The Meaning of Nationalism

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at the motives, meaning, and history of nationalism. Religious, cultural, and ethnic differences are all cited as factors contributing to nationalist movements. Oppression and economic dissatisfaction are cited as factors, as well. The paper goes on to explain how the ruling party is always either the target or instigator of nationalist movements and that the concept of a nation within the concept of nationalism is that the people within the nation have more common interests among themselves than with any other group outside the group of people forming the nation. The paper goes on to review several historical and modern-day nationalist movements and the negative and destructive consequences that such movements tend to have. Finally, the potential for more nationalist movements and what can be done to solve the conditions that bring about these movements is addressed.

From the Paper:

"When a complicated process of history involving many forces of the society, and which took place at a certain moment of history are described through the use of only one word; it may seem initially very correct to use that word. The process of history goes on and the complications are revealed of the use of that word. One such word to be used was nationalism. The underlying concepts of nationalism are very complicated, because the spirit of nationalism is expressed in many ways. In terms of history, it is an ideology, which aims to achieve and retain the character and independence of a nation in a united manner through the determination of the future of that nation by its own people, or even different groups who are using the banner of a nation (Smith, 1991, p.75). It has also been used in the present era by different groups of people with the same culture or ethnic origin to unite under and mention their dissatisfaction with the present conditions."

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