Meanderings: You are Probably a Patriot, Not a Nationalist
I will be referring to state rights in this article. By state, I really mean country and not what are essentially provinces in the U.S.A.
Outside the U.S.A., 'state' means the same as country. The states in 'United States' were originally intended as individual countries that were united for their common defense. This is why our forefathers first chose a confederation over a federation. However, the confederation turned out to be weak, so we opted for a federation, which we refer to as the federal government. Despite being a federation, a great deal of power was meant to be kept with the states. For example, originally, there was no single professional Army; states maintained national guards that were called into federal service during times of war, then disbanded and returned to their states afterward. However, over time the federal government eroded the power of states to the point they are now essentially provinces.
Side Note: The E.U. pretends to be something new, but it's essentially a confederation. This is why it can't control its own borders and why a popular leader in one country can bully policies onto other countries. The E.U. realizes this issue, and this is why they are trying to sneak into the creation of a strong central government. If they stopped being shady about it and just presented the problem straight-out they could hack out the problems like our forefathers did. I doubt they will.
On to the blog...
I will hear people like Lauren Southern and many others argue about Nationalism but instead talk about state (country) rights. Whenever I hear this I wonder if they are really talking about Patriotism. It's an important distinction, and here's why.
Nationalism is the belief in a nation, which membership is determined either through ethnicity or shared cultural and political values. It can be one, the other, or both. A nation doesn't possess borders, nor does it need a country. In fact, a nation is not a country, though most countries in the world are nation-states. The Nation of Islam and the Nation of Kurdistan are two examples of nations without states. You will even have small groups adopt the idea of a nation, such as the Latino Nation, or the White Nationalists.
Both France and Germany are nation-states. France is a nation-state through ethnicity, while Germany is a nation-state through shared cultural and political values. This is why Germany's Bavarian province is fine with remaining a part of Germany despite being ethnically different, but France keeps having to pressure that one province (I forget its name) to stay. Spain also has a similar problem to France.
But what then is patriotism?
Patriotism is focused solely on the state (country). If you are a person who is foremost concerned about the Constitution and its Amendments, you are most likely a Patriot. The regulation of borders. Freedom of Speech. Freedom to Assemble. Freedom to own and bear arms. For the United States, it doesn't matter where your ancestors, or you, come from. As long as you subscribe to the state and share membership (known as citizenship) in the country.
It is probably important now to define what a state is and what it does. A state is an area with a clearly defined border and a constitution defining membership, known as citizenship, within that country. That's it, but that Constitution part is pretty darn important. There are some additional ideas associated with the state, such as representation in government and direct communication with their representatives. Some people argue that part doesn't matter anymore, pointing to countries like North Korea. But I'd argue North Korea isn't really a country.
The concept of the state emerged during the enlightenment in response to feudalism. During the feudal era, there were no borders. Instead, there were lords and your protection depended on the proximity to a lord; i.e., the lord's area of influence. The idea you could directly talk to your representatives was a reaction to the strict hierarchy within feudalism. A commoner could never talk to the king. But they could talk to their guild leader, who could talk to someone next up the chain, and continue up until it reached the king. Incredibly bureaucratic and inefficient. Nor would the king care. They didn't care what the lord did to their peasants as long as it didn't effect them. Can you guess why the enlightenment proposed laws and constitutions? Or why the U.S.A. has such a hard-on for the Magna Carta?
Patriotism is all about the state. Nationalism is more like feudalism. But Patriotism isn't about worship of the state. Not in the slightest. The American constitution is a product of the enlightenment. Patriotism in the U.S.A. is all about accountability and civic participation. You don't froth at the mouth as a Patriot. Instead, you hold the flag and wave it high, chest out with your manly chest hair. Vote, you youths, and learn what it means to sacrifice!
Another important distinction between Nationalism and Patriotism relates to the social contract. The social contract of a country is formalized into laws and ethics. The social contract of a nation remains informal, though its ethics and morals hold a lot of weight.
But there is also probably the most important distinction. Patriotism, when fanatically supported, doesn't turn into a bloodbath. Nationalism, however, does. Nationalism enters a realm of purity testing since ethnicity is an important part in Nationalism. Not only that, but the more fanatic you become as a Nationalist the less you care about shared cultural and political beliefs and the more you care about ethnicity. Taken to the extreme, you get the examples like you saw in Germany during the 1930's and 1940's.
Pro-tip: people don't fear nationalism; they fear fanatic nationalists.
So please consider carefully what you are about when you discuss Nationalism or Patriotism. Are you a Nationalist or a Patriot?
I'm certainly a Patriot.
- Easton
#usa #politics #blog #minds #patriotism #nationalism