The Role Of Nationalism In Building State Legitimacy

Modern nation, nation-state and nationalism are accompanied withcapitalism, so it must be put in the sight of politics and economy ofcapitalism, when we talk about the role of nationalism on the constructionof the legitimacy of the state.Modern nation was integrated by empire state after it replacing theMedieval Christian universal empire, however, the empire state cannot besatisfied with the development of capitalism, and because of its poweralways in the charge of the king, there is no way for the people to touchor utilize the power, which lead to the contradiction between nation andstate. The fundamental way to solve this contradiction is the bourgeoisrevolution and established the nation-state after that.The nationalism was formed in this process, it view the nation’sinterests as the superb one, and encourage people to devote themselves toit. This value system created by nationalism not only be the principle ofthe state to build the political institution, but also internalized intopeople’s lives, becoming the standard of people evaluate the effect ofnational rule and management behaviors. This is to say, state’s laws,policies, and systems can be accepted by people and view it as legitimateonly as they are fit to the nation’s interests asked by the nationalism. Thecriterion becomes the compass of nation-state. If the nation-state wants toobtain and hold the higher degree of legitimacy level, it must meet the requirements of Nationalism. On the other hand, at the same time whennationalism asks requirements to the nation-state, it also becomes the toolof behaviors of nation-state. Because of the characteristics of nationalism,it pays more attention to the emotional agitation rather than the rigoroustheory, which makes it can promote people to participate in the politicalbehaviors of supporting nation-state and carry on the unparalleledpolitical mobilization that is the reflection of higher degree of legitimacylevel. Besides, nationalism also has a positive effect on state’s politicalrule, for example, promoting the development of economy and politics,enhancing the level of political socialization.But it also easily lead nationalism to extreme, absolute and populist,even the produce of national secessionism, which would affect thepolitical and social stability and the development of the national politics,even bring the state to the abyss of disintegration if the country.The reason why nationalism would play a positive or negative roleduring the construction of legitimacy of the state lay in the characteristicsof nationalism. And mainly in the following points: the cultural relativismthat hold the nationalism not only reflect and hold the independence anduniqueness, but also make nationalism be the accomplice of hegemonyand anti progress. Nationalism as an emotional ideology not only enhancethe degree of political participation and supporting, but also lead to theabyss of extreme, absolute and populist. The pursuit of modernity of Nationalism not only be the help of pursuit progress, but also make thestate in the face of difficulties during modernization.Some measures should be taken to get rid of the negative aspects ofnationalism and make it play a positive role in the construction ofnational legitimacy. Firstly, strength the construction of state-nation andenhance the identity of people. This is the best way for the nation-state, inparticular the one that exist many traditional ethnic groups, to enhancehomogeneity and identity and avoid national secessionism, so is the bestway to make the traditional ethnic groups live together harmoniously.Secondly, reinforce the construction of democracy and legal institutionsto avoid the nationalism into extreme. This is not only an importantguarantee of system to enhance the identity of the traditional ethnicgroups, but also the essential way to confine the nationalism to extreme,absolute and populist. Thirdly, reinforce the construction of nationalcapacity to stop national secessionism. An important reason that leads tonational secessionism is the deficiencies of national capacity. Someasures of politics, economy and culture should be taken to strengthenthe national capacity, and to avoid national secessionism.