Difference Between Nationalism and Patriotism
Nationalism vs Patriotism
Nationalism and patriotism both show the relationship of an individual towards his or her nation. The two are often confused and frequently believed to mean the same thing. However, there is a vast difference between nationalism and patriotism.
Nationalism means to give more importance to unity by way of a cultural background, including language and heritage. Patriotism pertains to the love for a nation, with more emphasis on values and beliefs.
When talking about nationalism and patriotism, one cannot avoid the famous quotation by George Orwell, who said that nationalism is ‘the worst enemy of peace’. According to him, nationalism is a feeling that one’s country is superior to another in all respects, while patriotism is merely a feeling of admiration for a way of life. These concepts show that patriotism is passive by nature and nationalism can be a little aggressive.
Patriotism is based on affection and nationalism is rooted in rivalry and resentment. One can say that nationalism is militant by nature and patriotism is based on peace.
Most nationalists assume that their country is better than any other, whereas patriots believe that their country is one of the best and can be improved in many ways. Patriots tend to believe in friendly relations with other countries while some nationalists don’t.
In patriotism, people all over the world are considered equal but nationalism implies that only the people belonging to one’s own country should be considered one’s equal.
A patriotic person tends to tolerate criticism and tries to learn something new from it, but a nationalist cannot tolerate any criticism and considers it an insult.
Nationalism makes one to think only of one’s country’s virtues and not its deficiencies. Nationalism can also make one contemptuous of the virtues of other nations. Patriotism, on the other hand, pertains to value responsibilities rather than just valuing loyalty towards one’s own country.
Nationalism makes one try to find justification for mistakes made in the past, while patriotism enables people to understand both the shortcomings and improvements made.
Summary:
Patriot: Expresses the emotion of love towards his country in a passive way
Nationalist: Strives for independence and the interests and domination of a nation and expresses his love or concern for the country in an active political way.
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Nationalism, aggressive?
Nationalism IS NOT Fascism.
Do not get the two mixed up; if you do you end up with communist idiots like yourself writing sub-par pseudo-political articles such as this.
Here’s an ‘Difference between’ for you good sir, the difference between this and other articles is that this is laughably shite; shite of the utmost shitest quality.
Try harder, little red writer !
Craig McCulley,
My thoughts exactly. You are a Nationalist and a Patriot, as am I! I salute you and your country! Live long and prosper!
You are stuck in the 50s faggot.
Nationalism is a disease preventing mankind’s progression into the future. This coupled with religion spells our fate as a doomed species.
Your country is a land mass which you just happened to be born on. Your implemented barriers promote isolation and foster ignorance of other cultures and leads to friction.
Enjoy jerking it to your flag buddy, while your government robs you of whatever “freedom” you have left.
Hahahahaha poor baby.
Nationalism is the disease killing the world? Nationalism isn’t even a strong force in the modern world! Seriously, I think you’re the one thinking in cold war terms here bro. Nationalism ( Which isn’t Fascism, as I explained in my original post, but you seem to have difficulty understanding) has no real power in today’s globalist society and mist certainly isn’t preventing anyone advancing anywhere.
It’s people like you who hinder mankinds progression, ultra-liberal atheist fundamentalists ( Worse than Nazis in my opinion).
You say I, as a nationalist am ignorant of other cultures, yet your own ideology promotes the destruction of national identities and cultures all over the world, you also actively discriminate people on their religious beliefs on a scale never taken upon by any religion ever seen in the past.
Really, it is you, who is ignorant of culture and hinders the progression of man kind.
Finally, your argument of my country is just where I happened to be born, is hilarious! People don’t just appear in random nations across the world, that’s not how childbirth works LOL!! I didn’t appear anyway, I can trace my ancestry in Scotland back to 500sAD, around the time Celtic prehistory ended. Thus indicating the line could go even farther back in time.
I didn’t just ‘happen’ to be born here, my genes, my lineage, has been here for thousands of years, it is my land, my heritage
Your argument is as retarded as the ideology you follow.
If I were you, I would bite my tongue when conversing with followers of an higher ideology – and oh, if you’re trolling (which I hope you are, the thought of people like you actually voting sends shivers down my spine!) then please, don’t do it again, your not very good at it!
LOLOL other than McCarthy and the whole civil rights thing, what exactly do you find wrong with the 50’s?
LOLOLOL….Joe McCarthy was RIGHT about all the commies in government. Just look at what they have done to our great nation
Typical of the Christians, shifting the blame onto non-believers. Next thing you’ll know they’ll claim that the Muslims and Christians were all Atheists were all Atheists who wanted to make religion look bad.
Nationalism is what the “N” stands for in NAZI. The American National Socialist party defines itself as the American Nazi party and say they are “committed to bringing American National Socialism out of the past.”
Leslie, as you yourself demonstrate the “N” DOESN’T stand for “Nationalism”!
It stands for “NATIONAL”!!
As in “National SOCIALISM”!!!
There is NO “famous quotation by George Orwell, who said that nationalism is ‘the worst enemy of peace’.”
There is an essay by Orwell in which he discusses something for which there is NO word in English that he contrasts with Patriotism.
