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Nationalism And Imperialism

Decent Essays

Nationalism and Imperialism are two important yet distinct ideologies that have shaped the geopolitical world. Both have led to the annexation of lands and the formation of national borders. Nationalism and Imperialism can be viewed as two ends of a spectrum of patriotism, with nationalism on the weak end and imperialism on the strong end. In terms of global significance, imperialism, as a force of domination, subjugation, and exploitation, is more important than nationalism.
Nationalism can be understood as pride in one’s country. It is a spirit in which members of a country can be seen to care about their national identity. For example, many Americans exude national pride on the Fourth of July, the day of their country’s emancipation …show more content…

Like the westward continental expansion of manifest destiny during the 1820s-1840s, the expansion of the United States into the Pacific in 1898 was widely regarded as inevitable and altruistic. For this reason, territorial expansion can be seen as a symptom of nationalism. In modern times, nationalism has provided justification for foreign military involvement. For example, following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, many Americans were in favor of “humanitarian” intervention in the Middle East and approved of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that began in 2003.
Imperialism is nationalism taken to the extreme. Imperialism is a form of nationalism that includes the belief that one’s own countryand culture is superior to all other countries and cultures. Imperialism leads to the formation of empires through conquest and brutality. There are many examples throughout history of violent subjugation and exploitation of conquered peoples, carried out in the name of imperialism. For most of the 16th and 17th centuries, Spain was the world’s great imperial power. The Spanish colonized lands and conquered people throughout North and South America. The Spanish conquistadors were interested in generating as much wealth as possible for the Spanish Crown, and agricultural production was the most important source of revenue. To work the land, the

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