Internationalism

Internationalism is the idea that the world should unite across boundaries to advance their common interests in society.

Core ideas:

• The ties that bind people within a nation are superseded by those of common humanity.
• Typical markers associated with nationalism, like citizenship, culture and race, have little credence in the internationalist world.
• This form of nationalism stresses that national interests can be better achieved through international cooperation and/or integration.
• This is typified by supranational organisations like the European Union.

Internationalism takes two forms:

• Supranationalism: Power and sovereignty is given to an international organisation to use as it sees fit. For example, the EU.
• Intergovernmental relations: Individual governments work together to achieve common objectives. No power is given and unanimity is usually required. For example, the UN.

Some nation states may agree to cede sovereignty to international institutions. For example, the member states of the EU have pooled sovereignty in order to achieve common interests at the supranational level. Nations may make policy agreements at the international level, for example the Paris Climate Agreement.

Internationalism has been periodically challenged as international crises trigger national responses. The European migrant crisis, for example, led to tension in the EU as certain countries refused the quota system and others imposed national borders.

Racialism

For a very small group of nationalists, belonging to the nation is determined by racial ties. The belief is that humans can be segregated into distinct groups who have unique genetic characteristics.

They believe that the policies of the nation should be designed to protect and advance the interests of the majority race. The majority race may advocate segregation or policies which assert racial supremacy.

Racial nationalism presents a more sinister side of nationalism as evidenced by Nazi Germany. A racial form of nationalism was implemented as it sought to build the Aryan master race.

In Britain, the British National Party have come closest to advocating a form of racialism. Its hostility towards races that were not white was well documented yet yielded some electoral success in the ’00s. It is also clear that America has a deeply rooted history of racialism as white Europeans were seen as superior to blacks.

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Please note that this is a difficult subject to share a ‘non-biased’, educational perspective on. We absolutely do not condone racialism and if you think this article could be improved in any way, please let us know. Thank you

Marcus Garvey – Nationalist Thinker

Marcus Garvey was a Jamaican immigrant in the US and became a key thinker behind black nationalism.

Garvey placed particular emphasis on the betterment of the economic, social and political condition of blacks in America when they were still treated as inferior.

The prominence of national black leaders like Martin Luther King and Malcolm X helped to develop black nationalism by giving rise to a sense of national pride.

In particular, the cultural links to Africa became the centrepiece for the development of a distinct black nationalism. Africa came to occupy the place as the cultural and spiritual homeland.

Garvey also went further with ‘Pan-Africanism’.

What is Pan-Africanism?

Garvey considered that the African people, and especially those of African descent like African-Americans, were one people and should unify.

Cultural and ethnic differences between blacks must be overcome to ensure unity.

Pan-Africanism in its most extreme sense meant unity into a single nation; however, it is most likely understood to mean unity in achieving common economic, political and social objectives.

Garvey’s ‘Black Star Line’

In 1919, Garvey began the ‘Black Star Line,’ a black-owned shipping line to travel between the USA and Africa.

It was envisaged as a way to develop a pan-African economy through the shipment of goods between Africa and the US. It was also seen as a way to establish a black nation-state in Africa.

Ultimately, the venture failed, but its core ideas of economic and political self-sufficiency continued long after Garvey’s death in 1940.

Black Nationalism

In the late 1960s, black nationalism became wrapped up in the black power movement.

The term ‘black power’ became a slogan for those who sought political control of the majority-black areas, particularly the south. The Black Panther Party became the main vehicle for this objective.

In the contemporary era, black organisations like Black Lives Matter (BLM) have rejected nationalism.