Problem starts with definition
There is no standard definition of globalism and nationalism agreeable to scholars of all fields such as politics, economics, journalism and technology. Globalism, based on globalisation and nationalism based on individual identity have different origins, yet in the 21st century globalism and nationalism, often contradictory in their application and outcomes have an intertwined configuration. It may be a matter of time for this uneasy alliance to explode.
Is it possible to explain nationalism?
Human beings are born with 'empty memory', which begins to be filled with life experiences as the infant grows to become a child, a teen, a youth and an adult. During these transition phase this 'being' would have walked through a cumulative experience from his or her ethnic base, family & kinship, acquire mother tongue, a national language if different from mother tongue, community relationship, and a sense of belonging to a community, members of which have a common descent. This becomes his or her identity for life. These characteristics distinguish him or her from other such individuals with different experience of growing elsewhere in another community. This is what one may call a sense of ethnic nationalism. But in recent years the idea of nationalism is frowned upon and is seen as a menace, xenophobic and bigotry.
Nationalism can be destructive, no doubt, as was proved by Hitler's appreciation of Aryan supremacy. Similarly, there were White supremacy movements such as the KKK in the USA based on White nationalism. In countries with an ethnically mixed population there are incidents of ethnic based nationalism creating turmoil between population groups as has happened between Tutsi and Hutu in Rwanda. In Myanmar while majority of citizens have grievances against the military regime, presence of ethnic nationality-based tension cannot be ignored. In recent years there is also a rise of nationalism in Europe with the influx of immigrants and other politically based identity groups.
Blaming nationalism is perhaps an erroneous way of analysing the conflict as the actual problem may be somewhere else such as discrimination based on individual identity. People seem to have also ignored the positive forces of nationalism which brings together people for a country's unity. In India for example, there are more than two thousand ethnic groups with different backgrounds which can technically be classified as ethnic nationalities, but they all come together when needed in defense of India's national interest, which the academics explain as patriotism, which is distinct from nationalism.
What about Globalisation?
We often come across statements like 'world has become a global village' and 'we are a global citizen'. These statements simply suggest the ease of global transportation, trade, spread of technology, communication and movement of capitals without borders. These global activities contributed in employment creation, increase in industrial production, connectivity between people, increase in GDP and integration of local economies with global markets. All these economic miracles were made possible by liberalism focused primarily on the economy, nothing more nothing less. The problem with globalisation is that it is just a glorification of economy and trade, not humanism. If the idea of a global citizen was based on humanism and the world is really a big village why are there constant problems arising out of discriminations based on individual or community characteristics be it religion, or colour of skin or ethnic origin? A sense of global village or a global citizen is good but may never be realised.
Rise of nationalism
For the globalists, the world is a borderless landmass to be exploited, ignoring that there are between 237 to 253 countries and territories (depending on how classify) spread across the globe with thousands of ethnic groups with different culture and value systems within a defined political boundary with diverse governance systems. The globalists with their liberal economy have promoted one model of global political economy and trade which has wiped out the identities of thousands of ethnic nationalities that have survived for centuries with their unique set of social values, food culture and tradition. The encroaching ideology of globalists not only affected economy and social values but also the local politics and public goods to be auctioned to oligarchs, backed by the globalists.
Another misrepresented narrative promoted by the globalists is the impression of mutual interdependence in globalisation. It is the dominant economic ideology of globalism imposed on weaker countries and communities, actually making people dependent on globalists as they control the political economy; it is making the weaker groups dependent on the globalists. Interdependence is a mirage. For the globalists, anyone who does not accept their views and prescriptions for the political economic model becomes an adversary to be dealt with by any means. These are the reasons why identity-based nationalism is on the rise in countries with diverse population groups against this global economic governance dominated by globalists.
One serious problem created by the globalists is the future of young generation. The globalists are keeping the entire cohort of young generation fully occupied with social media filled with perverted entertainment provided by half naked celebrities running on the stage like a drunk monkey. Remember that this is the generation who will inherit the governance in coming decades. It is a great disservice to the young generation in the name of individual freedom.
Nationalism has become a different thing to different people. For US politicians, American nationalism is to remain supreme in the world community while also promoting globalism by exporting their way of living. For the Indian Prime Minister nationalism is to become Hindu religion-based governance (where there are 204 million minority Muslim population). For the Hungarian Prime Minister nationalism means a European Christian identity. If we go below one level of identity, people want to be identified by their ethnic origin such as a Chinese Malaysian, or a Sinhala Buddhist Sri Lankan or a Hindu Tamil Sri Lankan, an Ainu Japanese, Karen Christian Burmese, Karen Christian Burmese, etc. There is no end to it. If we continue defining and fighting for identity based on distributive characteristics of individuals or communities, we will forever be on a warpath given the diversity among us, the people. If every identifiable ethnic group wants self-determination and wants their own state or nation, the world will have a few thousand countries. The world has seen enough tension already such as Catalonia and Basque in Spain, Scotland in the United Kingdom, Kurdish movement in the Middle East, Khalistan movement in India, etc.
Is there a solution?
Humanity is faced with two sets of issues - identity politics pushed by politicians for their vested interest and lavish economic globalisation led by the globalists which led to the universalisation of economic inequality. The best way to address nationalism is to recognise and honour the identity of citizens, their birth rights, within the existing national boundary. Economic globalism is here to stay; taming globalism will be more challenging but for the survival of humanity there is no other way but to pacify globalism. People need to be convinced that minimalism as a way of life is essential to save nature and to preserve humanism. Our way of life has become too excessive for humanity to survive and for nature to regenerate which provides us all that we need.
