What is nationalism?

• A. Excessive devotion to one's nation or ethnic group, often at the expense of others.
• B. A global push for universal equality.
• C. A political ideology focused on economic growth.
• D. A historical movement to form unions.

Answer: (A)

Nationalism is the idea that the nation or ethnic group should be the primary focus of political and social life, with loyalty, identity, and sovereignty centered on that group. In its stronger forms, it means an excessive devotion to one’s nation that prioritizes its interests over others, sometimes at the expense of outsiders or minority groups. This is why the option describing excessive devotion to one's nation or ethnic group, often at the expense of others, is the best fit: it captures both the central loyalty to a nation and the potential exclusion or conflict that can come with it. The other descriptions describe universal equality, an economic-focused ideology, or a movement to form unions, which do not define nationalism.