The Pros And Cons Of Nationalism
It sometimes seems only human nature for people to group themselves into categories. From Facebook groups for people that like cats to school science clubs, people tend to like other people with similar ideas and beliefs as themselves. Like Facebook groups and school clubs, nationalism strives to unify people with something in common, that being, but not limited to, one’s nation. As one of the most widespread ideologies, nationalism plays a huge role in the world today. Ultimately, it is a system that leads to separation, rather than unification. Because of this, and although it can have some positive aspects, nationalism is more harmful to the world than it is helpful. Nationalism is often mistaken for patriotism. However, it is
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In contrast to civic nationalism, ethnic nationalism is when a nation is decided by birth, blood, and other contributing factors to a person’s ethnicity (Auer). An example of ethnic nationalism is the Ku Klux Klan. According to The Journal of Southern History, the Ku Klux Klan is a white nationalist group within the United States whose main objective is white supremacy and the eradication of minorities. Their loyalty lies with their race, and often only with members of their race possessing their same ideals. Some members of the Ku Klux Klan may also consider themselves to be loyal to the United States, although most consider it to be tainted by people of different races, religions, and ethnicities …show more content…
According to one source, fascism strongly appealed to citizens, promising prosperity after the years of hardship. Strong feelings of nationalism also led to imperialism. In 1935, Italy conquered Ethiopia. From 1939 to the end of World War II, Germany occupied much of Europe, with hopes of conquering the world and building it into one German Empire. Ultimately, these plans failed, and Germany and Italy were no longer massive world powers. Instead, the countries suffered from economic troubles and thousands were left in poverty (Keefe 28-33). Recently, nationalism has had a large impact in Asia and Africa, as well as a revival in Eastern Europe in the 1980s (Nationalism
In contrast to civic nationalism, ethnic nationalism is when a nation is decided by birth, blood, and other contributing factors to a person’s ethnicity (Auer). An example of ethnic nationalism is the Ku Klux Klan. According to The Journal of Southern History, the Ku Klux Klan is a white nationalist group within the United States whose main objective is white supremacy and the eradication of minorities. Their loyalty lies with their race, and often only with members of their race possessing their same ideals. Some members of the Ku Klux Klan may also consider themselves to be loyal to the United States, although most consider it to be tainted by people of different races, religions, and ethnicities …show more content…
According to one source, fascism strongly appealed to citizens, promising prosperity after the years of hardship. Strong feelings of nationalism also led to imperialism. In 1935, Italy conquered Ethiopia. From 1939 to the end of World War II, Germany occupied much of Europe, with hopes of conquering the world and building it into one German Empire. Ultimately, these plans failed, and Germany and Italy were no longer massive world powers. Instead, the countries suffered from economic troubles and thousands were left in poverty (Keefe 28-33). Recently, nationalism has had a large impact in Asia and Africa, as well as a revival in Eastern Europe in the 1980s (Nationalism