Dear Nancy Ann Watanabe , the native language of Giorgi Macharashvili (and mine as well) is Georgian - ქართული.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has added the Georgian alphabet to the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity: https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/living-culture-of-three-writing-systems-of-the-georgian-alphabet-01205

Kind Regards,

Te expongo la diferencia es España, patriota es todo aquel que considera que España es Una, aunque formada por diversos territorios. Nacionalistas son aquellos que consideran que su territorio es una nación que está dentro del territorio de España (Galicia por ejemplo) y aquellos que consideran que su nación se debe de independizar (Cataluña o País Vasco). Esto no quiere decir que en Cataluña por ejemplo no haya patriotas que niegan el nacionalismo a favor de España. Te pongo un ejemplo de un territorio catalán conocido como el Valle de Arán, es un pequeño territorio absolutamente patriota, pertenece a cataluña, pero en él no se habla catalán, sino aranés, se consideran muy españoles y las calles no están rotuladas en catalán, sino en español, es más es un territorio que advierte que de alguna vez independizarse Cataluña de España ellos seguirán en España.

It really depends on when you are discussing these terms, and what groups are being influenced by these terms.

In the United States, the two terms seem to be conflated to some degree, reminiscent of the German nationalist movement during the nineteenth century. During the Romantic era, ethnic Germans--as well as those who spoke the language and shared a similar culture--sought to form a cohesive nation-state out of the existing polyglot Holy Roman (Austro-Hungarian) Empire. One of the most prominent ways was through the collection of folk songs (as well as songs written in 'the style of the folk'), and creating opera capitalizing on Germanic mythology that could rival or triumph over the reigning powers of France and the Italian city-states. However, during this process Germans formed a narrative that their culture was supreme and dominant over the others, exemplified by the operas and ethos espoused by Wagner. This was a war waged not on the battlefield but in the performance spaces, and the Germans wanted total victory.

Scholars believe that this attitude in the German states--as well as in Italy, Spain, and other countries--set the stage for the cataclysmic events of the twentieth century. This started to really be pushed to the fore after the Spring of Nations in 1848 and German nationhood in 1872, and was called nationalism.

Patriotism is a very similar term, except it is not to the determent of other nations. Blind patriotism can be problematic due to the population turning a blind eye to the serious problems of the country, but it does not seem to have the same potential for harm as nationalism. However, blind patriotism can result in benign neglect and the lack of positive reform in the country, resulting in harm as well.

Macron argues nationalism, patriotism are opposites.

Enough with the bullshit already.

Pablo Jesús Lorite Cruz ,

If you are able to reply in English, please do! Most RG members will not understand your contribution, as follows: "Te expongo la diferencia es España, patriota es todo aquel que considera que España es Una, aunque formada por diversos territorios. Nacionalistas son aquellos que consideran que su territorio es una nación que está dentro del territorio de España (Galicia por ejemplo) y aquellos que consideran que su nación se debe de independizar (Cataluña o País Vasco). Esto no quiere decir que en Cataluña por ejemplo no haya patriotas que niegan el nacionalismo a favor de España. Te pongo un ejemplo de un territorio catalán conocido como el Valle de Arán, es un pequeño territorio absolutamente patriota, pertenece a cataluña, pero en él no se habla catalán, sino aranés, se consideran muy españoles y las calles no están rotuladas en catalán, sino en español, es más es un territorio que advierte que de alguna vez independizarse Cataluña de España ellos seguirán en España. --Pablo Jesus Lorite Cruz.

"I explain to you the difference is Spain is where patriotism means a unifying term whereby everybody regards Spain as One, even though formed by diverse territories. Nationalists are those who consider that their own territory is une nation that exists as a subsection of the territory of Spain (Galicia, for example) and those who consider that their nation ought to be independent (cataluna or Pais Vasco [Country of Vasco]). This is not to say that Cataluna for example is not patriotic or denies nationalism in favor of Spain. I give you an example of a territory that is Catalan known as the Valle de Aran, which is a small territory absolutely patriotic, pertinent to Cataluna, but in which they do not speak Catalan, if not Aran, is considered to be very Spanish and the streets are not named in Catalan, but in Spanish, and is more than a territory that was at one time independent from Cataluna of Spain which followed Spain." This is my quick translation from your Spanish to English without looking up any words in a dictionary. Feel free to make corrections, anyone who knows Spanish!

