Pro’s and Con’s of Nationalism Essay

Nationalism is patriotic feeling, principles, efforts or having pride in your country. nationalism was another big part in world war I. ("DBQ: What Were the Underlying ...", 2010, p. Doc 1) If it was not for the pride in one’s countries, there would be total chaotic war. There was total war because of imperialism also. Because of this soldiers were ready to run towards the front lines and risk his life for his country.

Nationalism, a political or social philosophy in which the prosperity of a nation-state as an existence is considered supreme or more important than anything else. The primary duty and loyalty should be toward the nation-state. The love for one's country often reflected dominance and power as people were able to unite toward common good. Furthermore, republic governments were reestablished a result of Nationalism.

Nationalism can be traced to the nineteenth century, European peoples came to identify strongly with communities they called nations. Members of a nation considered themselves a distinctive people that spoke a common language, observed common customs, inherited common cultural conditions, held common values, and shared common

It can be seen that the source that was given supports nationalism to a certain degree. They explain all of the positive things about embracing nationalism while giving only one small negative point. The positive points clearly prevail over the negative point which helps show the reader the author’s position on this issue. It can be seen that only self-determined countries are legitimate. The government that runs the nation-state, achieves this self-determination by gaining and keeping the support of its citizens. This results in the citizens coming together as a civic nation and having great pride in their country. If this self-determined country is created from ultra-nationalistic beliefs it will lead into a country that believes that

TO WHAT EXTENT IS NATIONALISM A POSITIVE FORCE?Nationalism has been viewed as both a positive and a negative force, and both positions have been demonstrated today and throughout history. It is the biggest social and political force of the world. It unifies people and makes them stronger. It can lead to a stable economy, patriotism and even ultranationalism. But, one could argue that all these things, especially ultranationalism have had bad consequences such as crimes against humanity, fascism and clouding a nation's ability to interact properly with the rest of the world.

Nationalism was formed with the idea that a nation is made up of people who are joined together by common language, customs, cultures and history. It held the belief that one should be loyal to the people of their nation, not a king or empire. Nationalists believed that people of a single nationality should unite under a single government. The concept of Nationalism emerged in the French Revolution and was spread to the rest of Europe by Napoleon’s conquests.

Nationalism is a powerful force that can unite people working towards a common goal, but when it is taken to the extreme it can cause major disharmony in society, evident in the numerous genocides during the Age of Imperialism, the Fascist party's rise to power, and the Japanese’s unwillingness to surrender during World War II. Nationalism is dangerous, because it warps the minds of the individuals in the organization, creates prejudice and discrimination, and can be easily manipulated into a weapon against humanity.

Nationalism is way of thinking both political and socially to create a community united by: history, ethnicity, religions, common culture, and language. Numerous effects occurred while establishing a Nationalist community, some effects were a long term impact on Nationalism, and other was short term impacts on Nationalism.

As the main source of national identity, nationalism “makes [people] feel connected not only to one another but also to the homeland itself” (Jusdanis 28). In the case of the American founding, when the delegates from respective states met to construct a more perfect union, they did not identify themselves as Virginians or New Yorkers. Instead, they defined themselves as “we the people of the United States” as it appears in the Preamble to the US constitution. The shared interest in liberty and freedom as well as the attachment to the land of their fathers made it possible for the vast population of the thirteen states to think of itself as a unified body despite their internal ethnic and cultural divide. By identifying themselves as a member of certain group, people will form a society with certain shared value, which ultimately can become the political units for a democratic government. Nationalism is essential for creating a cohesive political community.

Today, the scourge of nationalism continues to infect humanity. Without doubt, in some circles, nationalism is hotly debated. For most people, however, the concept of nationalism is rarely questioned. In fact, it 's a foregone conclusion that people should love the nation in which they reside. Some people even take great pride in the fact that they were arbitrarily born in a specific geographical location. Unfortunately, like religion or capitalism, nationalism is alive and well in the 21st century.

Nationalism can be described as a mix, multidimensional morally developed or created concept involving a shared common identification with one's Nation. It is more on politically motivated towards working and maintaining self-governance, or full sovereignty, working towards to a specific land or a territory of historical significance to the group such as land and its belongings. In simple Nationalism is a nation command and lead itself, free from foreign influence, it is the concept of self-rule. Nationalism is further formed towards maintaining and developing a Sovereignty based on shared features such as religion, language, race, culture, or either political goals or a belief in a customary ancestry. So its pride towards nation's achievements, and the concept in world history has shown positive and negative impact, moreover in a political dimension it leads either unification or disintegration.

Nationalism’s true identity has always been faulty. It is simply the idea that one’s country is better than another based on the sole premise that they were born there. Over time, nationalism has not changed. People just began to use it differently, or more specifically, with more pride and violence. This change can account for the increasingly problematic events in Europe from the eighteenth to twentieth centuries. Like any grouping system, such as religion, differences inevitably cause disputes. Wars between religions have been occurring since the beginning of time to the present day. It was no surprise that nationalism resulted in wars amongst and within countries. Nationalism is rooted in people’s emotions and is fueled from agreement. It leaves no room for peace in a world consisting of different countries. Similarly, when social, economic, and religious differences within a country clash, nationalism becomes self-destructive. The ideals of nationalism, seemingly harmless at first glance, can be easily manipulated and tremendously destructive to a worldly society.

Nationalism is, according to AP World History textbook The Earth and Its Peoples, “a political ideology that stresses people’s membership in a nation” (Bulliet). This term, often connected to patriotism and unity, is also seen as a synonym for racism and bigotry (Stevens). Though nationalism has had a positive effect on many nations - some would even claim it to be the most influential idea in unification during the 1800s - it has also been detrimental to world cultures (Bulliet). Though nationalism may not be the same as racism, there is a fine line between innocent passion for one’s country and ethnic superiority (Ezzat). Extreme nationalism is shown in acts against foreign cultures such as genocide, assimilation, media hate

However, nationalism does not have one single definition, its meaning has evolved as society changes and modernises. Nationalism can “...refer to any behaviour designed to restore, maintain, or advance public images of that national community” (Gries, 2005:9). By the mid-1960s there were two main proposals to understanding nationalism. “In the first, nationalism was an aspect of national history, a sentiment associated with the nation...In the second approach, nationalism was a modern, irrational doctrine which could acquire sufficient power...to generate nationalists sentiments and even nation states” (Gellner, 2008:xx). Nationalism is defined differently by different schools of thought and theorists.

Nationalism is the sense of an individual showing extreme loyalty to their country. It is homologous to tribalism. Similar to a family it is held together by a sense of affinity. According to professor Liah Greenfeld of Boston, nationalism is “an image of social order which involves the people of a sovereign elite and a community of equals.” Nationalism includes individuals tied together by charismatic bonds such as race, faith, language, economy, way of life, history, ideas, and location. (“Nationalism” Greenfeld) These people desire power and strength in which they feel strongly loyal too. In other words they seek development of their nation. For instance, a group called ISIS, also known as The Islamic State deeply follows the Muslim Faith. They are willing to fight to the death for their beliefs on how society should be organized and live. Also, World War One and World War Two are great examples of a historical nationalistic era. People from every country stood their ground and battled until they had nothing left. They risked their lives for their countries which showed true nationalism. Events like these lead to tragic endings which included death, loss in food, clothing, lower economy, political issues, and disputes within countries. Despite what one may assume the root causes of international conflicts are, nationalist ideas are in fact the origin to this dissension because many countries are loyal to their beliefs, ensure the stability of their nation, and are set on