Nationalism is an ideology that holds that a nation is the fundamental unit for human social life, and takes precedence over any other social and political principles.
In other words, it is a sense of national consciousness, encouraging one nation to put emphasis on promoting its culture and interests instead of those of other countries or supranational groups.
Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state.
History of Nationalism
Nationalism is a modern movement. In most part of our history, the people have been attached to their native soil and territories, but it was only by the mid of 18th century that nationalism was generally recognized as one’s sentiment in public and private life.
One of the earliest manifestations of Nationalism occurred in 18th-century England, during the Puritan revolution (English Civil War) whereby, nationalism, as an idea and a force, emerged alongside doctrines of popular sovereignty.
American War of Independence and the French Revolution further strengthened the idea of Nationalistic affiliations and hence Nationalism has become a dominant theme in the modern world.
Anthony D. Smith proposed preconditions for the formation of a nation. They are as follows
- A fixed homeland (current or historical)
- High autonomy
- Hostile surroundings
- Memories of battles
- Sacred centres
- Languages and scripts
- Special customs
- Historical records and thinking
Types of Nationalism
1. Ethnic Nationalism: Ethnic nationalism holds that nations are defined by common ancestry, language, and beliefs. Ethnic nationalism is based on the idea that ethnic groups have the right to self-determination.
2. Cultural Nationalism: Cultural nationalism is nationalism in which the nation is defined by a shared culture and a common language, rather than on the concepts of common ancestry or race.
3. Civic Nationalism: Civic Nationalism also known as democratic nationalism and liberal nationalism, is a form of nationalism that adheres to traditional liberal values of freedom, tolerance, equality, and individual rights and is not based on ethnocentrism.
4. Ultra-Nationalism: It is an extreme and more aggressive form of nationalism. It has negative connotations as it can result in hatred towards others nations and their citizens.
5. Post-Nationalism: Post-nationalism as an ideology, it is a critique of nationalism and is tilted more towards internationalism. Post-nationalism is a process or trend where the importance of nation-states and national identities is reduced relative to cross-nation or supranational and global entities as well as local entities.
6. Civic Nationalism: It is a theory or an ideology which is built around shared citizenship in a liberal-democratic state. It believes in an inclusive form of nationalism that adheres to traditional liberal values of freedom, tolerance, equality, and individual rights.
7. Eco-nationalism: It is an ideology where the state and its people appropriate environment and environmental policies as a form of national pride and believes that the state and its citizens have a special duty to protect the environmental resources of their country.
Nationalism vs Patriotism
Nationalism is an ideology based on the premise that an individual’s loyalty and devotion to one’s country should come above the interests and opinions of other citizens or the interests of a certain group of citizens.The pride of nationalism, however, trumpets its country’s virtues and denies its deficiencies. Nationalism is contemptuous toward the virtues of other countries. It wants to be and proclaims itself to be “the greatest”.
Patriotism is an attachment to a homeland. The love and adoration for the place where an individual is born. brought up, and the nation that place belongs to. These attachments can be related to ethnic, cultural, political or historical. Patriotism is also being proud of a country’s virtues but with an eagerness and readiness to correct its deficiencies to be better. A patriot acknowledges the patriotism of citizens of other countries and respects their virtues.