Giorgi Macharashvili ,

Since you are obviously not able to contribute in good and proper English, could you please reply in your native language, which is, I believe, Russian?

Nancy Ann Watanabe The rough translation is fairly good. However, there a couple of edits that could be made for clarity:

"As an example, in Spain the difference between these two terms is that patriotism means a unifying term whereby everybody regards Spain as one [cohesive] country, even though formed by diverse territories. Nationalists are those who consider that their own territory is one nation that exists as a subsection of the territory of Spain (Galicia, for example) and those who consider that their nation ought to be independent (Cataluna or Pais Vasco [Country of Vasco]). This is not to say that Cataluna for example is not patriotic or denies nationalism in favor of Spain. For example there is a Catalan territory known as the Valle de Aran, which is a small, absolutely patriotic territory in regards to Cataluna. However, they do not speak Catalan but instead Aran, a dialect which is considered to be very Spanish and the streets are not named in Catalan but in Spanish. As a territory, they were at one time more independent from Cataluna in Spain, and followed Spain [as a result].

Dear Nancy Ann Watanabe , the native language of Giorgi Macharashvili (and mine as well) is Georgian - ქართული.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has added the Georgian alphabet to the list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity: https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/living-culture-of-three-writing-systems-of-the-georgian-alphabet-01205

Kind Regards,

The difference is quite obvious: patriotism is one's feeling (love) towards his/her country (homeland), nationalism towards his/her nation. Unfortunately both are frequently misinterpreted as equal to hatred against other countries/nations, what is diametrically different thing: nationalism and patriotism mean warmly positive feelings!

Nino Durglishvili ,

Thank you for your factual information to correct my erroneous assumption! I really appreciate knowing the difference between Georgian and Russian. With my best regards.

Katherynn Hamilton ,

Thanks so much for your nice translation, for which I am grateful. Very best wishes.

Roman Bohdan Hołyński ,

Thank you very much for your reply. I agree with you wholeheartedly when you observe that "nationalism and patriotism mean warmly positive feelings!"

I also agree that geopolitical situations and circumstances can complicate matters and add emotional complexity and different connotations, as you suggest.

Patriotism means that the country of origin is above all things, but nationalism sometimes goes in the direction of racism.

Nationalism focuses on the State while patriotism focuses on the people.

Nationalism means from what category your belonging to the country, while patriotism means your love for belonging to that country and all that is in it and defending it and the one you love within it against any aggression.

Patriotism is the feeling of love, pride, devotion to one's country because of the positive virtues the country encompasses - like freedom, justice, equality etc. Nationalism is a feeling generated by perceiving that one's country is superior to all other countries and comes by the virtue of only belonging to the country.

Love for one’s country, people, does not mean hatred of someone other. This is chauvinism. But many are guided by the principle: "Yes, he is a son of a bitch, but he is our son of a bitch ...". And this is not the worst, any statement that X. is “not a extremelly good person” (in the most gentle and delicate wording) provokes fierce protest from compatriots (“ours” can't be bad !!!).

This applies not only to nationality and state affiliation. Often a source of tension can be social, professional, and regional (the list goes on) features. Understanding that others have exactly the same right to life and by their rules is not so easy.

In this regard, I recall a Russian joke. Military man and scientist talking in the train. The military man listened to the scientist and asked: "Yes, I understand that you are smart guys, but why then you do not go in formation?"

