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About this quote

What does it mean?
Nationalism is driven by a desire for power but masked by self-deception.
In plain terms
Nationalism is power hunger dressed up as pride.
What can you take from it?
Beware self-deception in national loyalty.

Where it applies

  • analyzing political movements
  • understanding group loyalty

Putting it to work

  • critiquing nationalism
  • questioning patriotism

Questions to consider

  • Why do we feel national pride?
  • Is nationalism ever pure?

Another view

Not all national pride is manipulative.

More from George Orwell

  1. By 'nationalism' I mean first of all the habit of assuming that human beings can be classified like insects and that whole blocks of millions or tens of millio…

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  2. The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, but he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.

    Permalink to quote #106
  3. I believe that it is possible to be more objective than most of us are, but that it involves a moral effort. One cannot get away from one's own subjective feel…

    Permalink to quote #103

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