Nationalism

Nationalism, a powerful force that has shaped the course of history and continues to influence
the contemporary world, is a multifaceted and often contentious concept. It is a source of
unity and division, a driving force for liberation and sometimes also a cause of conflict.
Understanding nationalism requires us to explore it in diverse ways in which it manifests
across the globe.

Origins

The word ‘nation’ has been used since the thirteenth century and derives from the Latin nasci,
meaning to be born. In the form of natio, it referred to a group of people united by birth or
birthplace. In its original usage, nation thus implied a breed of people or a racial group, but
possessed no political significance.

When we speak of nationalism, we speak of a period between eighteenth and twentieth

century. It was during this period that a large number of small, local communities began to be
transformed into (a relatively smaller number of) large and homogenous communities. To put
it simply, a large number of small communities began to be transformed into a small number
of large communities. What was involved in this process was a new type of imagination. The
new communities were not constituted by reciprocity, common sharing of resources, or
familiarity. Most communities in history (village communities, speech communities or other
local groups) had been based on familiarity. The new national communities, on the contrary,
were based on unfamiliarity and anonymity.

The new communities were brought together, not so much by common everyday experiences,
but by a certain kind of imagination. It was precisely in this sense that Benedict Anderson, a
leading theorist on nationalism, referred to nations as “imagined communities”. Thus, he
means that a nation is not a natural human community. It is historical category, i.e., it is a
human community that has been made in history and through history. It is a product of
certain historical conditions. In simpler terms, it means that a nation is to a great extent an
‘imagined’ community, held together by the collective beliefs, aspirations and imaginations
of its members. It is based on certain assumptions which people make about the collective
whole with which they identify. Thus, to speak of a people as a nation is not to make a
comment about their physical characteristics or behaviour. Rather, it is to refer to the
collective identity and vision for the future of a group which aspires to have an independent
political existence. A nation exists when its members believe that they belong together.

The idea of nationalism was born during the French Revolution. Previously, countries had
been thought of as ‘realms’, ‘principalities’ or ‘kingdoms’. The inhabitants of a country were
‘subjects’, their political identity being formed by an allegiance to a ruler or ruling dynasty,
rather than any sense of national identity or patriotism. It was not until the late eighteenth
century that the term acquired political overtones, as individuals and groups started to be
classified as ‘nationalists’.
Core themes of Nationalism

1. The basic belief of nationalism is that the nation is, or should be, the central
principle of political organization. On the most basic level, nations are cultural entities,
collections of people bound together by shared values and traditions, in particular a
common language, religion and history, and usually occupying the same geographical
area. For nationalists, the nation-state is the highest and most desirable form of political
organization.
2. Nationalists have a belief that nations are organic communities. Humankind, in other
words, is naturally divided into a collection of nations, each possessing a distinctive
character and separate identity. Nationalism often emphasizes a shared sense of identity
based on factors like language, culture, ethnicity, religion, or historical experiences.
3. Through nationalism, people who see themselves as a nation also embody a sense of
continuing historical identity. That means that nations perceive themselves as stretching
back into the past as well as reaching into the future. They articulate for themselves a
sense of their own history by drawing on collective memories, legends, historical records,
to outline the continuing identity of the nation. For example, nationalists in India, during
the independence movement, invoked its ancient civilisation and cultural heritage and
other achievements to claim that India has had a long and continuing history as a
civilisation and that this civilisational continuity and unity is the basis of the Indian
nation.
4. Nationalism places loyalty to the nation above all other forms of political and social
loyalties. One may place one’s moral or religious beliefs above national identity, but
nationalism assumes that these must give way to loyalty to the nation if there is a clash.
5. Nationalism has a desire to attain or maintain political independence, usually expressed in
the principle of national self-determination. Self-determination refers to the right of a
group of people, often defined by common ethnicity, culture, language, or shared
historical experiences, to determine their own political, economic, and social destiny.
In simpler terms, it means the right of a group of people to decide for themselves how
they want to be governed and what kind of government they want. It's like saying a group
of people should have the freedom to choose their own leaders and make their own rules
that best fit their needs, culture, and identity. This idea is often tied to the creation of new
countries or giving more control/autonomy to specific regions within a larger country.
6. Nation-building is a central theme in nationalism. It involves the creation or
strengthening of a nation-state with defined borders, institutions, and a government.
Nationalists aim to establish or preserve a nation-state that reflects the interests and
identity of the nation's people.
7. Cultural preservation is another central theme in nationalism, emphasizing the
importance of safeguarding and promoting a nation's cultural heritage, traditions,
language, and customs. It is often closely linked to a collective identity and serves as a
means of strengthening the bonds among a nation's citizens. Cultural preservation within
the context of nationalism is both a means of preserving a sense of national identity and a
way to resist perceived cultural threats. It can provide a sense of continuity with the past
 and reinforce the idea that a nation's cultural heritage is something worth cherishing and
passing on to future generations.