And therefore borrows the word “Nationalism” as shorthand for this concept within the essay (only).
Therefore, “According to him,” the ACTUAL word “nationalism is” NOT “a feeling that one’s country is superior to another in all respects”!
Furthermore, this concept he labels “Nationalism” for the purposes of the essay, he applies to things like religions, political movements, including Communism and Trotskyism, and even negative things such as hatred of a country, INCLUDING ONE’S OWN.
And he specifically disparages the way English intellectuals often are “Nationalists” in their love of the USSR and/or hatred of England, Britain and/or the United States.
If you actually bothered to read his Essay (without bias) you would have realised that it perfectly describes todays “Nationalists” (of his essay):
US “Democrats”, “liberals”, Greens, Environmentalists, UK Europhiles, Islamophiles…
Read his actual essay without blinkers, and see for yourself!
Oh, and if:
“In patriotism, people all over the world are considered equal”
How on earth can it be possible to claim: “Patriotism pertains to the love for a nation”?!
Sir, you just made my day. I knew there were wise people like you, and I hope that everyone would be like you and have the skill to right as beautifully as you do. Have a really good day sir(/ma’am) =)
Excuse me Mr. McCully. Why do you asume that someone bashing religion and nationalism has to be an atheist. I am a Christian, and I’ve read in the New Testament that the Gospel of Jesus is NOT pride for country, or love for money, or hate against others who think any different, but LOVE!!! If you are not a Christian, please ignore my comment altogether, for I respect whatever you believe, since Jesus NEVER condemned anyone, not even the romans who tortured and killed him. He even asked the Father to forgive them. But if you ARE a “Christian”, in the name of Jesus I rebuke you! For being the exact example of why so many souls are being twrown to hell, since for “Christian” examples like yours, they turn atheists or satanists. The Bible itself teacher that “thou shalt judge them by their fruit”. What fruit are you giving??? The one of hate, pride (Lucifer’s sin) and violence??? Jesus said that the foremost commandment was to love God with all you mind, heart and strength and your neighbor as yourself.
I agree Nationalism is not Fascism, but is it any better? The English Empire murdered thousands, yet, it wasn’t Fascism. Nevertheless, it is the doorway to it. Do you think the German soldiers who died in WWII had any different reasons for fighting than any other “nationalist”? They did so for “God, Freedom and Country”, as they were indoctrinated. Just like the poor American kids being sent to a war were they’re taught to kill a satanized enemy, causing millions of innocent deaths.
I’m sorry if I offend you, and I’m sorry if I’ve hurt your heart, but please learn to discern from the lies of Satan and the world. This is the TRUE gospel: Love. If you don’t love, please don’t call yourself a Christian. I’ll pray for you, and leave you with 1 Corinthians 13
New International Version (NIV)
13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
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I think you’ve misunderstood assas’s arguement about being born into a particular society or culture.. lol.
You have to be a troll. I refuse to believe people are this dumb. I especially found the part where you said you can trace your heritage to 500 AD, that’s good stuff.
This may shock you Scott.
But just because you cannot trace your line back that far within your own country doesn’t mean I cannot either.
Ever heard of records? Good stuff.
He is not a troll, he is a big standard Nationalist. Judges the world on nationality (an accident of birth) and not on action or a desire for peace and unity. They project their fantasies onto a blank canvas (in the Scottish case, independence from a 300 year old union with the rest of their island.) and when mixed with Scotland’s humungous Irish population, you can see why 35.5% of registered voters (49.9% of who turned up to vote) got behind the populist SNP.
Scottish Nationalists have proven themselves to be among some of the most bitter and conspiratorial of Nationalists.
They are like a BNP or Front Nationale, but with left wing rhetoric and faux-progressivism.
I think it is really just an engrained hatred of the English from “true Scot” nationalists, and just anti-British bigotry & hatred from Scots Irish who are raised on a diet of one sided misrepresented Irish Republican propaganda.
Dont be fooled. Einstein was right.
The measles of mankind……..highly infectious and entirely destructive.
Scotland used to be known as the fun part of the UK, good with money, built the British empire, led the way in finance, medicine and technology as the newly formed UK allowed wealth to flood into Scotland (who were bankrupt at the time).
All Nationalist Scot’s have is clinging to misrepresented data about oil revenues over the last 30 years…..with no thought AT ALL to the English, N.Irish and Welsh who have supported and bailed them out at various times over the last 300 years!
Not to mention the ultimate fight against fascism. And I mean actual fascism, not the fascism that Scots Irish attribute to the most diverse and internationalist country on Earth, the UK.
There is a pettyness and insecurity (and a lack of ACTUAL historic knowledge on their part) from Scottish Nationalists.
Scotland was known as the “wee” conscious and brains behind the British Empire and the UK’s ascension to a world power, now, they look like a divided parochial “wee” mess of Irish Republicans, conspiracy theorists, radical socialists, conspiracy theorists, far-left radicals and bitter Nationalists.
Luckily, the numbers show they are a minority who only dominate their politics because 64% of Scottish voters either vote other parties or chose not to vote.
