Nationalism is a political doctrine based on the principle that a group of people bound by common values (a nation), have the right to form a state. Because it is a doctrine as opposed to an ideology, nationalism is compatible with various opposing political beliefs. This means that there are many forms of nationalism based on both how to define a nation, and the ideas of different political ideologies. In this essay I will discuss whether each of these are inherently aggressive and expansionist.
Firstly, a nation can be defined by ethnicity and culture. This is the belief behind ethno-cultural nationalism. Ethno-cultural nationalism gives a very crude and simplistic definition of a nation, as it is based on eugenic characteristics and culture. This makes it exclusive, intolerant and backward-looking. An example of an ethno-cultural nation is the Tutsi and Hutu tribes in Rwanda, which are both defined by ethnicity. Although ethno-cultural nationalism can cause conflict due to its highly exclusive nature, I do not think that it is inherently aggressive. Nor is it expansionist.
Civic nationalism is often described as the opposite of ethno –cultural nationalism. It is far more inclusive, tolerant and forward –looking. People can easily become part of a nation by taking a test or simply following the practices of the nation. Civic nationalism is also known as ‘state centred’ nationalism as it often attempts to unite the nation behind the state’s political or economic aims. The inclusive nature of civic nationalism means that it is not inherently aggressive or expansionist.
As I mentioned in the introduction, there are forms of nationalism which are influenced by political ideologies. One example is Liberal nationalism, which views nations as ‘moral entities’ which unite different communities. It has a positive view of nations and believes in self –determination. Liberal nationalism essentially applies the Liberal beliefs in the individual to the nation. It therefore believes that every nation is equal, and no nation should interfere with the ruling of another nation. Liberal nationalism encourages a neutral body (such as the UN or League of Nations) to settle disputes between nations. This means that Liberal nationalism is inherently peaceful and not in any way expansionist.
Another example is Conservative nationalism, which applies key Conservative features such as tradition, hierarchy and a pessimistic view of human nature, to nationalism. It uses nationalism as a method of preserving society’s structure. Conservative nationalists view the nation as delicate and organic, which must be preserved. They therefore believe in limited immigration into a nation, to prevent new ideas and cultures being brought into the nation. This makes Conservative nationalism quite exclusive, which could lead to conflict. Conservative nationalism is often very patriotic, for example in the USA. This can sometimes lead to aggressive and expansionist policies. Conservative nationalism is also associated very much with imperialism. For example during the 19th century, Britain, France, Russia and Germany all used nationalism to justify their imperial expansionism. I therefore believe that Conservative nationalism is inherently aggressive and expansionist.
The final type of Nationalism I will look at is Expansionist nationalism. As the name suggests, this form of nationalism is inherently expansionist and aggressive. Its beliefs are chauvinistic - that nations are not equal and some nations must dominate. It is exclusive, in that nations reject ideas from other nations - simply because they are from abroad. It also has some crossover with ethno-cultural nationalism as it seeks to aggressively unite people of the same race. This would result in the creation of a ‘greater nation’. When an individual becomes part of a nation, their interests cannot conflict and so the individual must put the interests of the nation before his or her own.
Having looked at five different types of nationalism, I have come to a conclusion on whether it is inherently aggressive and expansionist. I believe that Ethno-cultural, Civic and Liberal nationalism are not inherently aggressive and expansionist, whereas Conservative and Expansionist nationalism are. In conclusion, therefore, I feel that Nationalism is not inherently aggressive and expansionist despite its often exclusive principles.
