Why is nationalism on the rise?

Question

I see it everywhere. Its probably most pronounced in the US, but it seems to be on the rise everywhere I go - and as best I'm aware, if we scrolled back in time a decade or two everyone would have been predicting just the opposite, an increase in internationalism.

When are we going to stop getting our identities from our nationality? Its one of the foremost things people use to self-identify, I'm Brazilian, I'm American, I'm French etc. And its how we identify others too (and a tool we use to automatically assign their views). Its like we identify with people of our own nationality as more human than anyone else. It's insiduous and I feel like we should be telling anyone flag-waving in any country that they're an idiot. So long as our self-identity and the way we categorize other people is based on nationality we're doomed to an insular, xenophobic and war-torn geo-political landscape. That's my view anyway. Thoughts?

Veronica: I disagree with that strongly, for numerous reasons too complex to get into here. I'll just say that nationalism has traditionally been associated with religiousity, not with sectarianism. Indeed, certainly in the case of the US, religiousity is not in decline, it's on the rise, and is rising in synch with nationalism it seems to me.

I should point out - I'm talking about nationalism vs internationalism as a way of looking at the world and people in it. I'm not making an argument for or against literal globalism - ie the development of one federalized state. That's a whole different issue.

It's just about whether we recognise that the national boundaries we do have are just legal constructs. There seems to be an increasing propensity to view nations as somehow existing in nature, and to view their inhabitants as somehow biologically or divinely different from people elsewhere. Nations may well be necessary as a legal construct, it's when we start viewing them as more that problems arise.

And I do wear sandals. I don't read the guardian.

Answer 1

It was , supposedly , on the rise after 9/11 with all the "United We Stand" bumper stickers. Pretty much a joke ...It's hard enough to get people "united" as to what radio station to listen to at work ...

I think nationalism is in the dumpster because of the administration. The War. The Deficit.

Answer 2

In the U.S. nationalism is on the rise since about five years. The reason for that is that the people have been properly scared. The Bush junta tells us we have to be afraid of Muslims taking our lives, Mexicans taking our jobs, gays taking our marriage, foreign investors taking our economy, Chinese taking about everything.

We the people are not only grotesquely uneducated (at least the large masses) but also tricked into believing that the world "out there" is trying to get us. That is why the sheep and the morons turn inwards are hate as they are expected to do everything that comes from outside. The simple minds like to generalize and live out their xenophobia with a vengeance.

The rest of the world sees that and in turn rejects everything that is American. They (just a bit better educated) also turn inwards. This starts a domino effect of internationally prevalent nationalism.

The Bush junta has transformed America from an open society to which the world looked for leadership and example to a more and more fascist regime mimicking the failures Nazi Germany suffered from 70 years ago. This is the world we live in...

Answer 3

A good question and point you are making, personally I agree with you that its on the rise certainly in a lot of countries and mostly in the ones where we could do with a lot less of it.If all the Scandinavian countries all became notorious flag-wavers it would n't really concern me as they don't have a recent history of waging war on the world and are a well educated group of democratic 'model societies'.(Perhaps the Viking years got it out of their collective systems). I'm Scottish and proud of it and I would gladly have my country Independant from the rest of the U.K. but I would like this to occur in a peacefull democratic fashion and not due to any irrational hatred of the English,Welsh or Ulster. I keep my irrational hatred of the English pent up until we play them at football,rugby or anything else(even tennis).At these points I will scream ,shout,swear all manner of obcenities till the game is over and usually lost by us unfortunatly. Then I will participate in some friendly abuse/banter with my English mates until we have forgotten what we were slagging one another about. Everyone has a right to be proud of their own national Identity and so they should be,it is not countries which commit evil acts but citizens from within these countries,if we were to blame any country for the horrors of 9/11 then why did America not blow the hell out of Saudi Arabia,the majority of all those responsible were Saudis as are the majority of Osama bin Ladens followers aswell as himself. So to sum up, if nationalism continues to rise in the fashion it is with xenophobia as its bed partner then our societies are doomed to another world war,which this time will have no winners, only losers. The greatest manipulator of nationalism,xenophobia,racism and the media the world has known was Adolf Hitler, thankfully I don't think any current world leader is even half as talented in those respects as him,but there are many who harbour as much ambition.

Answer 4

Some excellent observations!! You are correct that nationalism has never been conducive to world peace. But the nation-state developed as a sort of diplomatic outgrowth of the need to effectively deal with other political entities (other nations). Effective dealings typically maintained trade and other political relations which were conducive to peace. But the period 1945-1989 was based on a logic of "balance" (U.S. and Soviet), and now we have imbalance (a "Pax Americana"), and it is showing many problems. People do have nationalist tendencies, but it is better to offer a replacement for this rather than stark ridicule; it may be that people need some sort of communal identity to make sense of their social reality.

Answer 5

Assuming it is on the rise, possible causes are:

Individual reaction against econmic globalisation where work is 'off shored' / imports from other countries rise / economic migration increases (especially within the EU) without any evident increase in affluence or employment for citizens of the home country; 'I've got too many of my own worries'

Weakening of pan national institutions (trade unions, united nations, cultural programmes, the EU) notably by the US unilateral approach to foreign affairs

Lack of progress by politicians in major political problems eg Palestine, Iraq, Zimbabwe, Sudan leading to withdrawl of interest to within country borders as voters lose interest/don't care/get exhausted

Lack of political and religous leaders speaking to the wider interests of humanity coupled with a remorseless 'dumbing down' / shallow coverage by TV of foriegn and current affairs

Lack of support within countries for cross-cultural programmes eg withdrawl of funding by the government for youth groups and activities

Answer 6

I've to noticed a high level of nationalism, i don't see it why it exist as no has choosed where they are born! But i think the terriorist events and the Iraq wars are causing more nationalism. Also it's a way of politicians of trying to bond the country and avoid discussing the countries problems.

Answer 7

Illegal Aliens hemorrhaging across our Southern borders and the pandering, Lilly livered,politically correct Left Wing Radical Liberal ACLU Adoring Democrats sit impotently by along with the Republicans and REFUSE to execute and enforce the Law as it is on the books...so Nationalism surges when the Govt will do nothing!

Answer 8

Remember Shrub's idiotic quote of a few months ago:

"I won't apologize for America. I don't care what the facts are."

That pretty much sums it up. In an individual, we'd call it immaturity and an unwillingness to take responsibility for one's own mistakes. When it's done by a country, we call it "nationalism".

The difference is, crimes committed by countries are far worse than if everyone in a country committed an individual's crimes.

Answer 9

because peopel doi not klnow what to think anymore interms of im,migration society has beco0me more intolrant of others it never used to be like this but people haven' got a clue what to do or what to think anymore as the principles adapted form the chritain faith have long sionce disapread now weahave a socity that is athiest and intolearant whereas before we had a morew tolerant sopciety based on the christian principles that were adopted.

Answer 10

Here in the U.K. nationalism is increasing due to a blinkered government operating an open door policy,even the most easy going people are heartily sick of our country being used by these people who are flooding in from asia and eastern europe to abuse our labour laws and our social security and health systems