Is it possible to explain nationalism?
Human beings are born with 'empty memory', which begins to be filled with life experiences as the infant grows to become a child, a teen, a youth and an adult. During these transition phase this 'being' would have walked through a cumulative experience from his or her ethnic base, family & kinship, acquire mother tongue, a national language if different from mother tongue, community relationship, and a sense of belonging to a community, members of which have a common descent. This becomes his or her identity for life. These characteristics distinguish him or her from other such individuals with different experience of growing elsewhere in another community. This is what one may call a sense of ethnic nationalism. But in recent years the idea of nationalism is frowned upon and is seen as a menace, xenophobic and bigotry.
Nationalism can be destructive, no doubt, as was proved by Hitler's appreciation of Aryan supremacy. Similarly, there were White supremacy movements such as the KKK in the USA based on White nationalism. In countries with an ethnically mixed population there are incidents of ethnic based nationalism creating turmoil between population groups as has happened between Tutsi and Hutu in Rwanda. In Myanmar while majority of citizens have grievances against the military regime, presence of ethnic nationality-based tension cannot be ignored. In recent years there is also a rise of nationalism in Europe with the influx of immigrants and other politically based identity groups.
Blaming nationalism is perhaps an erroneous way of analysing the conflict as the actual problem may be somewhere else such as discrimination based on individual identity. People seem to have also ignored the positive forces of nationalism which brings together people for a country's unity. In India for example, there are more than two thousand ethnic groups with different backgrounds which can technically be classified as ethnic nationalities, but they all come together when needed in defense of India's national interest, which the academics explain as patriotism, which is distinct from nationalism.
What about Globalisation?
We often come across statements like 'world has become a global village' and 'we are a global citizen'. These statements simply suggest the ease of global transportation, trade, spread of technology, communication and movement of capitals without borders. These global activities contributed in employment creation, increase in industrial production, connectivity between people, increase in GDP and integration of local economies with global markets. All these economic miracles were made possible by liberalism focused primarily on the economy, nothing more nothing less. The problem with globalisation is that it is just a glorification of economy and trade, not humanism. If the idea of a global citizen was based on humanism and the world is really a big village why are there constant problems arising out of discriminations based on individual or community characteristics be it religion, or colour of skin or ethnic origin? A sense of global village or a global citizen is good but may never be realised.
Rise of nationalism
For the globalists, the world is a borderless landmass to be exploited, ignoring that there are between 237 to 253 countries and territories (depending on how classify) spread across the globe with thousands of ethnic groups with different culture and value systems within a defined political boundary with diverse governance systems. The globalists with their liberal economy have promoted one model of global political economy and trade which has wiped out the identities of thousands of ethnic nationalities that have survived for centuries with their unique set of social values, food culture and tradition. The encroaching ideology of globalists not only affected economy and social values but also the local politics and public goods to be auctioned to oligarchs, backed by the globalists.
Another misrepresented narrative promoted by the globalists is the impression of mutual interdependence in globalisation. It is the dominant economic ideology of globalism imposed on weaker countries and communities, actually making people dependent on globalists as they control the political economy; it is making the weaker groups dependent on the globalists. Interdependence is a mirage. For the globalists, anyone who does not accept their views and prescriptions for the political economic model becomes an adversary to be dealt with by any means. These are the reasons why identity-based nationalism is on the rise in countries with diverse population groups against this global economic governance dominated by globalists.
One serious problem created by the globalists is the future of young generation. The globalists are keeping the entire cohort of young generation fully occupied with social media filled with perverted entertainment provided by half naked celebrities running on the stage like a drunk monkey. Remember that this is the generation who will inherit the governance in coming decades. It is a great disservice to the young generation in the name of individual freedom.
Nationalism has become a different thing to different people. For US politicians, American nationalism is to remain supreme in the world community while also promoting globalism by exporting their way of living. For the Indian Prime Minister nationalism is to become Hindu religion-based governance (where there are 204 million minority Muslim population). For the Hungarian Prime Minister nationalism means a European Christian identity. If we go below one level of identity, people want to be identified by their ethnic origin such as a Chinese Malaysian, or a Sinhala Buddhist Sri Lankan or a Hindu Tamil Sri Lankan, an Ainu Japanese, Karen Christian Burmese, Karen Christian Burmese, etc. There is no end to it. If we continue defining and fighting for identity based on distributive characteristics of individuals or communities, we will forever be on a warpath given the diversity among us, the people. If every identifiable ethnic group wants self-determination and wants their own state or nation, the world will have a few thousand countries. The world has seen enough tension already such as Catalonia and Basque in Spain, Scotland in the United Kingdom, Kurdish movement in the Middle East, Khalistan movement in India, etc.
Is there a solution?
Humanity is faced with two sets of issues - identity politics pushed by politicians for their vested interest and lavish economic globalisation led by the globalists which led to the universalisation of economic inequality. The best way to address nationalism is to recognise and honour the identity of citizens, their birth rights, within the existing national boundary. Economic globalism is here to stay; taming globalism will be more challenging but for the survival of humanity there is no other way but to pacify globalism. People need to be convinced that minimalism as a way of life is essential to save nature and to preserve humanism. Our way of life has become too excessive for humanity to survive and for nature to regenerate which provides us all that we need.
Interesting food for thought, although it, seems to promote nationalism
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