Ultranationalism
POSITION PAPER II
SOURCE: A nation’s pursuit of its own national interests can only lead to ultra-nationalism which ultimately develops hatred, hostility, conflict and even crimes against humanity.
QUESTION: To what extent should we embrace the source’s perspective on the pursuit of national interest?
Throughout history, ultranationalism has lead to crimes against humanity when used as a tool in a nation’s pursuit of its self interests. This extreme form of nationalism has resulted in the mistreatment, abuse and deaths of millions of people. While they may seem like just senseless acts of violence, when these issues are viewed up close, the hidden motivations of these ultranationalist regimes can be observed. In many cases, nations can resort …show more content…
The source does not take into consideration the context of severe expressions of ultranationalism, nor does it consider the pursuits of national interests that were attained through peaceful means.
In critical times of great change or unrest within a nation, uncertainty and fear tends to spread among its citizens. This type of atmosphere is the perfect breeding ground for radical ultranationalist regimes to take hold. Ultranationalist regimes view situations such as these as opportunities to rebuild their nation from the ground and shape it to match their own vision. More often than not, they are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals. An example of this is the Ukrainian Famine. It was a horrible crime against humanity as a direct result of Josef Stalin’s ultranationalist regime. The Soviet Union was formed in 1922 in the wake of Russian Revolution of 1917. This new radical government introduced communism to the people of Russia, believing that it would help rebuild and strengthen their nation. When Stalin took leadership in 1924, he veered away from Lenin’s original philosophies and national interests. Stalin eliminated collective leadership, giving himself all of the power. He also prioritized spreading communism throughout Russia …show more content…
To further prove that the source is incorrect, I am introducing an example of a nation pursuing its national interests without consequences of ultranationalism. In most cases, if a nation is not facing political, economical, or societal turmoil on a large scale, the pursuit of national interests is unlikely to result in ultranationalism. There have been many national interests that have been addressed without the prevalence of hostility, violence or infringements on human rights. Canada’s incentives of accepting refugees into the nation is an example of this. The Liberal Party became a majority government in Canada roughly two months ago, introducing a new leader, new ideas, and new national interests. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed that he believes Canada’s national interests should be to prioritize maintaining and strengthening its international reputation as a global leader. One of his strategies includes the acceptance of 10,000 to 25,000 Syrian refugees into Canada. The immigration of refugees into our nation provides Canada with the opportunity of getting closer to attaining its goal of being seen internationally as a global leader that promotes peace and humanitarianism. The surge of refugees will also aid Canada with its other national interest of promoting economic
SOURCE: A nation’s pursuit of its own national interests can only lead to ultra-nationalism which ultimately develops hatred, hostility, conflict and even crimes against humanity.
QUESTION: To what extent should we embrace the source’s perspective on the pursuit of national interest?
Throughout history, ultranationalism has lead to crimes against humanity when used as a tool in a nation’s pursuit of its self interests. This extreme form of nationalism has resulted in the mistreatment, abuse and deaths of millions of people. While they may seem like just senseless acts of violence, when these issues are viewed up close, the hidden motivations of these ultranationalist regimes can be observed. In many cases, nations can resort …show more content…
The source does not take into consideration the context of severe expressions of ultranationalism, nor does it consider the pursuits of national interests that were attained through peaceful means.
In critical times of great change or unrest within a nation, uncertainty and fear tends to spread among its citizens. This type of atmosphere is the perfect breeding ground for radical ultranationalist regimes to take hold. Ultranationalist regimes view situations such as these as opportunities to rebuild their nation from the ground and shape it to match their own vision. More often than not, they are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals. An example of this is the Ukrainian Famine. It was a horrible crime against humanity as a direct result of Josef Stalin’s ultranationalist regime. The Soviet Union was formed in 1922 in the wake of Russian Revolution of 1917. This new radical government introduced communism to the people of Russia, believing that it would help rebuild and strengthen their nation. When Stalin took leadership in 1924, he veered away from Lenin’s original philosophies and national interests. Stalin eliminated collective leadership, giving himself all of the power. He also prioritized spreading communism throughout Russia …show more content…
To further prove that the source is incorrect, I am introducing an example of a nation pursuing its national interests without consequences of ultranationalism. In most cases, if a nation is not facing political, economical, or societal turmoil on a large scale, the pursuit of national interests is unlikely to result in ultranationalism. There have been many national interests that have been addressed without the prevalence of hostility, violence or infringements on human rights. Canada’s incentives of accepting refugees into the nation is an example of this. The Liberal Party became a majority government in Canada roughly two months ago, introducing a new leader, new ideas, and new national interests. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has expressed that he believes Canada’s national interests should be to prioritize maintaining and strengthening its international reputation as a global leader. One of his strategies includes the acceptance of 10,000 to 25,000 Syrian refugees into Canada. The immigration of refugees into our nation provides Canada with the opportunity of getting closer to attaining its goal of being seen internationally as a global leader that promotes peace and humanitarianism. The surge of refugees will also aid Canada with its other national interest of promoting economic