Devastating Consequences of Nationalism Based on Nazi and Rwanda Cases

Devastating Consequences of Nationalism Based on Nazi and Rwanda Cases
Name of the Student
Institution
Course
Instructor’s Name
Date
Devastating Consequences of Nationalism Based on Nazi and Rwanda Cases
As a modern movement, nationalism demands for people living within the same country identify as one. Previously, people were only attached to their established territorial authorities, parents’ traditions, and native soil. However, today, nationalism affects private and public life across the world. People are committed to identifying with and supporting their nations' interests. They may do this to the detriment or exclusion of other people or countries. Despite the concept being widely accepted in the modern world as beneficial in promoting solidarity, preserving culture, and uniting people, history proves that it can lead to devastating consequences. This current study identifies the diverse extent of imagined togetherness, the relationship between nationalism and ethnic identity, and the associated ease of spreading propaganda as the key reasons nationalism may lead to adverse outcomes.
Nationalism can have devastating consequences because of the diverse spread of ideologies across an imagined political community. Within such a national community, it is easy for players to spread and share opinions regarding how their country should be governed. Detrimental ideologies can be made the norm within a relatively short period. Although members of the national community neither know each other nor occasionally meet, they can have a powerful image of their shared communion. The power of an imagined comradeship following nationalism ideology drives people to a willingness to die or kill for their national community. Some people may be willing to take nationalism too far, as the Hutus did during the genocide. This community engaged in conflicts that killed men, women, and children to achieve a communal goal. Their imagination of a national community was stronger than the realization that other ethnic groups deserved to live. The imagination of this togetherness caused serious blindness, facilitated inhuman behaviors, and led to a radical movement, leading to suffering. In extreme levels not guided by moral principles, such a powerful imagination based on nationalism has adverse consequences.
Besides, the spirit of nationalism empowers the leaders and makes it easy for these individuals to control their subjects using propaganda. Despite relying on misinformation and disinformation, propaganda influences people’s opinions on significant topics. The behaviors of ...