternative you
chose in Step 5.

Step 7: Review your decision & its consequences

In this final step, consider the results of your decision and evaluate whether or not it has resolved
the need you identified in Step 1. If the decision has not met the identified need, you may want to
repeat certain steps of the process to make a new decision. For example, you might want to
gather more detailed or somewhat different information or explore additional alternatives.

1.5. Dependency and its impact

Dependency is the state of accepting that one has a need he/she cannot fulfill and satisfy by
himself/herself. It refers to an excessive reliance on the knowledge, resource and potential of
others to solve one's problem.

Dependency has psychological, social and economic impacts. People who live depending on
other suffer from psychological problems.

 They lack confidence.

 They suffer from feelings of inferiority.
 They fail to argue in support of their own position and can now make free decisions.
 Their frame from forwarding their ideas because they fear that others would ridicule
them.

Dependent people who live on the support of others also developed the habit of long-term
economic dependency.

Dependency has also social impacts. A dependent person may not be socially accepted among
friends and in the community.

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Dependency has a negative impact as a country level a dependent country relies on developed
countries for food donation, financial donation and skill supports. This increases the risk that
they dependent country will not develop the ability to support itself.

Dependency results in risks to public welfare as it makes dependent nations susceptible to

interference from outside in the following ways:

 Financial and technological penetration by western states.

 Producing an unbalanced economic relationship with poor countries
 Limitation on self-sustained growths of poor countries.

There are many different ways on how developing countries can alleviate the effects of
exploitation. Several protectionists or nationalist practices where adapted at one time or another
by search countries some of them are the following.

 Promoting domestic industry and manufactured goods.

 Providing subsidies to protect domestic industries, poor countries can sell their own
products.
 Limiting the importation of luxury items and manufactured goods.
 Taking steps to keep foreign companies and individuals from operating business.
 Forcibly taking over foreign-owned companies on behalf of the state.

Dependency at the international context

Many scholars and development theorists to this argue that poor countries remain poor because
their relationship with the rich and developed countries is characterized by exploitation
independency.

The following are some explanations on why poor countries get poor and remain dependent.

A. Profit extraction and dependency of poor countries

More advanced countries control the market and extract profit from poorer countries poor
countries have lost the race and cannot benefit from trading in the international market.

B. Debt and dependency of poor countries

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 Debt is one of the major factors that poor countries get poorer. Countries become more
dependent when they have more debts. This situation allows the rich countries that provide the
debt to dictate their interests on the recipient country.

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Summary
Self-reliance is the ability to depend on one’s own power, resources and judgment. “If I am not
for myself then who is for me? And if I am only for myself who am I?” This quote clearly
indicates that becoming self-reliant does not mean becoming selfish.

Self-reliant people are neither cold nor detached. They trust themselves, aren't afraid of solitude,
and don't depend on anyone to make their own decisions. Self-reliant people posses reliability,
perseverance, hard-working and self-discipline.

Self-reliance is important because getting things done on our own makes us more effective,
increases positive feelings about ourselves, and increases the likelihood that we will work harder
in the future, especially in challenging circumstances.

Dependency is the state of accepting that one has a need he/she cannot fulfill and satisfy by
himself/herself. It refers to an excessive reliance on the knowledge, resource and potential of
others to solve one's problem. People who are dependent lack confidence, suffer from feelings of
inferiority, fail to argue in support of their own position and can now make free decisions.

Dependency at the state level can put poor countries at risk through debt trapping and neo-
colonialism.

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Reference
Dires, M. (2013). Extreme civics and ethical education grade 11&12. Extreme Series.

Tesfaye, A. (1999). Advanced preparatory civic & ethical education. Aster Nega.

Moore, C. (2019, April 15). What is Self-Reliance and How to Develop It?. Retrieved from
https://positivepsychology.com/self-reliance/.

Whitener, S. (2019, October 17). How Self-Reliance Builds Your Self-Confidence. Retrived
from https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/

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