Nationalism
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and supranationalism have therefore helped to keep this form of nationalism alive in many modern states. Conservative reservations about immigration stem from the belief that cultural diversity leads to instability and conflict. As stable and successful societies must be based on shared values and a common culture, immigration, particularly from societies with different religious and other traditions, should either be firmly restricted or minority ethnic groups should be encouraged to assimilate into the culture of the ‘host’ society. This puts conservative nationalism particularly at odds with multiculturalism. Conservative nationalists are also concerned about the threat that supranational bodies, such as the EU, pose to national identity and so to the cultural bonds of society. This is expressed in the UK in the form of ‘Euroscepticism’, particularly strong within the Conservative Party, with similar views being expressed in continental Europe by a variety of right-wing populist groups such as the French National Rally (formerly the National Front). Eurosceptics not only defend sovereign national institutions and a distinctive national currency on the grounds that they are vital symbols of national identity, but also warn that the ‘European project’ is fatally misconceived because a stable political union cannot be forged out of such national, language and cultural diversity. In the UK, the growing strength of such sentiments contributed to the decision to hold an in/out referendum on EU membership in 2016. The ‘Leave’ victory in the referendum set the UK on course to exit the organization, which formally happened in 2020. Expansionist nationalism Inmany countries the dominant image of nationalism is one of aggression and militarism , quite the opposite of a principled belief in national self-determination. The aggressive face of nationalism became apparent in the late nineteenth century as European powers indulged in a ‘scramble for Africa’ in the name of national glory and their ‘place in the sun’. The imperialism of the late nineteenth century differed from earlier periods of colonial expansion in that it was supported by a climate of popular nationalism: national prestige was linked increasingly to the possession of an empire and each colonial victory was greeted by demonstrations of public approval. In the UK, a new word, jingoism , was coined to describe this mood of popular nationalism. In the early twentieth century, the growing rivalry of the European powers divided the continent into two armed camps, the Triple Entente, comprising the UK, France and Russia, and the Triple Alliance, containing Germany, Austria and Italy. When world war eventually broke out in August
1914, after a prolonged arms race and a succession of international crises, it provoked public rejoicing in all the major cities of Europe. Aggressive and expansionist nationalism reached its high point in the interwar period when the authoritarian or fascist regimes of Japan, Italy and Germany embarked on policies of imperial expansion and world domination, eventually leading to war in 1939. What distinguished this form of nationalism from earlier liberal nationalism was its chauvinism, a term derived from the name of Nicolas Chauvin, a French soldier who had been fanatically devoted to Napoleon I. Nations are not thought to be equal in their right to self-determination; rather, some nations are believed to possess characteristics or qualities that make them superior to others. Such ideas were clearly evident in European imperialism, which was justified by an ideology of racial and
Supranationalism: The ability of bodies with transnational or global jurisdictions to impose their will on nation-states. Militarism: The achievement of ends by military means, or the extension of military ideas, values and practices to civilian society. Jingoism: A mood of nationalist enthusiasm and public celebration provoked by military expansion or imperial conquest.
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