Nationalism, inherently, shares one thing in common with communism: It is a collectivist ideology.
This is because the nationalist must, always and everywhere, prioritise the good of the nation, which is eternal and permanent, over the transient interest of the mortal and impermanent individual. You see this in the language of those who identify as nationalist in Ireland, right down to the names of their political parties: Ireland First, the National Party, The Irish People, and so on: These names aspire to the idea of the nation as a collective entity, rather than a collective of individuals who happen to share a geographic area. For the western nationalist, the preservation of a unique national identity, culture, and even ethnic group must, de facto, outweigh the rights of individuals to threaten or discard that identity or culture should they wish.
This article is premium content
Get unlimited access to Gript
Support Gript and get exclusive content, full archives and an ad-free experience
Subscribe
Already a member? Sign in here