April 27 (UPI) -- The author prefers to use the lowercase "n" in north Korea to challenge the Kim family regime's legitimacy.
In 1945, George Orwell set out a distinction that still holds its edge today. He wrote, "Nationalism is power hunger tempered by self-deception."
In the same essay, Notes on Nationalism, he defined patriotism as devotion to a particular place and a particular way of life, while nationalism, in his view, was inseparable from the desire for power. These are not abstract ideas. They are tools for understanding how nations think, act and fight.
Patriotism is rooted. It is defensive. It binds people to land, culture, memory and shared experience. It does not seek to impose itself on others. It seeks to preserve what is already loved. A patriot defends home. He does not need to prove that his home is superior. It is enough that it is his.
Nationalism is different. It is expansive. It is ideological. It demands comparison, often superiority and often victory. It seeks validation through dominance. It mobilizes populations not simply to defend but to advance. Where patriotism says "this is ours," nationalism says "this should be ours" or "this must prevail." It carries energy. It also carries risk.
