Nationalism is an interesting concept, and one we tend to think about as having been in existence for much longer than is the case. Yet it has only been in existence since the 1700s, roughly speaking. Before then, the world was structured largely according to kingdoms and realms. Subjects fell under the jurisdiction of a common ruler, but shared few of the unifying cultural markers such as dress and language which nationalism offers society. In that sense, as Benedict Anderson labels it, nationalism is an 'imagined community' borne from the mind and expressed through print-capitalism (institutions). Cultural identities and ties then flow from the creation of a homogeneous community and the institutions which are set up within a particular state.

Yet I believe that nationalism, although a human construct, is a natural expression, and in that sense an innate quality. Since the dawn of time, animals have marked out their territory and reacted to those that violate the boundaries laid out. We are not so different, as some would like to think. Animals naturally bond with those of the same species, and as humans we are naturally inclined to identify with those of our own racial heritage. Being a nationalist is not racist or xenophobic, it's just a modern-day expression of an age old instinct. It is not the politics of division, or at least does not have to be in the destructive sense. To evoke Khrushchev, it can and should be more about 'peaceful coexistence'.

The other thing I would like to add is that despite the ramblings of certain numpties on the extreme left, people across the world are not all the same. British people, collectively speaking, are different from the French, the French are different to the Americans, and so on and so forth. The irony is that differences between us today are the net result of nationalism. National boundaries mark different styles of institutions, and these institutions in turn mould our character. Humans have the capacity to transcend these differences, but it is neither desirable or easy to do so. That is why such a construct exists in the first place. Thus, the present bourgeois drive to create a European superstate is being pushed through with reckless speed and with no consideration of the practicalities of such a project. It is unnatural, and largely unwanted, because of our collective desire to identify ourselves with the familiar.

As for the question 'Is Britain racist?', it barely deserves qualifying with an answer. In any case, unless one were to undertake an in-depth statistical analysis of the levels of racism in each and every country, and then perform a comparative analysis, it is impossible to answer.

Edited by SwalecliffeEagle (05 Jun 2015 5.32pm)

Brilliantly put.

In former Yugoslavia? No,not the underlying driving force IMO. Though the usual negatives associated with having been at the bottom of the heap and everyone's whipping boys for centuries.

Bear in mind,hundreds of years of blind prejudice and manipulation towards blaming all ills on "the other".

Also,bear in mind this is a region where hostility to people of the same race and largely culture has occurred too ie from "Bosnian Croats" towards "Bosnian Muslims".It is based on some very dodgy historical and ongoing prejudices,not all of which can be explained by religion or race. Same applies re Serbs and Croats (very similar ethnicity,though different religion) and Serbs and Kosovans (many "Albanian" muslims).But all very much based on prejudice towards "the other".

Very much based on hundreds of years of having demonised collectively other "groups" as "the enemy within" and/or "the other" and/or "out to get us".

The reason perhaps anti-semitism doesn't feature as much now (though you still hear anti semitic prejudices quite a lot)is that hardly any Jews are left after 1941-45.Differentiating feature of Croatia in that period was that they annihilated most of their Jewish population under their own fascist government,as opposed to the Nazis.Put lots of Serbs and Roma into concentration type camps too, many killed.Tito had some pretty nasty massacre actions against "reactionary elements" in the payback after 1945.The Nazis are thought to have murdered half a million or more Roma.

These things can end up happening where demnonisation of "the other" gets really out of control and acting on such prejudice becomes seen as a legitimate part of daily life for all "right thinking" people

Edited by legaleagle (04 Jun 2015 11.46pm)