Vadim exactly meets the point: "love for one’s country [=patriotism], people [=nationalism], does not mean hatred of someone other. This is chauvinism", jingoism, racism, but neither patriotism nor nationalism! Unfortunately, people (as clearly seen e.g. in many comments above...) frequently misinterpret these terms: sometimes confuse patriotism with nationalism (cf. e.g. Dmytro's "nationalism focuses on the State while patriotism focuses on the people" - in fact just the oposite is true: "patria" means homeland, "natio" means people!), more often (and much worse!) they (esp. nationalism) are confused with racism or chauvinism. Anyway, e.g. I feel myself both a patriot and nationalist, but can assure you that I have no negative feeling agaist any of you only because you are Russian, Ukrainian, Hungarian, German, American, Japanese, Arab or live in any other country, belong to any other nation! Unfortunately, many chauvinists or even racists present themselves as "nationalists", what of course strengthen the confusion, but as a terrorist pretending to act in the name of Allah does not mean that islam means terrorism, so a racist calling himself a nationalist does not mean "nationalism = racism"!

Think of a RIVER and a BOAT. If the river is counted as patriotism the boat may be counted as nationalism.

Patriotism is an industrial source from the country, and in terminology it is an intellectual doctrine that believes that belonging is only to the homeland. Feeling of patriotism is achieved through values ​​that are represented around patriotism such as freedom, justice and equality. The national person feels the system of joint cooperation between the citizen and the government for a better life in their country. And nationalism in a simplified sense means the affiliation of the individual to a larger entity, namely the people, that is, a group of people, as the people are bound by a specific bond that enhances their bonds of cohesion, such as race, religion, or cultural identity.

The word patriotism is a noun that means “devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country; national loyalty.”

Nationalism is “the policy or doctrine of asserting the interests of one’s own nation viewed as separate from the interests of other nations or the common interests of all nations.” In short, nationalism is a kind of excessive, aggressive patriotism.

Dear Dr. Nancy Ann Watanabe ,

This link talk about the Difference Between 'Patriotism' and 'Nationalism':

https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/patriotism-vs-nationalism

I think the definition has been explained already by our colleagues citing from the reliable sources and agreed and support their answers.

The semantic border between Patriotism and Nationalism is not very wide, because Nation and Homeland are two very close concepts. For this reason, Patriotism is closely related to a Nation. There is no possibility of referring to Patriotism without relation to a specific territory or nation. However, Nationalism makes more reference to the Nation-State in its formal configuration and Patriotism has a more socio-political and cultural connotation.

Abbas J Jubear ,

Thank you for your answer. I very appreciate your contribution to the discussion.

Warm regards.

Dmytro Leshchenko ,

I appreciate your participation in this discussion thread.

With my very best regards.

Dunya Mohamed Hameed ,

I am appreciative of your answer, which calls our attention to the strongly emotional element in our discussion of differences between patriotism and nationalism.

Very best regards.

Ranjan Parekh ,

I am grateful to you for contributing your finely detailed descriptions in which you indicate the main differences between patriotism and nationalism.

Thank you very much!

Very best regards and wishes.

Vadim S. Gorshkov ,

I appreciate your bringing wit and a humorous vignette to this discussion thread, all of which illustrates the general observation that human begins typically tend to be insular in their viewpoints, across-the-board, in any area of endeavor. Sometimes it is a matter of xenophobia and sometimes of tunnel vision.

We all tend to see the world around us in terms of our own experience.

With my best regards.

Roman Bohdan Hołyński ,

Thank you for your perspicacious observation that it is possible to be a nationalist without any negative connotations and that patriotism is an expression of a spirit of allegiance while nationalism is a sense of pride in one's nation.

With my best regards and wishes.

Mohammod Hossain ,

I very much appreciate the way you reply with a poetical metaphor in which you compare patriotism to a river and nationalism to a boat traveling on the river!

Thank you so much for your imaginative definition!

With my best regards and all good wishes.

Dr.Suhad Qasim Almusawi ,

Thank you for associating the word "patriotism" with abstract values, including freedom, justice, and equality, and "nationalism" with the citizens bonding in unified consensus with their common interests in their nation.

I appreciate your well-thought-out and detailed differentiation.

With my gratitude and best wishes.

