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Nationalism is a system created by people who believe their nation is superior to all others. Most often this sense of superiority has its roots in shared ethnicity. Other countries build nationalism around a shared language, religion, and culture or a set of social values.
A nation emphasizes shared symbols, folklore, and mythology. Shared music, literature, and spots may further strengthen Nationalism.
Nationalists work towards a self-governing state. Their government controls aspects of the economy in order to promote the nation’s self-interests. It sets policies that strengthen the domestic entities that own the factors of production.
Here are the 10 pros and cons of Nationalism. If you want to read the short form of 5 Pros and Cons of Nationalism.
PROS:
1. It develops the infrastructure of the nation. National pride means careering for what is yours. When there is a strong sense of nationalism, then there are programs put in place to care for roads bridges, and other needed infrastructure items.
2. It inspires people to succeed. The American dream is an example of nationalism. The idea that someone can come to the US from anywhere and pursue their own version of happiness or achieve what they want to achieve in life is an effort many wish to have access to.
3. It gives a nation a position of strength. One should always negotiate from a position of strength. A nation can be as strong as it can possibly be as a community and this can give it global negotiating power.
4. Nationalism brings about Patriotism. This is the feeling of love, devotion, a sense of attachment to a homeland, and alliance with others. This is all caused by the nationalism of the citizens in the country.
5. Brings about the duty to the nation above all. If the rights of the nation spring from its obligations, then it is principally from those that relate to itself and above all. This singularity manly brave the adventurous character of the nation.
6. Unity in the group even in diversity. The challenge of achieving unity in diversity even through basic knowledge regarding suitable language or nonverbal is brought by nationalism.
7. Leads to pride in belonging to the nation. As a citizen of the country, nationalism will bring about the pride of being part of the nation or belonging to the nation.
8. Working together for the motherland even when living in a different country. Some of the citizens work together with their country or nation despite being away from their nation this is all caused by nationalism.
9. Working for the all-around development of the nation. Nationalism ensures that the involved participant works all round to the development of the nation.
10. Bring justice and rule of law. Nationalism could bring about justice in a nation and a better rule of law.
CONS:
1. It often leads to separation and loneliness. Nationalism superiority often causes a country to not only be independent of the rest of the world but also separated from the rest of the world. Treaties can become more difficult to form. It can also become difficult to have a strong export/import market.
2. It can lead to socioeconomic cliques. Nationalism doesn’t occur at the community level. It only occurs at the individual level thus, creating separation among people based on the labels they create on their own.
3. It can lead to war. When two nations focused on nationalism clash in their ideas, both will feel that they are right and the other is wrong. If either feels like their values are under attack, then nationalism can also become the foundation of war.
4. In some cases going to extreme left/right fringes in the name of security of the nation. Extreme fingers caused by nationalism may lead in the name of the secure ring, then the security of the country involved is affected.
5. The intolerance that may lead to hatred. Sometimes creating intolerance for their countries may bring extreme hatred for people of another country.
6. May lead to insults and hurting. One can insult and hurt others’ nationalities, religions,s or social cultures due to nationalism.
7. Have prejudice about others. Prejudice is having an effective feeling for others in the nation. This reasonable feeling or opinion about others is a result of nationalism.
8. One thinks for only one’s nation. In nationalism, one only thinks about his/her own nation without any concern for the country he is actually living in as well as others.
9. Weighing majority and minority concerns. In a nation, nationalism may bring about problems as a result of weighing the majority and the minority concerns.
10. Human abuses of power. Nationalism leads to abuses of power, hence there would be no accountability or any justice in the nation.
