Is nationalism bad?

Luis (No)

While nationalism can be dangerous and destructive in its radical form, it isn’t bad and could even be highly positive in its moderate version, where it places the nation's and its citizens' needs first. Nationalism fosters a sense of identity and unity among citizens, as it creates a bond based on shared culture and history. In fact, it can even increase national security interests, considering that protecting a country’s citizenry is the biggest priority.

Nationalism can be good as it promotes patriotism and a deep love for one’s nation. Also, national pride can drive innovation and cultural exchange as citizens may be motivated to showcase the achievements of their nations in different areas. In this way, nationalism prioritizes most of the country's top priority needs—everything from education to national security to ensuring its citizens are taken care of. 

Moreover, nationalism helps preserve the nation’s culture and even promotes civic involvement, where the country’s citizens are part of civic duties. Additionally, nationalism can be a good thing for any nation as it creates social cohesion that enhances relationships between citizens, which can eventually reduce crime rates.

Finally, healthy nationalism can drive progress and innovation in the country by inspiring every citizen to contribute to the nation’s advancement in numerous fields and even strive for excellence. Moreover, nationalism incentivizes the support for the domestic production of goods and services, prioritizing local economies and citizen jobs and bolstering national economic prosperity. When executed moderately, nationalism can become a force of good for every country.

Andrew (Yes)

The goal of nationalism is to create a singular national identity and belief in a shared history consisting of several factors such as location, ethnicity, religion, language, and other markers. The problem with this sort of myth-making is the issue of how minorities or others who don’t fit neatly into the narrative are treated. Nationalism can frequently lead to mistreatment, segregation, or even genocide of minority groups. From the Holocaust to Hindu nationalist violence against Muslims, history is replete with examples of the mistreatment of certain groups driven by deluded nationalistic logic. 

In addition to mistreating groups within borders, nationalism often leads to violence and the “othering” of foreign states. Instead of recognizing shared humanity, cross-border common heritage, and all of the many things that make us similar to our fellow humans in other nations, nationalism tells us we are fundamentally different from those outside of our nationalist group. It also tells us that we compete with other states, a confrontational and often aggressive mentality that leads to suspicion and conflict rather than cooperation and harmony. The rise of nationalism in Europe is primarily to blame for the course of events that dragged the world through two world wars and many other conflicts.

The ultimate problem with nationalism is that it leads to states and societies which are brittle and weak. Open and tolerant, multicultural societies are the strongest and produce the best living conditions for all within their borders. Where nationalism clings desperately to ideas of racial and ethnic purity, open, cooperative societies are flexible and adapt to meet the needs of their citizens.