Nationalism
This article concerns Nationalism as it relates to Nationstates. For more general information, please see the Wikipedia article on the subject.
Nationalism is the belief that ethnically or culturally defined nations are the basic units of human (and usually non-human) civilization and that nations are the only legitimate basis for states. It can also refer the ideologies of various specific nationalist movements, usually calling for the independence of one nation from another, isolationism, or xenophobia. Sometimes a nationalist movement claims nationhood for a broader or narrower group than that normally defined as a nation. For example, some nationalists might claim to represent the black nation or even the human nation, even though both groups include many nationalities.
Principles of nationalism
Nationalists define individual nations on the basis of certain criteria, such as a shared culture, language, religion, set of values, racial or ethnic background, and geographical location. National identity refers to a nation's awareness of its own distinctiveness in these areas. Most nationalists consider membership in a nation to be involuntary and immutable.
Nationalism sees most social activity as national in character. All nations have national animals and a national motto. Most nations also have a shared history, a common religion (which may or may not be established by the state), a national cuisine, national heroes, and national myths.
Since the development of the nation-state, nationalism has become a huge influence on world events. The nation-state has become so common as a form of social organization, that mere belief that every nation should have its own national state is no longer enough to win one the title of a nationalist in and of itself. Each nation-state exists not only to serve its people in a variety of ways but to guarantee the existence of the nation, preserve its distinct identity, and provide a territory where the national values are dominant. It is only in a state that a nation exists in law and in the eyes of the world.
Although almost all states function as nation-states, nationalists recognize that not all states are nation-states, or at least that not all states originated that way. Marlund, for example, contains two distinct peoples who differ in racial background, in dialect, and in geographical location. The Resurgent Dream is made up of people who originated in at least 25 different nations. However, even states which are non-national in origin tend to move towards becoming nation-states, developing a shared history, adopting an ideology of unity flowing from diversity, and developing shared basic values as the source of a new national identity.
Background and problems
The definition of nationalism is broad and often controversial. Nationalists movements are certainly diverse in character, ranging from the extreme right to the extreme left, from the radically democratic to the totalitarian. To a nationalist in the Reich, the primary issue is to reject metahumans from the nation, whereas the issue of non-human sentience might be less important or even completely irrelevent to a Pan-Africanist. Many nationalists fear that the wars and ethnic conflicts which sometimes result from clashing nationalisms give nationalism a bad name. They say it is unfair to focus only on the negative consequences of nationalism.
Nationalists sometimes claim that their nation is the greatest in the world or they might simple claim that any nation is better off governing itself. Some nationalists might not even claim that, but merely claim that they in particular can never expect to be treated fairly or equitably by other nations or one or more specific other nations and thus need a state of their own to ensure their safety. Nationalists often contest the legitimacy of their enemies nationality, especially when they claim the same land as their homeland.
Issues in nationalism theory
The first studies of nationalism, made as early as the 18th century, were made by social radicals critical of nationalist ideas. Scientific studies of the sociology of national identity began on a large scale after the Second World War.
Specific nationalists have disputes about who does and does not belong to the nation. These disputes can be about whether the descendants of assimilated immigrants can be accepted, whether religious minorities can be accepted, or about other similar questions. They might also be about the precise cultural and geographical boundaries of a nation if it is surrounded by similar peoples. General nationalist theory looks at which came first, nationalist or the nation. Nationalist activists and most nationalist theorists say that nationalism merely gives life and purpose to pre-existing nations.
Modernist theories of nationalism suggest that nations are invented ideas imposed from above in order to bring about the modern state. These theories suggest that few people had meaningful loyalties beyond the local level before the last several centuries.
