NationStates Jolt Archive

The French Revolution, Napolean, World War I, Hilter's Empire, Sept. 11th, Imperialism........................ is nationalism summarily a good thing or a bad thing?

Tell me what you think in the poll!!!

It's a good thing that unites a country. Civic pride has built many great peices of infrastructure, and many engineering marvels (Pyramids, Eifel Tower, etc). Besides, it makes them strong. Only in extreme cases does it get out of hand. One was during WWI, when nationalism was more like a religion in some countries.

Definitions of Nationalism according to Dictionary.com:

1) Devotion to the interests or culture of one's nation.

2) The belief that nations will benefit from acting independently rather than collectively, emphasizing national rather than international goals.

3) Aspirations for national independence in a country under foreign domination.

Personally I don't see what's so bad about it. In the context of these definitions, you can have nationalism without imperialism. Why not work independently rather than relying on a world bureacracy inching toward global authority like the UN.

Definitions of Nationalism according to Dictionary.com:

1) Devotion to the interests or culture of one's nation.

2) The belief that nations will benefit from acting independently rather than collectively, emphasizing national rather than international goals.

3) Aspirations for national independence in a country under foreign domination.

Personally I don't see what's so bad about it. In the context of these definitions, you can have nationalism without imperialism. Why not work independently rather than relying on a world bureacracy inching toward global authority like the UN.
In fact, Europe became nationalist in part due to imperialism. In the 1700s, powers like France, Britain, Spain, and Austria traded land between eachother like it was nothing. By the 1800s, these places told the old powers to back off. It helped lead to the creation of Germany and Italy.

Civic pride has built many great peices of infrastructure, and many engineering marvels (Pyramids, Eifel Tower, etc).

Civic pride as you describe it is a good thing, but I think Nationalism is something very different than that. To me Nationalism says "my country and people are the best and if need be we should fight you or prevent your people from living here".

Definitions of Nationalism according to Dictionary.com:

2) The belief that nations will benefit from acting independently rather than collectively, emphasizing national rather than international goals.


...which is a troubling idea indeed. Lethal to the planet in fact.

I say its a bad thing

I think, there's a difference between nationalism and patriotism. I think, nationalism has something to do with being proud of your fatherland, but patriotism for me has nothing to do with being prod of your country, but, being a German and besides being happy and lucky to be a German, 'cause after all, we're doing quite well here, despite all the whining in this country, to be aware of your national culture and heritage. No matter. where I live, I'll be always be a German (in Germany itself, it even counts, which region you're from, so actually, I'm a born Saarländer, but educated in Franconia, living in the Rhineland, soon moving to Berlin). Maybe for me it's a bit easier, 'cause my last name comes from old germanic times, so I have to live with it anyway. But I can't be proud of my country, 'cause I didn't do anything (yet) for it to be proud of. And so, I think, didn't most of us! Nationalism for me is an attitude of arrogance and ignorance towards other cultures. But we're all living on the same planet and have to cope with each other (oozing pathos). 8)

I would say Nationalism is a good thing -it is unnatural not to be primarily devoted to the scrap of ground upon which one lives; containing the place where one grows up, is educated, falls in love and begats his children. Love of humanity in general amounts to veneration of no one and nothing in particular

Nations are all right for defense , currency, communications and transport
(roads, air traffic control etc).

The big ones are old fashioned. Everything is downsized these days. A nation does not havr to be huge to protect itself.

The US should disassemble itself like the USSR did.

name possibilities: "Yankeeland" (NE); "Dixie"(S); Breadbasket" (central);
"Cowboy" (Mountain); "LaLa" (West).

Let the UK disassemble too.

It's a good thing that unites a country. Civic pride has built many great peices of infrastructure, and many engineering marvels (Pyramids, Eifel Tower, etc). Besides, it makes them strong. Only in extreme cases does it get out of hand. One was during WWI, when nationalism was more like a religion in some countries.

Or now, when it's turned the majority of world opinion against the US for our displays of arrogance and self-absorption. Vote: Bad.

Collaboration, there is actually there is an idea floating around the US Northwest and Pacific Canada of a single coastal nation called "Cascadia" that would include Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska.