Sad. Watching a once global titan, failing to see 1) what they have and 2) trying to run away, scrap all their national defences, create a one party state and hand over more autonomy to the EU than the UK even has.
Maybe the majority will get through to the loud minority one day.
I think another referendum in the next 2 years will be needed to put it to bed once and for all.
Staggering that 55% of individual votes, a 10% double-digit gap and 28 out of 32 regions rejecting separation was STILL no enough to get through to Nationalists.
Alba Gu Brath and all that.
You sound like a blood, soil and thunder Nationalist. Slightly unhinged, emotionally hysterical and you actually fit the caricature listed in the article here, the article that you decry, lol. You are Scottish, so you should know the dangers of Nationalism. The majority of Scotland chose economic, defensive and societal security in their recent referendum. Scottish Nationalists characterize it as “cowardice” “brainwashed by bias media” etc etc. Rather than the fact that many Scots made it clear, in the post ref polling, that they voted No for security, economic protection and national security.
In fact, your Nationalist party took 49.9% of a 71% turnout (yet somehow got 90% of UK Govt Scottish WM seats!), so only 35.5% of registered voters even voted your all powerful Nationalist party, lol.
Check the numbers and see how failed an endeavour Scottish Nationalism REALLY is. Ignore your media and the propaganda conspiracy blogs that SNP supporters seem to quote at every turn –
Yes voters – 1.6 million
No voters – 2.1 million
Yes vote by council – 4/32
No vote by council – 28/32
SNP vote share in 2015 – 49.9%
2015 GE Scottish turnout – 71%
Registered Voters in Scotland – 4.1 million
Total Scottish Voter share – 35.5%
Voted SNP – 1.4 million
Voted opposition parties – 1.4 million
Registered voters who chose not to vote for any party – 1.3 million.
So in short, in Scotland –
Scottish Nationalists – 1.4 million definite, rising to 1.6 million at referendum.
Non-Nationalists – 2.7 million definite, around 2.1 million rejecting independence at referendum.
Not all Yes voters were Nationalists and not all No voters were Unionists.
I know this will probably be met with anger, rage, emotion, misdirection and hysteria……but these are the simple, documented, factual numbers.
But then being a Nationalist…..you will probably wail a lot and yell “conspiracy” or one of the usual misdirections.
Have a great day.
This guy is the perfect example as to why the average person now realises that nationalists aren’t capable of reasoning. Surely you nationalists can do better than “ultra-liberal atheists are worse than nazis, also it is YOU that is ignorant!”.
And five years later we have trump, an anti intellectual nationalist (which is redundant). And you see the anger and fear he has brought out in people. Unfortunately, it is a force now.
I have a dream, that one day, We will no longer surrender this country or its people to the false song of globalism.
Globalism will never be even remotely viable in the presence of the ideological disease that is Islam.
While I am not a nationalist and am an atheist, I am a liberal and I’d like to say that leftists are the people that have always been against nationalism.
Me thinks thou doth protest too much…
You are the same as those who crowd into city streets and chant “end racism, end prejudice!!!” whenever any law that considers anything that may possibly affect immigration in such a way so as to reduce it; or whenever a law meant to wedge your nation’s borders open as wide as possible meats any scant opposition. You are simply a maggot; a clone of the many millions of brainless fools just like you.
I think your nation is not falling fast enough as you want- you should go and hasten its demise as your kind so desperately strive to do.
Why use the term “faggot”? It shows maybe you are stuck in the 50s with a homophobic attitude. You clearly have not read the article through properly but have chosen to launch an attack on the writer and attemted to insult with a homophobic term.
@assas Hahahahahaha, you call someone faggot and tell THEM to go back to the 1950s. That is beyond rich.
Oh, and there’s also your eye-rolling commenton religion. Pick that one up at a Reddit “Post your fedora” thread? Also your delusional comment on increasingly tyrannical government. Both indicate you’re an edgelord who loves that immensely unfunny hack George Carlin.
That, or you’re an Alt-Rightist from 4/8-chan. Either way, not a good look.
If you live in a country other than the U.S. your government or dictatorship has already taken yours.
Excuse me Sir. Why do you asume that someone bashing religion and nationalism has to be an atheist. I am a Christian, and I’ve read in the New Testament that the Gospel of Jesus is NOT pride for country, or love for money, or hate against others who think any different, but LOVE!!! If you are not a Christian, please ignore my comment altogether, for I respect whatever you believe, since Jesus NEVER condemned anyone, not even the romans who tortured and killed him. He even asked the Father to forgive them. But if you ARE a “Christian”, in the name of Jesus I rebuke you! For being the exact example of why so many souls are being twrown to hell, since for “Christian” examples like yours, they turn atheists or satanists. The Bible itself teacher that “thou shalt judge them by their fruit”. What fruit are you giving??? The one of hate, pride (Lucifer’s sin) and violence??? Jesus said that the foremost commandment was to love God with all you mind, heart and strength and your neighbor as yourself.
