100% however, there’s left wing nationalism as well.
Look into Catalunya. and to a lesser degree, Scotland (they are more liberal).
Nationalism is powerful. Used in the context of liberatory struggle (ie Vietnam), it’s hard to argue.
All identities are arbitrary though.
For that matter, nationalism was *anti-*reactionary in its strongest period, in the 19th century.
Nationalism is reactionary today because it is established, and anything already well-established is a target for reactionaries, who use concepts with pre-existing attachments to dupe useful idiots into thinking that the enemies of the reactionaries and the enemies of the establishment are one and the same. Nearly any period of significant political or cultural upheaval will show that simplistic narrative flies in the face of facts. But they aren’t targeting engaged, politically aware folk. They’re targeting people who are scared and don’t want to think about it too much.
Not that nationalism is all that great to begin with. But it’s not particularly different than any other conception of identity.
💯 I was just going to post, how does the idea of India enforce colonialism? Identity is a hammer both sides have employed, I would argue it now mostly helps the right, but, everything changes with time
Nationalism today is less reactionary and more dreamy Id say. They dream of walls, conquest, empires, AI, Space travel, cleansing migrants, greatness.
I feel leftism is too reactionary these days as well. Too much focus on Trump, too little focus on dreaming alternatives.
