Question

What are the dangers of extreme forms of nationalism?

Answer 1

Intolerance towards others who think differently, a drive towards protectionism through the passage of extreme laws and the use of tools (such as further legislation or internal services) to enforce control in order to promote the idea of the state, the idea that the nation is infallible and the conviction that it can do no wrong (whether it is in waging war to expand its influence or imprisoning people who speak out against it, for example).

These ideas can often be fostered under extreme forms of nationalism, especially if they have control of a country. One only has to look at what happened in Nazi Germany as a prime example.

Answer 2

Nationalism is just a form of collective pride, so its advantages and disadvantages mirror the advantages and disadvantages of individual pride. For example, being proud of yourself can lead, on an individual basis, to better behaviour. You say, I'm not the kind of person who cheats, lies or steals -- even if I can get away with it. That kind of pride makes you a better person. Similarly, nationalism that is of the same type makes a nation a better nation: we say, we are not the kind of people who, e.g. renege on treaties and agreements, bully our neighbors, mistreat our own citizens or those of other nations, and all this makes us a better nation.

On the other hand, too much individual pride can prevent you from recognizing your own mistakes, and therefore prevent you from learning. You can also wound your allies, who must cover for you when you're being a jerk. In the same sense, too much pride in your nation can prevent you from learning from collective mistakes, and can damage your relationships to your allies.

Answer 3

There are many dangers to extreme forms of nationalism.

(1) It can lead to empire building like with the Nazis, and many other societies throughout history.

(2) Sometimes it is used by extremist leaders to attack things like established religion so that people put the goals of a leader of a nation ahead of their own personal beliefs.

(3) It can be used to strip rights from people. Leaders start to preach collectivism over individual rights and the government starts doing things like wealth distribution and taking personal property from those that have earned it in order to distribute it for what the government claims is for the betterment of the nation, when in reality it destroys business which is the driving force behind any economy and destroys opportunity for people willing to work hard to succeed. Sometimes they even go as far as attacking free speech, freedom of press, and other freedoms as well because they claim it is in the best interest of the collective nation.

(4) It makes countries less willing to work with other nations because they begin to believe that their way is the only way and that all other nations are wrong.

(5) It can be used to create hostility towards legal immigrants and often minorities.

With that said, Patriotism is different from nationalism and being patriotic is a good thing, as long as it is not taken to the extremes.