Abdelkader Mohamed Elsayed ,

Thank you very much for drawing a clear distinction between patriotism, which refers to sentiments of loyalty toward one's nation, on one hand, and, on the other hand, "doctrine and policy" as defining factors in the denotative meaning of "nationalism."

This is a concise, yet comprehensive, juxtaposition of two very similar words that are important in the academic discipline of political science.

Your answer points to why previous contributors have observed some of the more negative connotations of the word "nationalism," which is more confrontational. As you observe, there is a big difference between showing enthusiasm for one's own country and being a good patriot, and advocating certain doctrinal beliefs and practices as a matter of national governmental policies.

Very best regards.

Abdelkader Mohamed Elsayed ,

I appreciate your following through on your answer by posting a link to an article devoted to comparing and contrasting patriotism and nationalism.

One of the distinctions emphasizes the etymological origin of the word "patriotism" in the Latin word pater, which denotes "father."

In marked contrast, the word "nationalism" refers to the entity of the country.

The idea of personhood and personification is evoked in "patriotism" whereby the people are living emulations of the highest ideals of the nation. This is very humanistic and idealistic.

But "nationalism" has a different impact that has a tendency to reify the people into things that belong to the State.

Thank you so much.

Best wishes!

Ronald Valledor Gomeseria ,

I agree with your summation. All of the participants have provided us with excellent definitions and furnished highly refined distinctions to set apart two similar sounding words: "patriotism" and "nationalism." It is difficult to supply better ones.

In addition a few illustrations or examples have been offered to make the verbal definitions more concrete.

I thank you for your feedback.

Best wishes.

Ramón Moncada ,

I appreciate your drawing a fine line between nationalism as State and patriotism, which is something that arises from the State, and therefore, is inseparable from it.

Your reply brings us forward to the idea of being repatriated.

With gratitude for your participation.

Best wishes.

To All,

What does the word "repatriated" signify?

Under what sorts of circumstances would necessitate somebody being "repatriated"?

I have seen the word "repatriated" and heard it used on television news broadcasts without actually knowing the definition, much less exactly what the process of repatriation might involve.

Do you have first-hand knowledge of repatriation? If so, is it easy or difficult to achieve?

I will greatly appreciate your answer!

Patriotism is harmless and is one's inner love for one's country while nationalism involves mobilizing all the people together to the extent of excluding others from it.

Patrick Henry is portrayed in history textbooks as a patriot who shouted "Give me liberty, or give me death!" It seems that he was a patriotic American who was also a rebel against colonial rule. In this sense, he might be regarded as a nationalist.

I want to give a simple example: Lebanon is part of the Arab countries and these countries are part of the earth. therefore I am a Lebanese patriot and Arab nationalist and land nationalist.

Chung Tin Fah , Thank you for replying "Patriotism is harmless . . . while nationalism involves mobilizing all the people . . . [and] excluding others . . . ."

Mehdi mohamed Hage-Hassan , I appreciate your exemplary illustration of Lebanon being "part of the Arab countries," which "are part of the earth," which geographical fact points to the conclusion that you are, as you observe, "a Lebanese patriot and Arab nationalist and land nationalist"! However, there might be a more precise designation to define being "part of the earth" than "a land nationalist," although the word "Earthling" might be more appropriate as a terminology in science fiction than in science . . . .

Very best regards.

I am also very interested in this question. Especially in this context: Why do Russians call "Ukrainians who love Ukraine are nationalists" and "Russians who love Russia are patriots" ?

Vladyslav Honcharenko ,

Thank you very much for the vivid example of the contrast between "patriotism" and "nationalism" you have contributed to this discussion thread, as follows:

"Why do Russians call 'Ukrainians who love Ukraine are nationalists' and 'Russians who love Russia are patriots'?" This is a very thought-provoking question and any responders who can think of some answers will be greatly appreciated!

