Nationalism: Ultranationalism And Genocide

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Social 20-1 Final Position Paper Jasvin Nijhar “ The 20th century has been, witness to countless acts of inhumanity in the name of ‘nation’. Nationalism has given voice and self-determination to many oppressed peoples but it has also given rise to racism and genocide. How do we weight the positives against the magnitude of the negative? Nationalism has a evil side and it should be the responsibility of all humanity to insure it does not rear its ugly head.” It is in common knowledge that Genocide primarily originated from Ultranationalism. Nationalism exists when citizens of a nation feel a sense of pride, devotion and patriotism to their country. Ultranationalism is nationalism taken to an extreme resulting in absolute force of power, primarily …show more content…

Ultranationalism exist when nationalism is taken to an extreme form in which citizens are forced into a dictatorship following one ruling elite. Ultranationalism is an common cause of genocide in the favour of economic stability. As evidenced in the Soviet Union, Ultranationalism first began to develop when Joseph Stalin’s came into power with the goal of making the Soviet Union an economic powerhouse. Stalin introduced his Five Year Plans, consisting of collectivization of agriculture across Ukraine. With domestic policies like this genocide started to reside leading to the Ukrainian Famine known as Holodomor from 1932 to 1933. With the policy of collectivization Ukrainians were virtually forced to give up essential necessities for the Empowerment of the Soviet Union resulting in Starvation of millions of Ukrainians. Stalin’s even used propaganda to falsify Ukrainians as happy servants to the Soviet Union but in reality their right and freedom were sacrificed and with the shortage of food coming into Ukraine it lead to starvation. Soviet Union rise in self-determination allowing them to become economic viable at the expenses of millions of …show more content…

Belgian occupied Africa in 1994 favouring the Tutsis over the Hutus giving them more privileges . Both of these groups developed a sense of nationalism, feeling victimized by one another, this sense of nationalism led to Ultranationalism among these groups causing tension among the groups. Extreme forms of Hutu nationalism fueled by propaganda led to a 100-day bloodbath in which caused mass casualties between these groups. Stirred feeling of nationalism in hopes of a better future increased tensions between these two groups leading to genocide. Ultranationalistic leaders used pride and devotion on one’s country as justification for the actions and racist

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