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Appreciating the Upside
of Nationalism
By Steve McIntosh
I love America and am grateful to be a citizen. However, I’m really more of a globalist than a
nationalist. is is largely due to the progressive culture I’ve been immersed in most of my life,
which tends to view nationalism and patriotism as slightly embarrassing, and even somewhat
suspect. And now that Donald Trump has become President of the United States, my reflexive
distaste for nationalism has intensified. Whatever merits might be assigned to nationalism as an
abstract concept, Donald Trump’s version of “America First” seems just too ethnocentric to accept.
e idea that America is qualitatively superior to other nations feels hubristic and immature.
Yet at the same time, I’m not willing to discard nationalistic patriotism altogether. In fact, when
members of the progressive “resistance” equate nationalism with racism—starkly dividing the
electorate into noble activists and evil fascists—this tends to rekindle my latent sympathy for the
American nation-state. Failing to distinguish xenophobic nativism from healthy patriotism
inevitably produces an opposite form of resistance that empathizes with the nationalistic yearnings
that motivated sixty-four million Americans to vote for Trump.
Even though I oppose Trump as America’s national leader, as a proponent of democracy I feel a
sense of civic obligation to do my best to recognize what is right and good about the political
positions I disagree with. at is, because I believe that representative forms of government are
morally superior to nondemocratic alternatives, I’m duty bound to give some credence to the
wisdom of the other side. In light of the results of 2016, it is clear that the electoral majority who
voted for Trump thought it would be wise to restore competitive nationalism as a governing
principle.
American voters have, of course, made many bad choices in the course of our history. is fact,
however, cannot be used as an excuse to roundly dismiss Trump’s voters as completely lacking good
sense or good faith. “Deplorables” can certainly be found on both the right and the le, but roughly
half of America can’t be entirely wrong. While history may well prove that Trump was the wrong
choice for president, the electorate’s larger choice to reemphasize nationalism cannot be so easily
dismissed as completely mistaken. erefore, in this essay I will consider the wisdom of nationalism
in the hope of bringing out some of its positive and enduring features that all Americans would do
well to endorse.
Recognizing the Interdependence of Nationalism and Globalism
Beyond a certain deference to the folk wisdom of my countrymen, as a globalist, I think the most
compelling argument in favor of America’s reemphasis of nationalism is that globalism and
nationalism are ultimately interdependent. Ongoing globalization as an economic trend, and
Institute for Cultural Evolution • www.culturalevolution.org • March, 2017
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McIntosh
Appreciating the Upside of Nationalism
globalism as an ideal, both rely on the underlying vitality of nation-states. If the international system
of nation-state structures, which has prevailed since the treaty of Westphalia in 1653, were to break
down, globalism would be severely set back. Functional nation-states
thus provide the foundation for continuing global integration. And the
viability of every national polity itself depends on a basic sense of social
solidarity that is supplied by nationalistic patriotism.
Globalism
as an ideal
depends
on healthy
nationalism
In the twenty-first century, not only does increasing globalism
depend on viable nationalism, but individual nation-states also rely in
turn on global cooperation and the smooth functioning of the global
economy. Even beyond economic considerations, national citizens
worldwide, and especially the young, are encouraged by the promise that increasing global
integration will lead to the overall betterment of people everywhere. Aspirations for increasing
global solidarity and worldcentric morality thus provide hope for the continuing progress of
humanity.
Although the perceived interests of nationalism and globalism may oen seem to be at odds, the
reciprocally intertwined nature of these levels of political development points to their relationship
as an interdependent polarity—a relatively permanent dynamic system that, if managed well, can
produce ongoing positive social evolution.
e art and science of realizing the developmental potential of interdependent polarities, such
as nationalism-globalism, has recently become the focus of leading edge management theorists.
“Polarity theory,” as it is known, is now a thriving and even fashionable business practice promoted
widely within the field of organizational development consulting.
e basic idea is that in almost every interdependent polarity, the strengths or virtues of each
pole can serve to mitigate the downsides of its opposing pole in a recursive process resulting in
synergistic progress. Polarity theory describes two basic kinds of polarity: ‘positive-negative’ and
‘positive-positive.’ Positive-negative polarities,
such as ‘prosperity-poverty,’ present problems
to be solved. However, positive-positive
polarities, such as ‘liberty-equality’ or
‘competition-cooperation,’
are
better
understood as permanently recurring systems
to be managed. According to polarity
management consultant Barry Johnson,
“Polarities to manage are sets of opposites
which can’t function well independently.
Because the two sides of a polarity are
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Institute for Cultural Evolution • www.culturalevolution.org • March, 2017
3
McIntosh
Appreciating the Upside of Nationalism
‘solution’ and neglect the other. e objective ... is to get the best of both opposites while avoiding
the limits of each.”1 Stated otherwise, when the opposing sides of an interdependent polarity are
brought together in an interactive relationship of mutual challenge and support, each side tends to
‘true up’ the other.