Vladyslav: "Why do Russians call 'Ukrainians who love Ukraine are nationalists' and 'Russians who love Russia are patriots'?" - There are two aspects of this formulation: one is the - unfortunately popular not only in Russia - confusion of terms "nationalism" (love to one's own nation and "chauvinism" (hatred against other nations); in their true meaning, "patriotism" and "nationalism" are essentially the same feeling, the former directed to one's fatherland (patria), the other to one's folk (natio) - in this correct sense I (like, I think, you) am both: a patriot and a nationalist. Those Russians from your example, use the word "nationalism" in the pejorative sense, to denigrate Ukrainians: in their usage "patriots" are only people who love Russia, so you, I, and anybody else would be "patriots" if we love Russia, whereas anybody opposing their imperialistic policies (e.g. invasions against Georgia, Moldavia, or - just - Ukraine) are "nationalists" (i.e., in their usage, chauvinists). Unfortunately, many Russians are inveterate imperialists, in their opinion Kiev, Tbilisi or Warsaw are also "Russia"...

Roman Bohdan Hołyński: I completely agree with you!

Vladyslav Honcharenko

You wrote: "Why do Russians call 'Ukrainians who love Ukraine are nationalists' and 'Russians who love Russia are patriots'?"

This is the old and incorrect way of arguing: coming up with an "opponent" argument and then refuting it. I can note that having lived most of my life in Russia, I have never met such Russians. If a similar expression can be found in the media, there is a lot that is written, among other nonsense you can find a similar one (I follow the old advice of Mikhail Bulgakov: "- And, God forbid, do not read Soviet newspapers before dinner. - Hm ... But there are no others? - Don't read any! (Dialogue between Professor Preobrazhensky and Doctor Bormental in "Heart of a Dog")). But I remember very well that I personally realized that Russians and Ukrainians are very different just after first meet, in the Soviet army, about 45 years ago. And this difference is not only in the pronunciation of g / h.

A similar cliché can be found in Dr. Roman Bohdan Hołyński response. I assure you that the expression "Warsaw is Russia" can only be heard in a nightmare. Even in the press it is impossible to find it. With Tbilisi, the situation is similar (although there are some marginal publications (with a circulation not more than 1000 copies - for Russia this is nothing), in which you can find something like that, but normal people do not read this), and as for Kiev, yes, you can find something similar in the nationalist press (if for some reason to read this), but this is temporary, it will pass ...

Vadim: What is (or is not) written in official media is quite another thing, certainly you will not find there the enunciation like "we are imperialists, we want to conquere all surrounding countries, then the following, &c.". But the facts speak clearly. E.g. the invasion of Crimea - enthusiastically supported by the majority of Russians... - has been motivated by the allegation that "it is the old Russian country (I have even read "the craddle of Russia"!!!), whereas in reality it is almost exactly as "Russian" as - just - Warsaw: Crimea has been first conquered by Jekaterina Vtoraja in 1783 (starting extermination and deportation of Tatars), just few years before (in 1794) Suworow conquered Warsaw and arranged "Rzeź Pragi" (Slaughter of Praga - the eastern part of Warsaw), killing 20 000 civil citizens!

This cannot be changed. It was. Suvorov took Praga (October 24, 1794, (226 years ago, it was before I born) I even understand that this is a suburb of Warsaw, and not the capital of the Czech Republic) this is known, but was this the first "contact" between Poles and Russians? Or was Warsaw Uprising (April 17, 1794) a bit earlier? But I will not argue, the anatomy of Polish hatred of Russians has been studied in much more detail and more precisely than I can do. The only thing that I did not understand is what is the relation of Crimea to Warsaw? Are you proposing to restore the status quo around 1750? Or earlier? Does this concern only Russia and Poland, or the whole world? (Then the USA should become a colony again ... And if they don't want to?)? And independent Crimea Khanate, without any relation with Ukraine, of course. There are more questions than answers...

Instead, I'll tell you a life story. Once I was in Smolensk (by the way, was it also occupied by Russia?) at a scientific conference. During the break, I went out onto the boulevard and sat down on a bench. Two Poles sat on the neighboring one. A squirrel ran up to them and did as in the attached photo. One of the Poles said: "Oh, those Russian beggar squirrels ..." But I did not try to prove that Russian squirrels are no less proud than Polish ones ...

