Dear Readers,

When Yarn gives you a zero.

Nationalism

Pre-WWI, countries raced to acquire a stake in foreign lands. It was cool to have colonies. With growing empires, nationalism, or patriotism (pride in one's country), swept through Europe (& beyond).

Left: Colonies, Right: Colonizers

However, after the Age of Anxiety & WWII that followed...

People were disillusioned & confused, nation's economies were devastated by war, & the once-coveted colonies pleaded for independence & proved to be a burden to crumbling European empires.

Post-WWII, nationalism diminished. Decolonization became the new theme, the new prerogative. For example, France & Britain assisted colonies in the formation of sufficient governments & the establishing of new borders. In accordance with the demise of nationalism, mutualism was on the rise as countries began to cede sovereignty to international organizations (NATO, the UN, etc.). Nations now focused more on the maintenance of peace & collective security, making international interactions more about "I scratch your back, you scratch mine" than the parasitic colonization that had reigned supreme previous to WWII.

Pictured: the colonizers after WWII.

Did any nations not give up on nationalism? There are a few examples for those who did not abandon nationalistic sentiment after WWII: Ireland, the Republic of Kosovo, & the Basques of Spain. These nations or movements were deeply rooted in the hopes of gaining independence & the establishment of self-autonomy, therefore strong nationalism was necessary to achieve this. Most countries that had experienced a deterioration of nationalism were powerful empires suffering defeat or diminishing glory; those that stuck to or heightened their nationalistic & patriotic feelings were "on the rise," or in search of the greatness the large countries of WWII have or once had.

That is all, my friends. (Dong voice)

Me when I finished this post.

xoxo,

Flo :)