I agree Nationalism is not Fascism, but is it any better? The English Empire murdered thousands, yet, it wasn’t Fascism. Nevertheless, it is the doorway to it. Do you think the German soldiers who died in WWII had any different reasons for fighting than any other “nationalist”? They did so for “God, Freedom and Country”, as they were indoctrinated. Just like the poor American kids being sent to a war were they’re taught to kill a satanized enemy, causing millions of innocent deaths.
I’m sorry if I offend you, and I’m sorry if I’ve hurt your heart, but please learn to discern from the lies of Satan and the world. This is the TRUE gospel: Love. If you don’t love, please don’t call yourself a Christian. I’ll pray for you, and leave you with 1 Corinthians 13
New International Version (NIV)
13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
If you want to be this kind of Christian then please continue to do what you do and please preach this to more Christians. This is totally cool with me. You’re not putting your beliefs on anyone else and who knows…maybe you’ll win some of us over. Kudos to you.
Thanks, I have an keep doing it. God bless you.
I agree and salute (not in the nationalist sense) your message. This is the right way to bring meaning to Jesus’ message.
That is confusing I understood a couple of sentences
Is it bad to love someone that does not believe in religion
God wants us to love but he wants us to worship him to?
Question #1:
“Is it bad to love someone that does not believe in religion”
I think you should ask yourself: “Is is bad to love someone who does not LOVE God”, and if it is so, the answer is yes. It is bad, because that person will bring you away from Him, or will eventually become a thorn on your back. The Bible states:
2 Corinthians 6:14
New Living Translation (NLT)
The Temple of the Living God
14 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?
You shouldn’t believe in religion to start with. The word “Christian” is already tainted, stained with the evils of religion. Think of yourself as a follower, an imitator of Jesus. If you read your Bible, and obey the New Testament, trying to keep yourself sin-free; and if you keep a personal relationship with the Father, keeping Him as #1, and ignore the world’s hate and criticism against you, then you are a Jesus follower, and NOT a religious person.
If you’re just a church goer who lets his/her religious leader (Priest or Pastor) do the thinking and Bible reading for you, and just follow what everyone else does, adopt a religious jargon, and keep appearances, but live a sinful life as soon as you leave the temple, but criticize and condemn anyone who thinks different than you, then you ARE a religious person, and another hypocrite, for atheists and satanists to blaspheme against our Father.
Question #2:
“God wants us to love but he wants us to worship him to?”
Yes, he does. But worshipping Him is nothing more that loving Him as #1 in your life, nothing ritualistic about it.
Matthew 22:34-40
New Living Translation (NLT)
The Most Important Commandment
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees with his reply, they met together to question him again. 35 One of them, an expert in religious law, tried to trap him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
God bless you.
An “imitator of Jesus” would practice Judaism, worship the Torah and celebrate passover. The last supper was Jesus and his disciples getting together to celebrate passover.
To “Jesus OPPOSED Religion”:
Firstly, I want to congratulate you on your beautiful, beautiful understanding of faith and the world.
Indeed, faith and religiousness are NOT the same. Faith is personal, and as such it should be respected but should also respect the personal beliefs of others, even if they are different. Religion is cult, it is group-minded. It requires that you abandon your thinking and, as you said, let the leader do the thinking and the Book-reading for you. And the leader, as faithful as he may be is human, has flaws and, as any human who gets too close to power, is prone to not acting on the best interests of those who lead.
I am an agnostic, but I respect and support personal faith completely.
I do have some concerns with religion, and those are the same concerns I have in respect to nationalism: extreme partialness, group-mindedness, closed-mindedness, pride, lack of respect for people outside their nation, religion or group.
I urge everyone to take notice of one thing: these are the very same vices that those nationalists and religious people accuse communism* of having. The pot calls the kettle black. The world doesn’t have enough space for two different extremist doctrines, but so as to avoid acknowledging their hipocrisy, they rationalize this by accusing each other of the only thing they have in common.
There’s just one thing I didn’t understood in your descriptions of your faith: at one point, you say that it is indeed bad to love an unbeliever and even remarks that “righteousness [can’t] walk together with unrighteousness”. Afterwards, you quote the Bible (I don’t remember the exact words): “judge men by their fruit” and “love thy neighbor as you do yourself”. Pardon me if I’m misunderstanding, but isn’t that a contradiction? When you wrote that it’s bad to love the “unfaithful”, that came across to me as the very same kind of separation and judging that nationalists and religious people make. I know that there ARE idiot atheists hell-bent on harassing the faithful in the name of “rationalism”, but I feel offended when you suggest that EVERY unbeliever WILL “bring [a faithful person] away from the path of God”. As I said, I am completely supportive of personal faith and freedom of belief, and I would never get in the way of someone’s faith. And I assure you that most agnostics and atheistics, or at least those I know, are like me. Intolerance and pride aren’t charateristic of us.
—————————
*about “communism”:Extreme left leaders such as Stalin and Mao have been derogatorily called “nationalist socialists” by other leftists and non-authoritarian socialists who disagreed with the authoritary, proud and intolerant behavior of them.
“Communism” refers to these such ideologies, but the problem is that it eventually became a derogatory catch-all term for any kind of socialism and even for anyone to the left of center, such as me.
