Nationalism over patriotism

By Razia, KRAN CEO

Is it patriotic or nationalistic to hoist a flag? Is it treason or a health and safety issue to tear it down? 

Sydney J Harris (American journalist, writing in the 1930s) stated: “The difference between patriotism and nationalism is that the patriot is proud of its country for what it does and the nationalist is proud of its country no matter what it does (blind arrogance).”

Charles de Gaulle (French President during the Second World War) stated: “Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first, nationalism when hate for people other than your own comes first. And George Orwell (English author, Animal Farm, 1984 etc) gives an account that: “Patriotism is of its nature defensive, both militarily and culturally. Nationalism is inseparable from the desire for power and prestige.”

It depends on the context and occasion, the country and its traditions as to how it wants to use its flag. The recent phenomenon of “raising the colours” - placing Union and/or St George’s flags and bunting on lampposts, roundabouts, bus stop shelters etc across cities, towns and villages - is being debated as either an example of “national pride” or “racism.”

But there is a deeper issue in the psyche of the British people right now regarding what the flag represents and why people feel empowered by putting it up - or threatened. Ironically, the flag wasn’t an issue during the late Queen of England’s Platinum Jubilee, the inauguration of the new King, the victorious return of the Lionesses (twice!), or during the Olympics when Team GB gold medal winners wore - and waved - the Union flag. I’m especially thinking of four-time gold medalist Mo Farah - a refugee - who was so proud to wear/wave the flag and the nation was so proud of him. 

What is different now?

In the seminal book There Ain’t No Black in the Union Jack (1987), Stuart Hall and later Paul Gilroy looked at the intersectionality between race, representation, identity and nationalism. In his 2002 revised introductory edition, Gilroy states: “Britain’s nationalism and racism are still routinely and symptomatically articulated together… even where assertive racists (with) their abusive words are now chanted and sprayed up in forlorn hope and anxious anticipation, more to bring about the end they desire than to celebrate purity and homogeneity.”

So, 23 years on, Britain is more diverse and multicultural than ever before and many second- and third-generation descendants of Commonwealth countries see themselves as British and celebrate the Union flag as their own. They pay their taxes, they vote, they represent Britain in sports, in politics and government. And in the Armed Forces, they stand in battle and equally fall.

Thus in a sense, the “pure” British identity of “white nationalism” and far right politics which is for some what the flag has historically represented, has been “spoiled.” It no longer belongs to a “tribal race”, but is very much part of the diversity of modern-day Britain. 

Even if populism is putting the flags up as a symbol of anti-immigration and patriotism, the reality is that the flag belongs to all of us who are British, in all our diversity. This can be seen on key days of national celebration and commemorations, where nationalism rather than patriotism is at the fore. 

More than 40 years ago in 1983, Benedict Anderson wrote Imagined Communities, in which he argued that as nations are not objective or tangible entities, they are socially constructed and imagined communities. These communities are formed through shared symbols, myths and narratives, which create a sense of belonging and collective identity among individuals who may never personally know or interact with all members of their nation. 

It is also constructed by what they want to forget in their history that may counter this “imagined community.” The current wave of populist “raising of the colours” is trying to imagine a Britishness which no longer exists; it is trying to negate what has created the Britain of today, with communities who are legacies of the colonial British Empire now integrated into our communities. 

So when fear, insecurity and inadequacy are the root of populism and raising the colour makes people feel they have power by putting up the flags as a physical symbol of superiority under the guise of national pride, how should the “other” who are being targeted by this act, react ? 

Reclaim the flag as part of their identity too, tear them down in defiance, pander to the whims of the flag-raisers by making an issue out of it, or just ignore it as a fad? 

For many, raising the colours feels intimidating, threatening and hostile - even if you are a UK citizen. Our young people have various views: some say it’s disrespecting the flag by using it in this way, that it no longer represents the country but signifies hate, or simply: “It’s your flag, mate - good luck!”

We are all agreed however that the issue is not with the flag, but the intention behind it, energising those who want to divide and segregate and create a “them and us.” 

For patriotism to be trumped by nationalism in the current climate of hostility, we need to reassert our Britishness as a collective multicultural and diverse community. So we rise above it, we resist playing into the narrative and “imagined identity of Britishness” and continue to have curious conversations and change hearts and minds.