Types of Nationalism

1. Ethnic Nationalism: Ethnic nationalism identifies a close connection between national

members linked by ethnicity, race, language or other cultural attributes that persist over
centuries. One is a member of the nation by birth and bloodline, by genetics, and bears an
identity that cannot be abandoned by becoming a citizen of another nation or acquired by
choice. This was particularly evident in Germany during the Nazi period. By viewing
national identity as rigid and unchanging, ethnic nations are thus held together by
‘primordial bonds’, powerful and seemingly innate emotional attachments to a language,
religion, traditional way of life and a homeland. To different degrees, conservatives and
fascists adopt such a view of the nation.
2. Civic Nationalism: Civic nationalism highlights the importance of civic consciousness
and patriotic loyalty. From this perspective, nations may be multi-racial, multi-ethnic,
multi-religious etc. Civic nationalism identifies the common historical ties that exist
between the people in the nation. These ties can easily be extended to other people
through citizenship. There is no ethnic limitation on who can potentially be a member of
the nation. Civic nationalism is the basis of American, French or British nationalism.

Critical Evaluation

It is often believed that a shared political vision about the State and society we wish to create
is not enough to bind individuals together as a nation. Instead, a shared cultural identity, such
as a common language, religion, ethnicity etc. is invoked. There is no doubt that speaking the
same language makes it easier for us to communicate with each other and sharing the same
religion gives us a set of common beliefs and social practices. Observing the same festivals,
seeking the same holidays, and holding the same symbols valuable can bring people together,
but it can also pose a threat to the values that we cherish in a democracy.

There are two reasons for this. One, all major religions in the world are internally diverse.
They have survived and evolved through a dialogue within the community. As a result there
exists within each religion a number of sects who differ significantly in their interpretation of
the religious texts and norms. If we ignore these differences and forge an identity on the basis
of a common religion we are likely to create a highly authoritative and oppressive society.
Two, most societies are culturally diverse. They have people belonging to different religions
and languages living together in the same territory. To impose a single ethnic or religious or
linguistic identity as a condition of belonging to a particular State would necessarily exclude
some groups. It might restrict the linguistic or religious liberty of the excluded group or
disadvantage those who do not identify with the dominant identity. This means that the ideal
that we cherish most in democracy i.e. equal treatment and liberty for all would be severely
limited. Therefore, democracies need to emphasise and expect loyalty to a set of values that
may be enshrined in the Constitution of the country rather than adherence to a particular
ethnicity, religion, race or language.
Conclusion

Thus, once we abandon the idea of one-culture-one State, it becomes necessary to consider
ways by which different cultures and communities can survive and flourish within a country.
It is in pursuit of this goal that many democratic societies today have introduced measures for
recognising and protecting the identity of cultural minority communities living within their
territory. The kinds of group rights which have been granted in different countries include
constitutional protection for the language, cultures and religion, of minority groups and their
members. In some cases identified communities also have the right to representation as a
group in legislative bodies and other state institutions. Such rights may be justified on the
grounds that they provide equal treatment and protection of the law for members of these
groups as well as protection for the cultural identity of the group. Different groups need to be
granted recognition as a part of the national community.

This means that the national identity has to be defined in an inclusive manner which can
recognise the importance and unique contribution of all the cultural communities within the
state. The Indian constitution therefore has an elaborate set of provisions for the protection of
religious, linguistic and cultural minorities.