I would say Nationalism is a good thing -it is unnatural not to be primarily devoted to the scrap of ground upon which one lives; containing the place where one grows up, is educated, falls in love and begats his children. Love of humanity in general amounts to veneration of no one and nothing in particular

The idea of spending your life in one small region like that is rather quaint - do people still live like that anymore? I've lived in several different regions in my life - not having been back to the place I was born and raised in nearly 20 years.

Perhaps my humanism and globalism does arise partly from not being so rooted in one place. In the city where I live nearly everyone is from somewhere else - it's almost rare to meet someone who was born here. And that's fine with me. I'd rather venerate the planet than my own little tribe, if I still belonged to one.

who cares about the feelings of less united nations when you have nationalistic feelings towrd yours?

Collaboration, there is actually there is an idea floating around the US Northwest and Pacific Canada of a single coastal nation called "Cascadia" that would include Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Alaska.

Well, just because I have an idea doesn't mean it can't be "real"! :wink:

i think it is a bad thing.

People gather together for common goals, to work together to some end or lofty aim. Most ancient nations started out as simple communities banding together for common defense.

Nationalism is a concept that a group of people take pride in their little socio/economic/cultural/what-all-else unit and hold it higher than all other nations in the world. On a small scale, I think its a noble and worthy thing.

Of course, beliving yours is the best and telling others they are lesser are very closely related indeed. So Nationalism is a double-edged sword, it should be taken with a grain of salt. Also there is little point in blind nationalism; "my country, right or wrong" is a foolish way of thinking.

I hate nationalism. It prevents the victims of hierarchy from uniting and fighting back.

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Free your mind!

Civic pride has built many great peices of infrastructure, and many engineering marvels (Pyramids, Eifel Tower, etc).

Civic pride as you describe it is a good thing, but I think Nationalism is something very different than that. To me Nationalism says "my country and people are the best and if need be we should fight you or prevent your people from living here".
I don't often think of nationalism in that sense. I guess it only happens in extreme cases. Maybe the type you describe is more like jingoism.

It's a good thing that unites a country. Civic pride has built many great peices of infrastructure, and many engineering marvels (Pyramids, Eifel Tower, etc). Besides, it makes them strong. Only in extreme cases does it get out of hand. One was during WWI, when nationalism was more like a religion in some countries.

Or now, when it's turned the majority of world opinion against the US for our displays of arrogance and self-absorption. Vote: Bad.
Does nationalism=self absorption?

Definitions of Nationalism according to Dictionary.com:

2) The belief that nations will benefit from acting independently rather than collectively, emphasizing national rather than international goals.


...which is a troubling idea indeed. Lethal to the planet in fact.

How so? Seeing that many members of the UN are islamic socialist and terrorist States and that the UN also chose not to re-elect the U.S. to it's humanitarian commission and chose effing LYBIA instead, shows signs of empty rhetoric and hypocracy.

The truth is that the international community doesn't have much to offer to anyone ( except brutal dictatorships), yet despite this obvious observation, here in America, liberals are constantly willing to sacrifice our nations sovereignty at the alter of the UN and our longstanding "allies," as if the international community was endowed with wisdom and intelligence beyond human. UN=NWO.

I hate nationalism. It prevents the victims of hierarchy from uniting and fighting back.

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Free your mind!

How does it do that? Can't love of country and independence lead many individuals to fight against tyrannical hierarchies? Nationalism does not automatically equal blind obedience.

How do Anarchists view international alliances? Or at least give me your own views.

Nationalism: to feel proud of one's national identity, language, and culture

Extreme nationalism: to feel that one's nation is superior over the rest, in terms of culture or race or skin colour.

I believe most people are nationalist, but not to the extreme extent. :P

Nationalism is bad for you
but good for ME!!

If nationalism is directed positively it can be very good.

nationalism, is bad. Patriotism is okay.

I hate nationalism. It prevents the victims of hierarchy from uniting and fighting back.

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Free your mind!

Would you then not coerce me then into giving up my pride in my country? I don't consider myself a victim.

National and patriotism are fine. A little flag waving and overall celebrating never hurt the sense of community.

Now when taken too far it becomes Jingoism. That in my opinion is far less desirable.