I’d like to remind people here that authoritarism, close-mindedness and pride are NOT intrinsic characteristics of the Left, and most of us condone this kind of behavior/ideology too.
Even most socialists (save for Stalinists and the like, obviously) recognize that trying to solve social inequalities by force won’t work and that this is ultimately why the URSS failed. So, please, don’t try to put every leftist in the “communism” box. This kind of namecalling throws away any chance of civilized debate and promotes hate and conflict.
I don’t think it’s bad to love someone who doesn’t love God. God told us to love one another. He doesn’t specify which others. He wants us to love people where they are. You don’t need to love their beliefs or practices, just love them as a fellow human being. This can be very difficult to do, as many, MANY people are hard to love,and we may not want to love them, but we must try, as it is what God commanded. God loves even those who do not love Him, so why shouldn’t we? To not do so would be to imply we are higher than Him and can judge others better than Him.
Just my opinion.
u people need to grow up
This article writer is confused a bit. They are correct about Nationalism; it is a belief that ones Nation and way of life is superior or exceptional in the world.
Patriotism, however, is the love of one’s culture, history and customs, as well as a love of the principle of Sovereignty; the right of a people to make their own decisions for themselves.
Patriots of the American Revolution quietly (couldn’t jump in and support because they had just won a war with the support of the French Crown) supported the patriots of the French Revolution because they were fighting for political sovereignty and democracy.
Nationalism IS one of the pillars of Fascism by the way. Along with Conservative-traditional social values (different depending of the Nation) an elevation of the Soldier, superiority of ones culture and or race, and a corporate alliance or dominance of government.
Read a book, don’t just regurgitate talking points.
Well put
Yeah Hitler was a Nationalist socialism and he fucking lost World War 2 with his stupid nationalist ideology. Hitler even had a private army of Muslims fighting for him. Nationalism sucks and Hitler just proved it.
nationalism IS fascism… it is a fictitious imaginary boundary you make to justify your ‘love’ of the land and segregate yourself from others. ofcourse there are cultural and socioeconomic differences but to LOVE it? to be prideful of it!?…. is to make oneself superior.
What bullshit subjective morality or ethics is backing your tearful statement that to feel, think and be superior is wrong? Everyone loves Nietzsche so follow the logic, Übermensch.
Hitler was a nationalist…….. name a few more.
Well, you proved the writer’s point perfectly.
Lest we forget, hitler rose to power from the support he received by nationalists. Nationalism can lead to fascism.
Merriman-Webster Dictionary:
These two words may have shared a distinct sense in the 19th century, but they appear to have grown apart since. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say that only nationalism has grown apart, since the meaning of patriotism has remained largely unchanged. There are still obvious areas of overlap: we define patriotism as “love for or devotion to one’s country” and nationalism in part as “loyalty and devotion to a nation.” But the definition of nationalism also includes “exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups.” This exclusionary aspect is not shared by patriotism.
You “sir”, term used loosely here, are the idiot. Nationaism is destroying this country and your response is just vindicating what the author was saying. Grow up and wise moron.
Was not all convinced by the article. All I read was the difference between “nationalism” and “nationalism-lite”.
I like the way and the points you differentiated the two:nationalism and patriotism
I like the answer
the differences displayed between nationalism and patriotism was simple and easily understandable!!!!
superb!!!
Yes, but completely false. I am an nationalist, but now way am I aggressive, nor do I think others are inferior. But yes, I would like Finland to be mostly for Finnish people, and I think Finnish heritage is way superior to somali, jews or gypsies.
If you feel your way of life is superior, than you think other’s way of life is inferior. There is no way around it. You are simply a Nationalist. But I do happen to agree that your country has many superior qualities to my own (usa).
This article misunderstands ‘nationalism’ and confuses it with ‘chauvinism.’
With “I think,” I mean to say that I use my brain before I speak. Not like most of the people who also commented here.
I’d say the majority here think the article is also incorrect. So you cannot have thought that hard before you commented.
You’re a tad obnoxious, aren’t you? 🙂
Cry more
I thought it was well written but it’s obvious you view nationalists as the enemy and patriots as benevolent. I’m a nationalist, so many I’m biased but it’s more centred on the strength of a nation than it is about butting heads with other countries and those who don’t agree with us. I think the fact we target nations we perceive to be threats to the state is what gives us a bad name. For instance, I would be in favor of annulling debt to china and sealing trade, but only because they are flooding our economy.
Patriotism is live for your country for what it have done. Nationalism is love for your country no matter what it has done. Patriots defend their country loyally even if it wrong. A nationalist defends its country so he can be proved right.
I personally believe Patriotism is the ideology of the original patriots AKA the Congress-men. The ideology between the nation and the individual is best described not in the constitution, but in the declaration of independence.
The belief that government is only legitimate with the consent of the governed. It’s highest priority is upholding the liberties outlined in that document. In addition is the strong belief that when a government fails to uphold those liberties, it is no longer a legitimate nation of said patriots.
They are not Nationalists in any way really, the two are actually almost opposites. Patriots are Libertarians by nature, the nation ain’t worth a damn if it takes those liberties.
