essay on nationalism and patriotism

Nationalism vs Patriotism – Differences and Similarities

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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The key difference between nationalism and patriotism is that nationalism is the belief in an exclusionary and insular nation-state, while patriotism is the non-exclusionary love of your own nation.

Here is a breakdown of the differences:

• Nationalism is a belief that your nation sits that the top of a hierarchy of nations. You believe your nation’s interests are is inherently more important than those of any other country in the world.
• Patriotism , on the other hand, is simply the love of your country and culture. Patriots know that you can love your own nation without thinking it’s objectively better than anyone else’s.

While nationalism and patriotism both represent love of country, patriotism is seen as a positive form of self-expression whereas nationalism is seen as an exclusionary act and assertion of power.

Table of Differences: Nationalism vs Patriotism

What is nationalism.

Nationalism is an ideological and political movement that promotes the idea of a particular nation as an inherently superior or infallible entity.

The concept of nationalism has also been used to promote the idea of a unified people or culture, and it has sometimes been used to promote xenophobic or imperialist attitudes.

There are at least 14 types of nationalism that sit along a spectrum.

On the softer end of the spectrum, versions of nationalism such as civic nationalism overlap significantly with patriotism. For example, civic and liberal nationalists believe in the rule of law , multiculturalism, and democracy (and see these values as central reasons why their country is ‘great’).

On the other end of the spectrum, ethnonationalism and expansionist nationalism can lead to ethnic cleansing and world wars.

What is Patriotism?

Patriotism is feeling proud of and loyal to one’s country. It can stem from having a soft spot for your culture and neighbors or appreciation of everything the country gave you as you were growing up.

Patriotism can manifest in many ways, including:

• Standing for election to represent your nation
• Supporting your country’s football team
• Playing in your country’s football team
• Celebrating national holidays
• Showing pride in your national identity
• Fighting for your country in the military
• Working to make your country a better place

While the above actions can also be the actions of nationalists, patriots do these things only because they love their country and want the best for it and not because they see their country as being in a contest with other countries to be the objectively “best” group of people in the world.

Nationalism vs Supranationalism

Supranationalism is a term related to nationalism, but it is actually anti- nationalistic. Supranationalism refers to the idea of multiple nations coming together to form a higher authority, such as a supranational organization or government. Nationalism, as we have seen, prioritizes the opposite: nationalism is against ceding sovereignty. While nationalists emphasize national culture, identity, and independence, spranationalists emphasize cooperation, interdependence, and a shared cross-border identity.

Patriotism and nationalism are two sides of the same coin. While both involve love of your country, patriots see their love of their country as a subjective feeling while nationalists think that their country is objectively the greatest nation on earth.

While patriotism is generally seen as a positive trait representing pride in your heritage, nationalism tends to be seen as more extreme. Nationalism has led to significant harm, discrimination, prejudice, and war.

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 10 Reasons you’re Perpetually Single
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What Is Patriotism? Definition, Examples, Pros and Cons

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Simply stated, patriotism is the feeling of love for one’s country. Demonstrating patriotism—being “patriotic”—is one of the necessities of being the stereotypical good citizen. Patriotism, like many well-intentioned actions, can be harmful when taken to an extreme.

Key Takeaways

• Patriotism is the feeling and expression of love for one’s home country, along with a feeling of unity with those who share those feelings
• Though it shares patriotism’s love of country, nationalism is the belief that one’s home country is superior to all others
• While considered a necessary attribute of good citizenship, when patriotism becomes politically mandatory, it can cross a line

Patriotism Definition

Along with love, patriotism is the feeling of pride, devotion, and attachment to a homeland, as well as a feeling of attachment to other patriotic citizens. Feelings of attachment may be bound further by factors like race or ethnicity, culture, religious beliefs, or history.

Historic Perspective

Patriotism originated some 2,000 years before the rise of nationalism in the 19th century. Greek and especially Roman antiquity provide the roots for a philosophy of political patriotism that conceives loyalty to the “patria,”—the power that the male head of a family exercised over his children—like loyalty to a political conception of the republic. It is associated with the love of law and common liberty, the search for common good , and the duty to behave justly toward one’s country. The Roman meaning of patria is repeated in the context of the Italian city-states of the 15th century, such as Naples and Venice , as representing the common liberty of the city, which can only be safeguarded by the citizens’ civic spirit.

To the Renaissance period Italian diplomat, author, philosopher, and historian Niccolò Machiavelli , the love of common liberty enabled citizens to see their private and particular interests as part of the common good and helped them to resist corruption and tyranny. While a love of the city is typically intermixed with pride in its military strength and cultural superiority, the political institutions and the city's way of life form the distinctive focal point of this kind of patriotic attachment. To love the city is to be willing to sacrifice one’s own good—including one’s life—for common liberty.

While patriotism is evident throughout history, it was not always considered a civic virtue. In 18th-century Europe, for example, devotion to the state was considered a betrayal of devotion to the church.   

Other 18th-century scholars also found fault with what they considered excessive patriotism. In 1775, Samuel Johnson , whose 1774 essay The Patriot criticized those who claimed false devotion to Britain, famously called patriotism “the last refuge of the scoundrel.”

