Is Nationalism Good or Bad or Both?

Is Nationalism Good or Bad or Both?
Tariffs imposed on Canada by the United States fuelled a surge in nationalist sentiment that played a significant role in the outcome of the 2025 Federal election of April’s federal election.
The Liberal government signalled an interest in pursuing nation-building projects that hearken back to an earlier period in Canadian history. Economic, cultural, and social policy in Canada has often served the purpose of building national unity to facilitate cohesion and collective action. But some commentators have cautioned Canadians to dampen their reinvigorated sense of pride in their nation. Those on the right view Canadian nationalism as an obstacle to neoliberal economic policies while the left perceives it as irredeemably flawed. For those on the right free trade and globalization are thought to produce the best economic outcomes, and nationalism obstructs those outcomes. But those on the left argue that Canada was founded on racist policies and settler colonialism, so nationalism should be rejected because of this original sin.

Nationalism remains a central and evolving force in global politics, shaping state sovereignty, identity politics, and international relations. It is a political ideology that places the nation, its culture, and its interests at the center of public life. Like any major social force, it carries distinct advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:
· Social Cohesion and Unity: Nationalism binds diverse groups of people together through shared values, language, history, or civic identity, helping bridge internal divisions.
· Collective Solidarity: A strong sense of national community encourages citizens to support one another, share resources, and care for public welfare during crises (such as natural disasters or economic hardship).
· Resistance to Oppression: Historically, nationalist movements have served as a powerful tool for anti-colonial struggles and liberation movements, uniting populations to overthrow foreign rule or oppressive governments.
· Preservation of Sovereignty and Culture: Nationalism emphasizes national self-determination, encouraging a country to protect its laws, borders, local industries, and cultural heritage from external domination.
Disadvantages:
· Exclusion and Discrimination: Narrow or ethnic definitions of nationalism often marginalize minorities, immigrants, or non-dominant groups, treating them as outsiders or second-class citizens.
· Jingoism and Superiority: Extreme nationalism can morph into an exaggerated belief in national superiority (jingoism or chauvinism), fostering hostility, racism, and distrust toward other nations.
· Conflict and War: Throughout modern history, clashing nationalist ambitions and territorial claims have been a primary catalyst for major geopolitical conflicts, including world wars and regional aggression
· Economic Protectionism: Economic nationalism often leads to trade wars, high tariffs, and isolationist policies that can damage global cooperation, disrupt supply chains, and harm long-term economic growth.
· Erosion of Democratic Institutions: Critics argue that aggressive or populist nationalism can weaken checks and balances, suppress political opposition, and place loyalty to a leader or regime above the rule of law

As political analysts have noted nationalism has provoked some of humanities greatest atrocities as well as our greatest triumphs. It is an ideology that both empowers and subjugates. Join us for a discussion on nationalism and explore these questions:

What is a nation? Is a nation a tangible reality, or is it an "imagined political community" built on shared stories, symbols, and myths?
What came before? Before modern nationalism emerged in the late 18th century (such as during the French Revolution), what did people center their loyalty around—cities, religions, local lords, or empires?
Civic vs. Ethnic: Does belonging to the nation depend on sharing a set of political laws and values (civic nationalism), or does it rely on ancestry, race, language, or religion
Universalism vs. Partiality: Do we owe special moral duties and loyalties to our co-citizens just because they share our country, or do our ethical obligations apply equally to all human beings?
Patriotism vs. Nationalism: Where is the line between loving and caring for a unique cultural community (patriotism) and believing that your group is supreme or superior to others (nationalism)?
The Limits of Loyalty: How do we maintain a "disciplined refusal" to claim that God or moral right is automatically on our nation's side during conflicts?
Justice and Minorities: Will a specific nationalist movement result in a more just, open society, or will it marginalize, silence, or persecute minorities and outsiders?
Who defines the narrative? How do elites and political leaders manipulate national stories and historical trauma to consolidate power or mask internal shortcomings? [
Co-existence: Can a strong sense of national identity coexist peacefully with global cooperation, open borders, and shared international challenges like climate change?