L.N.Tolstoy, "The stench, stones, luxury and poverty. Debauchery. The villains, who had robbed their ordinary people, recruited soldiers and judges to defend their orgies, brought together and were feasting". 1881, Moscow.

https://aleksej-cccp.livejournal.com/552394.html?utm_source=fbsharing&utm_medium=social&fbclid=IwAR01bSONyhZaM37WavVwNvS-s0Ra11HUGBU4ik2t8zA_AeOOc2WyQ0y8NZI

patriotism is the feeling of love for the nation, pride, loyalty and attachment to it, such as freedom, justice and equality. The national person feels a system of joint cooperation between the citizen and the government for a better life in their country, for example

Standing while singing the national anthem, participating in elections, volunteering in community work ,serving in national institutions, obeying laws and paying taxes, understanding the rights, freedoms and responsibilities contained in the constitution. All are examples of patriotism.

As for nationalism, it is the feeling of ethnic superiority over others, as it is based on a lack of confidence in other nations and a lack of approval to join them, which leads to the assumption that other countries are competitors.

I with Dr. Nedhal Sadie

To: Vadim S. Gorshkov I change the question "How is a Russian nationalist different from a Russian patriot? And a Ukrainian one?"

Vadim: The “anatomy of Polish hatred of Russians” is a rather complicated question. On the one hand, there is simply no such thing: Poles (at least the majority) do not hate Russians “individually” (as private persons) – indeed, my (and not only mine) perception is that most Russians are privately very kind, friendly, amiable persons. However (and this is also not only my observation) the same Russians in official roles (as clerks, functionaries, or just shop-assistants) behave usually like proverbial czinovniks from XIX c. novels: nasty, unfriendly, repulsive. But this is not the point (many Poles behave similarly..): the real “addressee” of Polish (and not only Polish!) hatred are not individual Russians but aggressively imperialistic Russian state and Russians as the nation supporting their rulers in this kind of policy! Sorry, Vadim, I can imagine that such words are painful for a Russian like you, but this is the truth and, once we are discussing, I cannot say anything else (amicus Plato, sed magis amica veritas...): Russia – from Ivan the Terrible to Vladimir the Horrible – is always aggressive, looking constantly for any occasion to attack, invade, occupy or at least subordinate this or that neighbour country! You say, Russian media do not claim Tbilisi or Warsaw to be Russian – yes, there are no such claims... before the invasion, they start only after the invasion has been done! In fact, Russian tanks did already very closely approach Tbilisi, and apparently only prompt coordinated action of Presidents of the Baltic Countries, Ukraine and Poland (somewhat supported by France) had resulted in restriction of the results of aggression to parts of Georgian territory. Then Polish President, the late Lech Kaczyński “predicted” that “now Georgia, tomorrow Ukraine, then Baltic Countries, and the next will perhaps be my country, Poland” – and indeed, the first step in the realization of that prophecy, Ukraine, followed very soon – and then media have already not hesitated to write of Crimea as “the old Russian country”... And here is the answer to your question (“what is the relation of Crimea to Warsaw?”): as I have explained in my previous comment, Crimea is no more “Russian” than Warsaw, both had been conquered at almost exactly the same time (late XVIII c.), having never previously belonged to Russia or been inhabited by Russians, so if Crimea can be claimed an “old Russian” area, this is an inauspicious memento for Warsaw as well!

To sum up: at least as long as Russia occupies parts of Georgia, Ukraine, Moldavia (to say nothing of the Królewiec area [“Kaliningradskaja obłast’”], southern Karelia [Viborg area], Kurile Is. &c.), as long you should not be astonished that we in neighbour countries do not love Russians (as the nation supporting such policy) and consider Russia as a kind of apocalyptic monster “wiecznie głodny choć pożarł tak wiele” [“always hungry although had already devoured so much”! Sorry!