At a glance
Nationalism holds that a nation is a central source of political identity and should possess collective self-government, sovereignty or priority within political life.
Core principles
- National belonging; self-determination; sovereignty; collective identity; political legitimacy linked to a national community.
Origins & development
Modern nationalism expanded with state formation, mass politics and anticolonial struggles. It has supported both liberation from external rule and exclusionary nation-building.
Economic outlook
It has no single economic program. Nationalists may favor socialist development, free markets, industrial policy or protectionism depending on circumstances and their wider ideology.
Society & government
Citizenship-based and ancestry-based definitions of belonging produce different implications for minorities. Nationalism can accompany democracy, monarchy, authoritarianism or revolutionary politics.
Variations & related traditions
Civic, ethnic, cultural, anticolonial and expansionist nationalisms differ. National conservatism adds a particular conservative program; patriotism does not necessarily imply nationalist political doctrine.
Debates & criticisms
Debates concern minority rights, borders, competing self-determination claims and international cooperation. Treating nationalism as inherently identical to either democracy or fascism obscures its range.