Sovereignty & Nationalism

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Features of Sovereignty - Nationalism

Sovereignty generally means the power of a state to rule itself, without being beholden to other states. In a globalised world, national identity and sovereignty have been more complex and contested. Nationalism is a powerful force. It appears in:

Education

Education systems reinforce nationalism. In British schools, British interpretations of history are taught and in Japanese schools, Japanese interpretations are taught.
In Spain, the history of General Franco and in Japan, the raid on Nanking, China, by Japanese troops have been controversial topics for education. How should they be taught and should they be taught at all?
- At Nanking, Japanese troops are estimated to have murdered somewhere between 30,000 and 400,000 Chinese people, depending on whose estimates are believed.

Resistance to IGOs and NGOs

Some people believe that national identity relates to retaining sovereignty. They see the EU and the UN as illegitimate organisations that shouldn't be allowed to make rules which affect the UK.
Some political parties, like UKIP in the UK, have referred to 'taking back control'. This is over both migration flows, capital lows and legislation.

Sporting identity

Support for national sports teams in the UK can reinforce national spirits.
Singing chants like 'Football's Coming Home' during every World Cup since 1998 can arouse nationalist spirits.

Nation states

Many people stress loyalty to the institutions and ideals of nation states.
Older generations in the UK view the British Empire as glory days where Britain had a greater influence over the world.

National Identity and Loyalty

Many different factors can impact a country's national identity:

Legal systems

Citizens of a nation can be loyal or wedded to different legal systems.
In the USA, the First Amendment outlining freedom of speech and the Second Amendment outlining the right to bear a firearm are fiercely defended by many citizens.
- The NRA (National Rifle Association) spent $15m in 2017 (mainly on lobbying and threatening to unseat politicians) to defend the Second Amendment.
In the UK, the view that criminals are tried by a jury of their peers also has emotional significance.

Methods of governance

Nation states can be emotionally tied to a method of governance.
The Magna Carta, signed in the UK in 1215 established a set of principles, including the personal freedom/liberty of citizens. The Magna Carta reportedly influenced Thomas Jefferson, a founding father of the USA.

National character

The national motto of France is 'Liberté, égalité, fraternité'. This means liberty, equality and fraternity.
These are the founding values of the French state and were adopted in the 1848 revolution in France.
People can unite around this set of common values or characteristics.

Landscape or climate

A nation state can be emotionally connected to its landscape or architecture.
Although this is difficult to define, the English landscape of the countryside has some power. Whether this is the Yorkshire Dales or Cotswolds is another question.
In Barcelona, the Catalan identity holds up architects like Gaudi with great pride.

Changes in Britain's National Identity

Britain's national identity has become a lot more global and complex in the 21st century.

Religion

In 1900, religion was very important. There were high levels of religious observance - primarily for Anglican and Catholic beliefs.
Today, society is more secular and non-religious. More minority faiths, such as Judaism and Islam are growing and prospering.
The national identity of Britain has become more diverse in this sense.

Food

In 1900, food was generally sourced and seasonal. Native herbs like fennel, mint and elder were common.
Today, there are more global and varied tastes in food. Stronger spices like chilli and cinnamon are used far more commonly.
In Soho, London, there are more than 13 Korean restaurants and more than 15 Indian restaurants in an area of about a square mile.
The Chicken Tikka Masala, one of the most popular curries in the UK, was reportedly invented by Pakistani Chef, Ali Aslam, in Glasgow.

Identity

In 1900, local communities were very strong. People had a strong sense of belonging to a town or county. Regional dialects were strong and most people were fiercely patriotic and willing to fight for their countries (as World War One showed).
Today, fewer people would fight for their country, although people continue to support their national sports teams.
- 27% of British people would fight for Britain, but 72% of Turks would fight for Turkey.
- Younger people often view themselves as European or global citizens, rather than British citizens.

Roots of language/vocabulary

In 1900, the English language had its sole origin in Celtic, Saxon, Scandinavian, Roman, Greek and French.
Today, Indian, Jamaican and American influences are getting stronger. This is because of migration, but also the globalisation of media.
- Americanisms like 24/7 and 'I'm good' are becoming more common.