Summary: The Three Types Of American Nationalism

Born out of the heart of many nations, South Africa, a country governed by eleven different languages and more than eleven cultures, faces opposition from those within their own borders. This dissonance consistency between cultures overlapped by geographical borders, which separates people into different countries, has been an argument persisting throughout centuries. The fact of the matter is that Africa, never mind South Africa, functioned based on Ethnic Nationalism, instead of Civic Nationalism like other foreign countries for decades. They only became an organized continent of Civic governed nations after being colonized by the French, British, Spanish, and Portuguese during the start of the 15th century. But, up until that point, African

People were perceptive enough to recognize a common enemy, and unite their strengths in order to abolish unwanted policies and infringements. Thus, they were able to form their nationality bonds through a common effort in expelling matters of dissonance consistency. Like Canada, America Jessi Signal, author of “There are Three Types of American Nationalism”, describes, “adhered to a “form of national self-understanding associated with a set of liberal principles—universalism, democracy, and the rule of law—sometimes referred to as the American creed””(par. 8). This “American creed” has become the center of American patriotism and loyalty to their nation. As a result of defeating a common foe, American’s are united in the proud beliefs and heritage that enabled them to separate from other nations and become their own people. Thus, both Canada and America are built upon the factors of war, common language and beliefs (particularly political), as well as similar

To put is simply, South Africa consists of diverse societies already within its borders, rather than one overall general population that, not only possesses the same cultural beliefs, but also speaks in a common tongue. It is specifically this attribute of no centralized and acclaimed common tongue that has caused rifts within the nation, and as Joseph Stalin, in John Hutchinson and Anthony D. Smith book, Nationalism, emphasizes, “The fact, among others, that a national community is inconceivable without a common language, while a state need not have a common language…Thus, a common language is one of the characteristic features of a nation” (19). While recognizing different languages as central to state is important, in this case, both Canada and America recognize at least one other tongue as a designated language in their borders, however both claim English as their common tongue. Those that enter the nation’s borders are expected to understand at least one of the national languages, as those are the more widely known and used tongues, which the country provides national help and services in. If services are provided in a different dialect, that tends to be specific area or private individual based rather than statewide. But does this mean that a country’s nationalism is based solely upon