Does Nationalism or Nations Have Any Place in Modern Society?

Nationalism and global populism has been in the news over the past couple of years. Right-wing, nationalist movements have taken office throughout the Western world. For many thinkers and theorists, this sort of tribalism was dead in the water. There was, at one time, a sense that the world was moving towards a multi-cultural, pluralistic, diverse, interconnected world. 

But that’s not quite what happened. 

Globalism Has Not Worked Out

If you are a capitalist, or a shareholder in a multi-national corporation, globalism has been a tremendous boon. However, if you are a worker in a developed country, particularly a low-skill worker, globalism has been a loser for you. People throughout the western world have watched their jobs going overseas and their cities and downs drying up around them. Even in European countries where countries haven taken more protectionist measures, many jobs have still left. Look at the UK, the midlands, once a manufacturing center, has watched those textile and other jobs move overseas as much as manufacturing jobs have left the United States for Mexico, China, and Southeast Asia. This has contributed to the rise of productivity but the lack of rise in wages. 

Nationalism is A Reflection of Globalization

For many working people, especially working Americans, the question starts to become obvious, “Why can’t those jobs stay here? Why can’t we have those jobs and make that money? Why does our money have to go overseas to support other countries?” By logic, the idea of “Make America Great Again” and “bringing the jobs back” starts to have a great deal of appeal. Building up your own nation, your own space, and helping your own people has much more appeal than supporting workers in a country you’ve hardly heard of and certainly never traveled to or visited. 

There is also a racial element to this problem. Immigration from developing countries 

How Do We Make A global Economy Work For Everyone? 

One of the keys to creating change towards globalism and away from the nationalist response is to make sure that globalism raises all boats, including those in Western countries. However, exacting tariffs and trying protectionist methods is bound not to work and currently, the United States is proving this point through the current trade war. The economy is now global. All workers are competing with each other all over the world. Investments in education and giving tax benefits for production can attract companies to keep workers in certain countries. However, this should not be a competition of wages. That would only be a race to the bottom of nearly zero wages which makes the world economy impossible to sustain. However, with a robust and educated workforce, countries can create workforces that will attract companies to make good there. Another area where things can improve is how services are taxed. Services are an important part of post-industrial economies but service jobs can end up being low wage because of tax environments of the difficulties of providing services and what the market will bear. Using remote work, automation, and tax incentives can make services more attractive. 

Nationalism is Not the Answer 

Everyone trying to retreat away from the global economy will only cause lower growth and fewer jobs. It will not help any of the economic problems that we face and will hold humanity back from conquering a variety of problems that affect everyone. If we can reform globalism to create prosperity for everyone then more people will be willing to participate in the global economy. The 20th century was a testament to what happens when Nations compete. It causes long and bloody wars. No one wants to see millions of people dead in a global conflict again. The only remedy is a robust global economy that helps everyone, not more nationalism.