Managing the Polarity of Nationalism and Globalism
In practice, bringing out the developmental potential of the polarity of nationalism-globalism
involves carefully distinguishing between the pros and cons of each pole. e idea is to tease apart
the “dignities from the disasters.” Yet while this may seem fairly obvious, in our current political
climate globalists tend to see only the downsides of nationalism and vice versa. So as a corrective to
this “one-side-ism,” the chart below shows how globalism and nationalism both include positive
aspects that every responsible citizen is bound to respect. And not only are each side’s positive
features desirable in themselves, they also provide a perfectly tailored remedy for the deficiencies and
pathologies of their opposing pole.
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Positive and negative aspects of the interdependent polarity of globalism and nationalism
For instance, nationalism’s patriotic loyalty can help preserve the unique features of our nation’s
traditions in the face of globalism’s cultural homogenization. Conversely, globalism’s commitment
to free trade and international cooperation can counter nationalism’s predilection for a bellicose
foreign policy.
Institute for Cultural Evolution • www.culturalevolution.org • March, 2017
4
McIntosh
Appreciating the Upside of Nationalism
Acknowledging the reciprocally beneficial relationship between nationalism and globalism—
recognizing that they are interdependent levels of evolutionary development—helps us better
appreciate how these competing ideals actually provide the two legs of our collective progress. While
our current political situation may oblige us to resist the xenophobic
downsides of nationalism, our resistance will be more effective if we
conscientiously affirm the upsides of nationalism that we need to
preserve. Moreover, this kind of “inclusive resistance” also requires
us to acknowledge the downsides of globalism and admit that we
may have indeed over-extended ourselves in this pole’s direction.
e best way
to advance our
own values is
to affirm the
foundational
values of our
opponents
As an example of how this might work, consider Trump’s attempts
to suspend immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries.
Personally, I think this is a bad idea that will make America less
secure in the long run. But for the millions of good people who
voted for Trump, his travel ban is seen as an important gesture
affirming that America is not a global public utility that is unconditionally open to all citizens of the
world. Even if such a temporary ban is largely symbolic, and even if it is on balance bad for America,
Trump’s efforts to secure the border provide reassurance for his supporters that our nation is still
sovereign, while reaffirming the larger value of nationalism itself.
Inclusive resistance, however, does not require us to condone Trump’s attempt to
indiscriminately deport thousands of people who are already in our country. It’s one thing to prevent
people from entering the U.S., and quite another to round people up who have been here for years.
However, because nationalism and globalism are essentially interdependent, our ability to effectively
oppose mass deportation will be more persuasive and effective if we acknowledge the need for a
modicum of corrective rebalancing to strengthen the positive aspects of nationalism. Taking a hard
line against every attempt by nationalists to
enforce immigration laws only strengthens
xenophobia.
e political key to opposing the negative
expressions of nationalism, such as mass
deportations, involves actively welcoming policies
that advance the positive features of nationalism,
as shown in the chart above. For example, such
welcoming might include globalist acquiescence
to stepped up border security. Stated as a general
principle: when faced with an interdependent
polarity like nationalism-globalism, the best way
to forward the values of our preferred pole is to
actually affirm the foundational values of the pole
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Institute for Cultural Evolution • www.culturalevolution.org • March, 2017
5
McIntosh
Appreciating the Upside of Nationalism
we oppose. is principle has even been embraced by leist political commentator Robert Reich,
who writes: “Failure to choose positive nationalism almost surely promotes its negative twin, because
the losers are le vulnerable. … Nationalism is not the danger. e real danger comes in allowing
the negative nationalists to claim the mantle of patriotism for their own ends.”2
In this time of national division, the most effective remedy for America’s ills is to foster greater
civic virtue. And if democratic civic virtue means anything, it certainly includes a degree of sympathy
for the legitimate values of those with whom we disagree. When faced with any positive-positive
political polarity, practicing civic virtue requires more than simply acknowledging our opponent’s
point. We have to authentically value—cherish and esteem—the positive upsides of the pole we
oppose. While this practice can be difficult, polarity theory provides systematic instructions for
distinguishing each pole’s dignities from its accompanying disasters.
Understanding the deep political principle of interdependent evolutionary development—how
each level depends on the healthy functioning of its predecessor—can help us appreciate why every
globalist has a compelling interest in preserving nationalism’s positive aspects. ose of us who want
to see the further progress of globalism and the ongoing integration of the peoples of the world will
therefore do well to honor the necessary and enduring values of patriotic nationalism.
1. Barry Johnson quote: Polarity Management by Barry Johnson (HRD Press 1996), p. xviii.
2. Robert Reich quote: “Good and Bad Nationalism,” in e American Prospect
http://prospect.org/article/good-and-bad-nationalism
Steve McIntosh J.D. is president and co-founder of the Institute for Cultural Evolution think tank.
His work has appeared on NPR, e Daily Beast, e Hill, e National Journal, and others. For
more visit: www.culturalevolution.org
© 2017 Institute for Cultural Evolution
Institute for Cultural Evolution • www.culturalevolution.org • March, 2017
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