Arguably, America’s first patriots were its Founding Fathers who risked their lives to create a nation that reflected their visions of freedom with equality. They summarized this vision in The Declaration of Independence :

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

In that single sentence, the Founders dispelled the long-held belief of the ruling British Monarchy that an individual’s pursuit of personal happiness was nothing more than a disloyal act of self-indulgence. Instead, they acknowledged that the right of each citizen to pursue personal fulfillment was essential to the qualities, such as ambition and creativity, that would fuel the nation’s economy. As a result, the pursuit of happiness became and remains the force behind America’s entrepreneurial system of free-market capitalism .  

The Declaration of Independence further states, “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” In this phrase, the Founding Fathers rejected the autocratic rule of monarchs and confirmed the revolutionary principle of “government of the people, by the people” as the basis of American democracy and the reason the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution begins with the words “We the People.”

Examples of Patriotism

There are countless ways of showing patriotism. Standing for the National Anthem and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance are obvious ones. Perhaps more importantly, many of the most beneficial acts of patriotism in the U.S. celebrate and strengthen the country. A few of these include:

• Participating in the representative democracy by registering to vote and voting in elections .
• Volunteering for community service or running for elected government office .
• Serving on juries .
• Obeying all laws and paying taxes .
• Understanding the rights, freedoms, and responsibilities contained in the U.S. Constitution .

Patriotism vs. Nationalism

While the words patriotism and nationalism were once considered synonyms, they have taken on different connotations. While both are the feelings of love people feel for their country, the values upon which those feelings are based are very different.

Feelings of patriotism are based on the positive values the country embraces—like freedom, justice, and equality. The patriot believes the system of government and the people of their country are inherently good and work together for a better quality of life.

In contrast, feelings of nationalism are based on a belief that one’s country is superior to all others. It also carries a connotation of distrust or disapproval of other countries, leading to the assumption that other countries are rivals. While patriots do not automatically denigrate other countries, nationalists do, sometimes to the point of calling for their country’s global dominance. Nationalism, through its protectionist beliefs, is the polar opposite of globalism .

Historically, the effects of nationalism have been both positive and negative. While it has driven independence movements, like the Zionist movement that created modern Israel, it was also a key factor in the rise of the German Nazi Party and the Holocaust . 

Patriotism versus nationalism arose as a political issue when former President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron verbally sparred over the meaning of the terms.

At a rally on October 23, 2018, Trump defended his populist “Make America Great Again” platform and protectionist policies of tariffs on imports, officially declaring himself a “nationalist":

“A globalist is a person that wants the globe to do well, frankly, not caring about our country so much,” he said. “And you know what? We can't have that. You know, they have a word. It sort of became old-fashioned. It's called a nationalist. And I say, really, we’re not supposed to use that word. You know what I am? I’m a nationalist, OK? I’m a nationalist.”

President Macron, speaking at the 100th Armistice Day ceremony in Paris on November 11, 2018, offered a different meaning of nationalism. He defined nationalism as “putting our nation first, and not caring about the others.” By rejecting the interests of other countries, Macron asserted, “We erase what a nation holds dearest, what gives it life, what makes it great and what is essential, its moral values.”

Pros and Cons of Patriotism

Few countries survive and prosper without some degree of patriotic feelings among their people. A love of country and shared pride bring people together, helping them endure challenges. Without shared patriotic beliefs, colonial Americans may not have chosen to travel the road to independence from England. More recently, patriotism brought the American people together to overcome the Great Depression and achieve victory in World War II .

The potential downside of patriotism is that if it becomes a mandatory political doctrine, it can turn groups of people against each other and lead the country to reject its fundamental values.

A few examples from United States history include:

As early as 1798, extreme patriotism, spurred by fears of a war with France , led Congress to enact the Alien and Sedition Acts allowing the jailing of certain U.S. immigrants without due process of law and restricting the First Amendment freedoms of speech and the press .

In 1919, early fears of Communism triggered the Palmer raids resulting in the arrest and immediate deportation without trial of more than 10,000 German- and Russian-American immigrants.

After the December 7, 1941, Japanese air raid on Pearl Harbor , the Franklin Roosevelt administration ordered some 127,000 American citizens of Japanese ancestry imprisoned in internment camps for the duration of World War II.

During the Red Scare of the early 1950s, the McCarthy era saw thousands of Americans accused without evidence by the government of being communists or communist sympathizers. After a series of so-called “investigations” conducted by Senator Joseph McCarthy , hundreds of those accused were ostracized and prosecuted for their political beliefs.

