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What is the role of nationalism in modern and contemporary history?

Evie Schach

Nationalism is an idea that says people should fight for their country to be strong and powerful. It started a long time ago when countries were trying to become independent. This means they wanted to be their own country instead of being ruled by another country.

Nationalism was important then because it helped people come together to fight for their independence. But nowadays, it can be a bit more complicated. Some people use nationalism to say that their country is the best and other countries are not as good. They might think that people from other countries should not be welcome in their country.

This kind of nationalism is not very nice, because it can hurt people's feelings and make them feel unwelcome. But there is also another kind of nationalism called civic nationalism. This is when people come together to support the values and beliefs that make their country great. This can include things like freedom, equal rights, and a strong democracy.

In modern and contemporary history, nationalism has played a big role in many events. It was a big part of World War I and World War II, when countries fought against each other to protect their own interests. But it can also be found in more recent events, like Brexit. Brexit is when the United Kingdom decided to leave the European Union. This was a decision based on nationalism, because some people in the UK wanted the UK to be its own country again and make its own decisions.

Overall, nationalism can be a powerful idea that helps people come together and fight for their country's interests. But it's important to remember that there are different kinds of nationalism, and some can be hurtful to others. It's always better to focus on the positive aspects of nationalism, like supporting the values that make a country great, rather than using it to put down others.