Ramble

Nationalist tendencies are a natural extension of living in a nation. One should have a born-in inclination to have an affinity with fellow citizens, right?

Not quite. Nationalism as we know it began after the French Revolution, but really did not take root until well into the 19 ^th Century. And what is nationalism? Is there one type, easily defined? Hardly. Japanese nationalism differs from the Chinese type. In China, one must ask whether citizens share pride with fellow Chinese or with the (pseudo) Communist state. An answer on either side of this query holds many possibilities. China combines many nationalities and ethnic groups who have their own legacy and agenda. China seems communist in name only, but how the people actually feel about the state is difficult to determine since the state so closely controls public opinion.

A look at the United States, a model for national independence since its inception, raises other questions about nationalism. Unlike many regions or nations that came before or since, the US succeeds on the basis of accepting all nationalities; its nationalism rides on ideas and principles. This survey does not judge whether one system works better than another, It is here to point out that nationalism has no one cause or reason. Ideas and ethnicity work side-by-side in today’s world.

So what’s the point? The point is that when you hear “We’re the greatest,” or “you ‘re unpatriotic!”, one has to ask: the greatest at an abstract concept that could be either ethnicity or an ideal or both? Unpatriotic to an ideal that evolves as we move forward? For instance, can a Chinese person who was patriotic to China pre-communism, be patriotic to China? Communist China? Or to whatever ethnicity, s/he may be part of?

Let’s look at present day or Iran. Should one be patriotic to the current corrupt regime? To the Ayatollah (now out of power)? Or to the opposition?

To be sure, the definition of nationalism is an uncertain one. We should keep this in mind as we move forward, dealing with issues that seemingly pit nation against nation.