• Johnson, Samuel (1774). “ The Patriot .” SamuelJohnson.com
• “ Nationalism .” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Plato.stanford.edu
• Boswell, James, Hibbert, “The Life of Samuel Johnson.” Penguin Classics, ISBN 0-14-043116-0
• Diamond, Jeremy. “ Trump embraces 'nationalist' title at Texas rally .” CNN (October 23, 2018)
• Liptak. Kevin. “ Macron rebukes nationalism as Trump observes Armistice Day. ” CNN (November 12, 2018)
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Introduction

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• Published: October 1997
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While nationalism is an attachment to the ethnic, cultural, and spiritual homogeneity of a nation, patriotism refers to the love of the republic and the political institutions that sustain it. The language of patriotism avoids the dangers of intolerance inherent in a nationalistic conception of civic virtue by appealing to the non‐exclusive love of common liberty that is nevertheless rooted in the concrete culture and history of a particular people. The project of the book will be to explore the possibilities of political patriotism as an alternative to the rhetoric of nationalism through a historical interpretation of the evolution of patriotism.

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Essay on Patriotism

Students are often asked to write an essay on Patriotism in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Patriotism

Understanding patriotism.

Patriotism is a strong emotional attachment to one’s country. It’s about loving your homeland, its culture, traditions, and values. It’s not just about waving flags on national holidays, but respecting the nation’s laws and working for its betterment.

Importance of Patriotism

Patriotism is important because it fosters unity and helps in nation-building. It encourages citizens to contribute positively to their country’s prosperity. A patriotic person will always strive for the welfare of their nation.

Patriotism Vs Nationalism

While patriotism is about love for one’s country, nationalism can sometimes lead to a sense of superiority over other nations. It’s important to maintain a balance and respect all nations equally.

Also check:

• 10 Lines on Patriotism
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250 Words Essay on Patriotism

Patriotism, often perceived as an intense emotion, is the feeling of love and devotion towards one’s country. It is a bond that connects citizens, transcending their individual differences, and unifying them under a shared identity. However, patriotism is not merely an emotion; it is a value that guides actions and behaviors.

The Essence of Patriotism

At its core, patriotism is about responsibility. It compels individuals to contribute to the well-being of their nation. This could range from voting and obeying laws to serving in the military or volunteering for community service. It fosters a sense of community, encouraging citizens to work for the collective good rather than personal gain.

Patriotism vs Nationalism

While patriotism is a unifying force, it’s crucial to distinguish it from nationalism. Nationalism, when extreme, can lead to xenophobia and intolerance, as it involves placing one’s country’s interests above all others. On the other hand, patriotism is about appreciating one’s country while respecting the sovereignty and value of other nations.

The Role of Patriotism in Democracy

In a democratic society, patriotism plays a vital role. It instills a sense of civic duty, ensuring citizens participate actively in the democratic process. Moreover, it encourages critical thinking, as true patriots question and challenge their government’s actions to ensure they align with the nation’s best interests.

In conclusion, patriotism is a complex and multifaceted concept. It is more than just love for one’s country; it’s about responsibility, respect, and active participation in civic life. It’s a force that, when harnessed correctly, can lead to a stronger, more inclusive society.

500 Words Essay on Patriotism

The concept of patriotism.

Patriotism, in its simplest form, can be defined as the love and devotion one feels for their homeland. However, the concept extends beyond mere emotional attachment and encompasses a broad spectrum of thoughts, actions, and commitments. It’s a complex amalgam of pride, gratitude, and a sense of duty. This essay aims to delve into the multifaceted notion of patriotism and how it shapes our society.

Patriotism and National Identity

Patriotism is intrinsically linked to national identity. It is a force that binds a diverse group of individuals into a cohesive whole, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose. It is the thread that weaves the social fabric and gives a nation its unique character. Patriotism fuels the collective consciousness of a nation’s people, inspiring them to work towards the common good and uphold the values that define their nationhood.

Critical Patriotism

However, patriotism should not be equated with blind nationalism or jingoism. It must be understood as a nuanced sentiment that balances pride in one’s country with a critical perspective. This approach, often referred to as ‘critical patriotism’, encourages individuals to question and challenge their government’s actions when they seem unjust or contrary to the nation’s values. It underscores the importance of active citizenship and the role of dissent in a democratic society.

Patriotism and Global Responsibility

In the era of globalization, the concept of patriotism has evolved to accommodate a broader, more inclusive perspective. It is no longer limited to one’s loyalty towards their nation but extends to a sense of responsibility towards the global community. This form of ‘global patriotism’ recognizes the interconnectedness of our world and the shared challenges we face, such as climate change, poverty, and inequality. It promotes international cooperation and solidarity, emphasizing that patriotism and cosmopolitanism are not mutually exclusive.

The Role of Education in Nurturing Patriotism

Education plays a crucial role in nurturing patriotism. It is through education that young minds are introduced to their nation’s history, culture, and values. However, the goal of education should not be to instill a narrow, uncritical form of patriotism. Instead, it should aim to foster a form of patriotism that encourages critical thinking, social responsibility, and global awareness. This approach can help create a generation of patriots who are not only proud of their heritage but are also committed to their nation’s progress and the betterment of the global community.

In conclusion, patriotism is a complex and multifaceted concept that goes beyond mere emotional attachment to one’s country. It is about embracing one’s national identity, questioning and challenging injustices, recognizing our global responsibilities, and striving for the common good. As we navigate the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century, let us strive to cultivate a form of patriotism that is inclusive, critical, and globally aware.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

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Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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