Let’s begin by clarifying that nationalism is not synonymous with patriotism. Nationalism and patriotism are often found together, but they are not the same. Just as importantly, we should not equate the nation, or the state with each other or with the government. Being a patriot does not imply one must offer unwavering support for all government policies as implied by the phrase, “My country, right or wrong.”
That phrase, by the way, is attributed to United States naval officer and commodore Stephen Decatur Jr (1779-1820). This young patriot, and hero of the Barbary Wars, and the War of 1812, played a significant role establishing the identity of the United States. Regarding the phrase, the English polymath G. K. Chesterton noted: “My country, right or wrong is a thing that no patriot would think of saying except in a desperate case.” His meaning was that we should not be indifferent to the policies undertaken by our nation. As good citizens, we should seek to change what is wrong in our country.
In unadorned terms, patriotism is defined as love or devotion to one’s country. Similarly, nationalism also reflects loyalty and devotion to a nation but, and this is a critical difference, nationalism also seeks to build and maintain a single national identity.
Nationalism seeks to foster a single national identity on shared social characteristic such as culture, language, religion, politics or history. This makes nationalism exclusionary and disenfranchising of those who do not share such characteristics. The definition of nationalism includes “exalting one nation above all others...” Unchecked, nationalism can easily turn into Fascism or Nazism as happened in Italy and Germany. As Charles De Gaulle defined it, “A patriot loves his country, a nationalist hates everyone else’s.”
Historians trace the origins of modern nationalism to the political upheaval of the 18th century associated with the American and French revolutions. In the 19th century, nationalism became one of the most influential political and social forces in history. Historians have also identified several types of nationalism, three of which, civic, ethnic, and economic nationalism I will introduce here for clarity.
