Description

Nationalism is hard to define precisely, but it involves a coming together of a mass of individuals to form a single identity that can be based on common values, shared religion and recognition of authority. Nations emerge when a group of people are able to enforce their demand for self -determinism and sovereignty. Nationalism provides citizens with an automatic identity--- a mythic history, heroes to admire, a code of right and wrong to follow, laws, authorities to obey and enemies to hate.

Origin

For most of history, human life was local. Small clans grew into tribes, tribes into towns, towns into cities, cities into states, states into nations, nations into empires. Nationalism as an ideology, a mythology and a social movement has come to be a dominant force in the modern period. By the 19th century the political drama in Europe was a dance of competing nations--Germany, France, etc. Nationalism came late to America. It was not until WW I that the United States began to flex its muscles and demand to be recognized as a world power. During the regime of George W. Bush, America has escalated it claim to be the single super power with the right to wage preemptive war and determine the political forms of government of other countries.

Impact

Since nationalism involves the cultivation of intense patriotism and blind loyalty it degenerates into a feeling of superiority over other countries and an amoral attitude. “ My country, right or wrong. Imperialism is a natural consequence of nationalism.
So long as nations claim absolute sovereignty they inevitably claim the right to go to war when they feel their territory or interests are threatened and to annex any territory they conquer. The problem with this is that every nation defines its own violence against others as “just” war.