Nationalism Ideology

Nationalism has been said to be a key driving force throughout the history of humanity. It has transcended the point of just a feeling of pride in one’s nation and has evolved to become an ideology to some degree. It’s a weird concept for Nationalism to be called an ideology, as an ideology by definition is a system of ideas, and principles, which can form the basis of economic policy or political theory. However an ideology is also defined as a set of beliefs that affects our outlook on the world. By that standard Nationalism could be considered an ideology. A force so powerful that it has single-handedly rounded up masses under one vision of superiority. Throughout the ages, especially in the twentieth century, Nationalism has been used to

On a global scale leading up to today, it can be said that Nationalism is not the single most important driving force in the development of World Civilization. It has happened countless of times where a nation’s people and government turn nationalistic and war ensues. Now the age old question of why is in place. Simply put Nationalism is too much of a volatile force to embrace. Nationalism is defined as a proud feeling people have of their country. This feeling of pride and increased loyalty is mostly always accompanied by the view that one’s country is of higher importance, or superior to other nations. Nationalism also has the tendency to induce competition, which can effortlessly create conflict that evolves into warfare. Now there have been cases where competition doesn’t lead to conflict, for example the 20th-century Space Race where the US, and the Soviet Union were in competition for superiority in spaceflight capability during the Cold War. Both Nations had nationalistic type views at the time. The US wanting to get rid of communism, and the Soviet Union wanting to erase Capitalism, yet (even though close)

A prime example of this would be Hitler, his drastic form of nationalism (Nazism), and his treatment of the Jews. Hitler wanted Germans to identify themselves with the nation, it wasn’t possible to be separate from one’s nation. Hitler said “Our future is Germany. Our today is Germany. And our past is Germany. Let us take a vow this evening, at every hour, in each day, to think of Germany, of the nation, of our German people. You cannot be unfaithful to something that has given sense and meaning to your whole existence.” That is to be one entity a nation united or how he stated a body. Hitler also proclaimed that Germany was being assaulted by “forces that threatened to destroy it. He described the threat to Germany as a force of disintegration, later he identified the Jews as “disintegrators of people” working to bring about the “political disintegration of the body of a people.” Hitler’s ideology presented Germany as a body (politic), and Jews were viewed as bacteria or viruses contaminating the body. Hitler’s final solution was carried out to “eliminate pathogenic microorganisms (Jews) from within the body politic”. Hitler’s Mein Kampf reflected his strong desire to create a unite German politic. With that his views on the virus that was the Jews were justified, and what is it that people do to viruses or bacteria; we get rid of them. Though not being Aryan himself Hitler managed to rile up a