Nationalism facts for kids
Nationalism is a way of thinking where people believe that groups of humans, often based on shared culture or history, should be free to govern themselves. Nationalists think that the best way for these groups to be truly free and not controlled by others is to have their own country, or nation. Some also believe it helps protect smaller groups from losing their unique ways of life. Another way to think about nationalism is when people strongly support their own country's interests, sometimes even if it means not helping other countries.
The opposite of nationalism is internationalism, which focuses on cooperation between different nations.
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Nationalism and How Countries Are Governed
Long ago, many early thinkers who believed in socialism (a system where society works together for everyone's good) also believed in nationalism. They thought that just as ethnic groups should not be controlled by others, ordinary people like workers and farmers should not be controlled by richer, more powerful groups. They believed everyone in a country should work together for a common goal, which they called the "national interest." This means doing what is best for all the people in that nation.
Nationalists often supported ordinary people, especially farmers. They saw these groups as having a pure and original local culture, unlike the upper classes whose culture might seem less connected to the land. This idea led to something called National Romanticism, which celebrated the unique traditions and stories of a nation's people.
Nationalism and Different Political Ideas
Nationalism and socialism grew up together in some ways. However, they have also been seen as opposites. For example, in the Soviet Union, a communist country, nationalism was often seen as a bad word. It was linked to ideas like capitalism (where businesses are privately owned) or fascism (a strict political system). But even in the Soviet Union, a kind of nationalism still existed, even if it wasn't called that.
Countries like the Nordic countries (such as Sweden, Norway, and Denmark) are good examples of "nation-states." This means their borders mostly match where a certain ethnic group lives. These countries were built on ideas of social democracy, which is a left-leaning political idea that focuses on fairness and welfare for all citizens. Only when these countries became more multicultural (having many different cultures) did their politics start to lean more to the right.
Today, nationalism doesn't always fit neatly into "left" or "right" politics. It can be part of many different political ideas. However, nationalists often believe in reducing big differences between rich and poor people in society. They are usually against the strongest forms of capitalism, which they think give too much power to very rich people and large companies.
Nationalism and Ending Colonial Rule
Nationalism played a big part in ending colonial rule. When European countries controlled lands far away, nationalism spread to these colonies. It made the people in these colonies want their independence and the right to rule themselves. People in the colonizing countries also started to accept that others deserved to be free.
However, some nationalists believe that when the colonial powers left Africa, the new countries were not set up well. The new borders often did not follow the lines of different ethnic groups. This meant that many new nations had several ethnic groups living together who sometimes struggled to live peacefully.
Related pages
Images for kids
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The title page from a book called De jure belli ac pacis (On the Law of War and Peace) from 1631.
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A postcard from 1916 showing symbols of the Allies of World War I, each holding their country's flag.
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Senator Johan Vilhelm Snellman (1806–1881) was a philosopher and journalist who greatly influenced Finnish nationalism in the 1800s.
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A painting from 1887 showing French students learning about Alsace-Lorraine, a region taken by Germany in 1871.
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The Millennium of Russia monument, built in 1862 to celebrate one thousand years of Russian history.
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People protesting in Vienna with German flags in May 1848.
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Adolf Hitler being greeted by a crowd in Sudetenland in May 1938.
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People cheering as Giuseppe Garibaldi enters Naples in 1860.
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The Greek War of Independence began in 1821, with Greek revolutionaries fighting against the Ottoman Empire.
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A map showing the Breakup of Yugoslavia into several new countries.
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General Simón Bolívar (1783–1830), a key leader in the independence movements in Latin America.
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Kenneth Kaunda, a leader who fought against colonial rule in Zambia, at a rally in 1960.
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Changes in national borders in countries that were once part of the Soviet Union or Yugoslavia, after the revolutions of 1989.
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Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro with United States President Donald Trump.
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A crowd protesting against Britain in Cairo on October 23, 1951, during a disagreement over the Suez Canal and Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.
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Ukrainian nationalists carrying flags and pictures of Stepan Bandera in Kiev.
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A wall painting in Caracas with a message against American influence and imperialism.
See also
In Spanish: Nacionalismo para niños