Nationalists believe in the supremacy of the nation, this necessitates liberties being sacrificed for the benefit of the nation. Liberties themselves only exist to secure the rights of individuals. This doesn’t mean they aren’t important to every Nationalist, but when the choice is exclusive, they place The Nation above Individual Liberties. They can really place anything anywhere, as long as the nation reigns as the top priority.
In addition as a few others have indicated the nation is defined by a group of people with shared heritage. This can be ethnocentric, racial, and/or cultural. It can be set in stone de jure, or even as loose as a “way of life”.
i am 31 years old
I think nationalism can be defined as supporting your country whether what it’s doing is right or wrong.
I agree with other commenters that this article misses the mark, and is really just describing chauvinism. Far too simplistic an interpretation. What of civic nationalism? What of nationalists behind separatist movements (Scotland, Quebec, Catalonia, etc)–movements born more out of a want for self-determination than a sense of inherent superiority? Similarly, nationalism under occupation or aggression, like French nationalism during WW2, Native American nationalism during European/US expansionism, or contemporaneous Tibetan nationalism.
This article is very illogical and shallow, as are many of the comments afterward. A reflection of public discourse in general in America right now? I think so. Very disappointing and sad.
To say that Patriotism is “passive” is an insult to every POW, every veteran, and every soldier who has a white cross for a headstone or is represented by the Tombs of the Unknown Soldiers anywhere in the world.
Some cultures ARE better than others. Any culture that makes it’s women wear burkas and takes them out of school seems to me to be inferior to ones where people of any race and gender can attend school and achieve on the basis of merit.
No culture or heritage is ALL bad or ALL good, but some definitely are tipped toward the good side, including the one I live in now, The Republic of Texas.
As far as Nationalism goes, it is good to have healthy boundaries, especially when facing other nations who want to kill you.
When a culture, including America’s, does engage in something immoral, it should be checked and stopped. But that doesn’t mean everything about it is always “bad”. People are too emotional and reactionary, and the discussion on this thread is a perfect example.
I think some people on this thread just enjoy imagining chaos and anarchy. I think these same people also enjoy the wishful thinking that our enemies are really our friends. Question: If you people who hate Nationalism do get everything you want politically, do you think the chaos will make you happy?
Fences make good neighbors. Read Mending Wall sometime.
Ciao.
j.B, I don’t think you can classify cultures as “good” or “bad”, or even as better or worse.
Cultures aren’t set in stone. They are like breathing, living things. They change. Like people, they can work to correct their flaws, and, like people, all they have to do to start autocorrecting is acknowledging their flaws.
You mention burkas. Yeah, I do agree with you that the Middle East currently has a bad streak of sexism, as well as authoritarism, extremism and such.
But we must not overlook the fact that there’s a large number of Muslims who are opposed to thas as well, and frequently even more than we are.
And a curiosity about burkas: many Muslim women actually choose to wear them out of their own free will. They are patriots and, since they consider the burka to be a symbol of their culture, wear it proudly. There has been an event where a government proposal against burkas in England (I think) was actually met with animosity from the Muslim women.
Marjane Satrapi immediately comes to mind. She’s an Iranian writer, and her autobiography provides insight into lots of aspects of Islam, but most importantly, it shows how the FUNDAMENTALISTS that are currently in power DO NOT exactly have lots of popular support.
They maintain power through FORCE. They’re dictators. And it’s outright ABSURD to judge a culture by the things its dictators do.
And an important fact is that the fundamentalists weren’t always there. That is to say, Islamic countries weren’t always like that. Shit happened when RELIGION and POLITICS got mixed up. They were mixed up in Medieval Europe as well and, surprise, that time is caled the Dark Ages for a reason.
Sexism and authoritarism are NOT components of Islam. They come from the INTERPRETATION of Islam done by the fundamentalists, not from Islam itself.
And I have to remind you: our very own WESTERN CULTURE has corrected itself through the ages. A few examples follow.
Please remember that a thousand years ago the Church conducted the Incquisition and te Crusades. One was a hunt for the healers, women that had “too much knowledge”. The other was a series of unwarranted attacks on the East and there was even a “Children’s Crusade” where thousands of kids were sent to die. Both of these atrocities were commited in the name of Christ, but based on what little I know of the man, this seems like the kind of stuff he would condemn with all His might.
Please remember that a few CENTURIES ago the daughters of nobility had no say at all on their lives and were sold into marriage for dowry and/or political alliances. Frequently, it was 15 year old girls being sold do adult men and they were seen as less human and more breeding machines, necessary ONLY for their capacity to produce male heirs.
Please remember that a few DECADES ago the US was’t unlike the African Apartheid in its treatment of people of color, and women weren’t allowed to vote or work.
Please remember the KKK and Hitler, who used Christianism to rationalize their actions.
Do all these things mean our culture is bad? OF COURSE NOT. Every culture has critical flaws, and these can ALWAYS be corrected. And it may seem to you like our culture is “way ahead” of the Middle East because these issues are things of the past now, but that’s only because they’re being oppressed by theocratic dictators.
