National Identity

Abstract

Individual must have national identity, but can be at the same time the citizen of the world too. We are all both national citizens and citizens of the world. Division of world power on national governments, which cooperate in the achievement of noble goals, protects the democracy, whilst world government and new world order undermine it.

Full text

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National Identity
Domina Petric, MD
ABSTRACT
Individual must have national identity, but
can be at the same time the citizen of the
world too. We are all both national citizens
and citizens of the world. Division of
world power on national governments,
which cooperate in the achievement of
noble goals, protects the democracy, whilst
world government and new world order
undermine it.
INTRODUCTION
National identity is a person´s identity or
sense of belonging to one state or to one
nation
1, 2
. It is the sense of a nation as
cohesive whole, as represented by
distinctive traditions, culture, and
language
3
. National identity may refer to
the subjective feeling individual shares
with a group of people about a nation,
regardless of one´s legal citizenship
status
4
. National identity is viewed in
psychological terms as an awareness of
difference, a feeling and recognition of
what is ˝we˝ and what ˝they˝
5
.
PATRIOTISM AND CHAUVINISM
National identity can arise as a direct result
of the presence of elements from the
common points in people´s daily lives:
national symbols, language, the nation´s
history, national consciousness, and
cultural artefacts
6
.
Patriotism is the expression of one´s
national identity seen in a positive light
which is characterized by national pride
and positive emotion of love for one´s
country. Chauvinism is the extreme
expression of national identity, which
refers to the firm belief in the country´s
superiority and extreme loyalty toward
one´s country
1
.
Chauvinism is characteristic for
conquerors, imperialists, colonialists…,
nations who believe in their superiority in
comparison to the nations they attack.
Nations that are under attack, conquered
nations, can develop national inferiority
complex. As a consequence of wars many
individuals who belong to defeated nations
may lose their healthy sense of national
identity and even opt for another
nationality, culture and religion.

2
GLOBALIZATION
As the world becomes increasingly
globalized, international tourism,
communication and business collaboration
has increased
7
.
Globalization promotes common values
and experiences, and it also encourages the
identification with the global community
8
.
People may adapt cosmopolitanism and
view themselves as global beings, or world
citizens
9
. This trend may threaten national
identity because globalization undermines
the importance of being a citizen of a
particular country
10
.
Several researchers that examined
globalization and its impacts on national
identity found that as a country becomes
more globalized, patriotism declined,
which suggests that the increase of
globalization is associated with less loyalty
and less willingness to fight for one´s own
country
7, 11-12
.
Moderate globalization can be beneficial
because nations are able to exchange non-
material and material goods, to cooperate
in common noble goals, such as
eradication of corruption, economic
stability, environmental sustainability…
Extreme globalization in which individuals
are losing their healthy sense of national
identity is not good.
Individual must have national identity, but
can be at the same time the citizen of the
world too. We are all both national citizens
and citizens of the world. Creation of
world government is not promising,
because it is a risk factor for the
development of global totalitarian regime.
Every nation has its own government and
national governments have to cooperate in
the achievement of noble goals, but must
never merge into the world government.
Division of power protects democracy.
CONCLUSION
Individual must have national identity, but
can be at the same time the citizen of the
world too. We are all both national citizens
and citizens of the world.
Creation of world government is not
promising, because it is a risk factor for the
development of global totalitarian regime.
Every nation has its own government and
national governments have to cooperate in
the achievement of noble goals, but must
never merge into the world government.
Division of world power on national
governments, which cooperate, protects
democracy, whilst world government and
new world order undermine it.

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