Essay on “Nationalism Vs Internationalism” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Nationalism Vs Internationalism

Nationalism is concerned with the affairs of a single national, but internationalism has its concern with the affairs of the whole world. Nationalism lays emphasis on sovereignty whereas internationalism lays stress on world citizenship and universal cooperation and brotherhood.

Nationalism is close to patriotism and internationalism to globalization and cosmopolitanism. In order to pursue the idea of internationalism effectively, some of the sovereignty of the nation has to be diluted in one way or the other though the absolute right to assert sovereignty still remains inherent in the nation state. Thus, a nation is close to the idea of state, sometimes called the nation state, though rarely a nation may exist without being a state or it may be a state in the making.

In the modern age, the means of communication and travel have been so facilitated that the whole world has virtually turned into a global village. First, the aeroplanes and ships and now the spaceships, the radio, TV, the internet, the ISD, the mobile phone, the fax, the WTO, etc. have brought the world so close that it seems to work and behave more and more as one unit. International trade is now a commonly used word. In the same vein we have expressions like cultural and educational exchanges, international trade organisation, multinational companies, the UNO, etc.

Still, it must be admitted that the nations find it hard to shed their sovereignty to form a world government which is still a far cry. The individual nations have vast arsenals, ordnance and martial equipment to safeguard their borders at any cost.

Some great Indian thinkers and leaders like Tagore, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru have demonstrated that nationalism and internationalism can coexist. Let us hope, the world can learn a lesson from India which even while being proud of being a strong, vibrant nation, loves the idea of world peace and universal cooperation and brotherhood in letter and spirit.