Please don’t judge a culture by its flaws before knowing more about it. I know it may seem to us like all Muslims are like that, but it really isn’t so, not even close. The fundamentalists hurt their own people even more than they hurt us.
Also, I jut read Mending Wall. It seems to m that Frost is questioning the notion that “fences make good neighbors”, not just presenting it. He asks himself “why is that?” many times, and by the end it just seems like he goes “oh well, I can’t find an answer for it, but heck, it’s just the way it is, right?” It seems to me that he’s not quite stating that that is HIS chosen answer to the question, but just questioning how people just go with it and never even bother to stop and think WHY, just like his neighbor. You know, sometimes when poets write “I”, they’re not really talking about themselves. This is one of the many quirks that make poetry beautiful.
I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT WITH REGARD TO BOTH WORDS ,THAT IS THE RELATIOSHIP COMBINING THEM ,,,THE MORE INEQUILIBRIUM IN VALUES THE LESS PATRIOTISM &MORE NATIONALISM ,,THE WHOLE MATTER HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE IDEOLOGIES ,,,A PERFECT ,SOUND IDEOLOGY THAT IS IN HARMONY WITH THE HUMAN NATURE MEANS RISE&FLOURISHMENT IN PATRITISM ,THE REVERSE LEADS TO THE EMERGENCE OF NATIONALISM ,,,,NATIONALISM IS NOT NEEDED ,,WHAT IS NEEDED FOR ANY NATION IS PATRITISM
I like this article, contrary to all y’all.
Right? It seems to me like most of the people that disagree here are really patriots who think they’re nationalists.
What is d difference between home and house?
yes, it’s a little simplistic. and it basically describes ethnic-nationalism, not other kinds, but it is a good summary of nationalism vs. patriotism. the only people who hate this article are nationalists (in fact many have said so right here) who are probably too far gone in their inferiority complexes and hatred to admit any truth in the article.
Trae,
Trae gets it…All the Nationalists with Napoleon complexes and small d** are the ones who oppose this article. In other words all the Trump supporters. Nationalists to the end. Ignorant, (mostly white males) angry, gun toting, belly aching, uneducated blowhards just like the POTUS. They still want us to live like we did in the 1800’s where they can degrade their wives and all women for that matter with no recourse, have slaves, where white sheets over their ugly mugs, and chant USA, USA, USA all while feeling inferior on the inside. Blasphemous behavior if you ask the rest of us PATRIOTIC Americans.
Hannah , what if God is a ‘her’ not a ‘he’. I would probably trust someone more who does not think you should ‘love’ god and he/she loves us. Nationalism combined with religious dogma is rarely a happy mix nor does it make for a happy ending.
If this ‘god’ does love us, he/she has a very funny way of showing it.
even though i love Orwell, i have to disagree with him on this because sometimes civil society maintains a facade of peace under an oppressive rule. it’s stagnation and not peace. nationalism isn’t about a sense of superiority…i’m not sure how developed countries live it out but in my developing country nationalism means striving towards a better society and overcoming despotism. creation goes hand in hand with destruction. setting up new tables and getting rid of old ones does entail violence but it’s a necessity.
You raise a good point. My parents worked in Ghana just after its independence. An optimistic mood of Ghanian natonalismm helped forge different tribes together the build one of Africas most successful nations. South African nationalism galvinised the country in a post aparthide indentity.
No need to disagree with Orwell.
Read the essay.
He borrows the word Nationalism for a concept for which no word exists.
He isn’t defining, or even redefining, nationalism.
But using it as shorthand for another concept he takes a long essay to explain.
Oh, and “his” “nationalism” today would apply to “Democrats”, “liberals”, Western “intellectuals” and academics, and the like!
“nationalism is a feeling that one’s country is superior to another in all respects”
And your contention is, what? You deny that the US is superior to a third world toilet? If so, what are your reasons? Amazingly we are taught the superiority of the pedigree of a dog or horse and many other aspects of nature but when it comes to man the Marxist ceases the scientific method of observation of what is greater and lesser and fly’s a banner of blind equality. If we did not acknowledge the pedigree of our species then would nature progress us to new evolutionary heights? Without pedigree, what sense is there in words such as “progress” or “evolution”? These words are preceded by concepts that are built upon the truth that something can be greater or lesser. So cut the crap, a nation of people can be greater or lesser than another.
“And your contention is, what?”
I obviously can’t speak for the authour here, but my contention is that it is an idiotically complacent attitude to have towards one’s country! For you to feel this “pride”, it require that people before you had to put in a tremendous amount of work to make the US the way it is today.
What if instead it was the US that was a third world shit hole?
Are you still going to be full of pride, refusing to see the flaws and issues that need fixing?
Nationalism CAN be static and complacent. It CAN be a position of arrogance hindering people from improving themselves, unless self improvement is hard wired straight into the ethos of the nation, like in Japan for example(at least from the looks of it).
Even then, I would say it’s not good enough.
What if you happen to migrate to another country?
Are you suddenly going to act like a slime ball on account of no longer living in the country you were born to?
Or are you going to be someone who will still look to care and be protective of the country you’ve migrated to?
I would assume it’s the later.
Don’t mistake Nationalism for fascism. The only reason why nationalism is labelled as such is because fascists use the term nationalism to describe their hateful intentions. Though it is true that they are practicing nationalism, they are practicing it extremely and in an unhealthy manner. Going back, nationalism is more on loving and preserving your own culture. Take for example. a dying culture in a certain region because of modernization. This is not to imply that you hate modernization, but rather, you want to preserve their culture by letting other people know, even if they are modernized already.
Recently non-Scots who classed as ‘nationalists’ and even ‘Nazis’ the Scots who voted ‘Yes’ during Scotland’s failed latest attempt to gain independence will have chosen to ignore that Brexit shows that they are no different from said Scots.
Give a man enough rope and he’ll hang himself.
Let him talk for long enough and his tongue will replace the rope.
There were really only two sides to that referendum: Scottish nationalists/separatists vs British nationalists/loyalists.
Overall good Analysis -but dont agree with the Summary Part –
Patriot can fight for independence as it happend in India – The Nationalist’s stayed away from the Independence movement while the Patriots like Gandhi fought for freedom –
“Indian nationalism refers to the many underlying forces that defined the principles of the Indian independence movement, and strongly continue to influence the politics of India” from the page “Indian nationalism” on Wiki. If you’re a nationalist towards India it’d be self-contradictory to support British occupation, that would make you a loyalist. A nationalist response is more along the lines of what Gandhi or Infantry Regiment 950 did.
who wrote this article defining a patriot as someone who expresses love toward his country in a passive way:
Tell that to Paul Revere and the millions of Americans who died for this country considering it the greatest country on Earth.
I’m a patriot and I love this country… that makes me a nationalist. I also happen to be white so that makes me a white nationalist… OMG!
Leftist commucrats and globalists (like the writer of this article) are trying to make nationalism a pejorative… a dirty word. They’re trying to subtly replace the term “white supremacy” with “white nationalism.”
Going on this article, I am a patriot and not a nationalist because I seek to better our nation by addressing and correcting its flaws and to progress to a more just and equal nation rather than blindly supporting it without questioning it.
Remind me to never get stuck in a foxhole with you, Mr. Question Man Commucrat. Nationalists don’t blindly support anything, but if you don’t have a country what DO you have, genius? What you should question instead of your country is why the hell you’re still living here if you don’t support your country. There’s no difference in being a patriot and a nationalist. Like I already said. The leftist lunatic globalists want to make it a dirty word to believe in nationalism. Get an education, pal.
ummm based
This article is full of gross generalizations. I did however like the first definition provided for Patriotism and Nationalism. I’ll focus my comment on Nationalism for now, as it appears to be the most controversial. First, what defines a nation is contested. Thus, the same issue applies to a greater degree for nationalism. Nationalism can be Rightwing, Leftwing, centrist, traditionalist, and perhaps in many more forms. Let us take the Fascist Nationalism of Benito Mussolini as a case study. In this context Nationalism is defined by violence and imperialism. Let us take the Nationalism of India for a contrast. Indian nationalism of the 30s-40s aimed to liberate India. Nehru’s Indian nationalism was statist, Gandhi’s was rural/village centric, Savarkar was culture centered, Sardar Patel’s was tradition centered, and so on. In fact Nationalism is a normal part of discourse in India. There is moderate, extreme, and other forms of nationalism in India. Even many communists in India profess nationalism (some as deceit for votes and support while others, rarely, genuinely are nationalistic). Nelson Mandela was a Nationalist who opposed apartheid. Hitler was a Nazi nationalist who used it to promote racism and genocide. There was Bismark, who through realism, sought to establish a German state, which is an example of nationalism. It is a shame that many on this comment section have become militant in their support and opposition to this very broad and undefined category. Nationalism isn’t like Capitalism, Marxism, Islam, Christianity, etc. It is a word with fluid meaning. It is diverse and undefined. It grows shrinks and so on.
My po*p smells help, i think it may be because I’m a nationalist what should i do
yo i agree you bugging homie
Your definitions and distinctions were helpful, but I object to your calling patriotism passive. Patriotism – love of the fatherland – inspires actions that benefit the nation and its inhabitants.
Love is to patriotism as Pride is to nationalism.
Clarification
This is totally wrong. There is nothing in nationalism that implies the notion that once own nation/people would be superior to any other nation. I would say that that notion rather is linked to patriotism, as patriotism is artificial.
Nationalism is based on the notion that kinship gives affinity, a notion everyone know is true. Patriotism is based on the notion that a set of beliefs could replace kinship bonds, something that is practically impossible to do. Where nationalism and an nation state (e.g. the old Sweden) can lead to a harmonic society that don’t feel the need to overcome internal strifes by waging wars on other countries, a patriotic country often does not.
A patriotic country on the other hand can consist of several different peoples that tries to overcome their cultural differences and different background through a artificial set of beliefs that everyone is supposed to abide too. The US is a perfect example of a patriotic country that has waged war on country after country to cover up the fact that it is an artificial country with grave internal contradictions between people that are not related to each other, doesn’t share a cultural background etc.
ur mom
This is very annoying, I hate all of you.