Imagine your parents have decided to take a trip to see an aging relative, and they are demanding you go. They believe that it is very important that everyone visit this person. In order for you to go, you have to take time off work, and this means you might not have enough money at the end of the month to pay your cell phone bill.

• Should you go?
• If you don't go, would this cause problems in your family?
• Do you think that your interest in paying your phone bill is worth the problems that might develop?
  

Nations sometimes act like families; they have goals that they think will be for the betterment of their children, or their citizens. Think about the following:

• What do nations do when their goals come into conflict with another nation’s goals?
• What are the options: peaceful relations or conflict?

In this activity, you will learn how national interests may lead to ultranationalism.

National interests are topics that are of significant economic, political, or social interest to a nation. For example, trade of softwood lumber is a national interest of Canada — so our politicians spend time working on trade issues with the United States. Health care is also a topic of national interest, and health care issues are often brought up during federal elections.

Various factors may combine to change nationalism into ultranationalism.

1. There may be an economic crisis in a country that causes people to focus on their own needs and national interests.

2. Sometimes a leader comes on the scene who can inspire people to follow and who is powerful enough to take control of an entire country. Leaders like this often use national symbols to convince people that they are superior to the people of other nations.

CC BY-SA 4.0

An economic crisis in Germany: In November, 1918, a loaf of bread cost one mark (marks were German currency); in 1923, a loaf of bread cost 1,500,000 marks.

Here's how economic crises in two countries led to ultranationalism:

On October 29, 1929, the price of stocks on the New York Stock Exchange dropped. The result of this stock market crash had dramatic effects on the American economy and on the rest of the world. The stock market crash was one factor that contributed to the Great Depression of the 1930s. This economic crisis helped spread extreme nationalism. Around the world, people suffered large economic losses. They lost both their personal security and their economic security.

During the Great Depression, many countries stopped importing goods from Germany. As a result, German industries laid off workers, and many people became homeless and had little money.

 As well, Germany was still struggling to recover from World War I. When Germany lost that war, they had to pay reparations and lost colonies to the victorious Allies. Germany was also deeply in debt to the United States, which had lent the German government money to help rebuild the country.

As economic conditions in the country grew worse, some Germans began to look for a strong leader to fix these conditions. Adolf Hitler’s National Socialist German Workers’ Party — the Nazi Party — began to gain support. Hitler was elected to lead Germany in 1933.

When the Great Depression started, Japan's trading partners tried to support their own industries by limiting imports — and Japanese people lost their jobs. As well, many farmers in Japan had been involved in producing silk. During the Depression, Europeans and Americans could no longer afford this luxurious cloth and these farmers suffered.

Unknown photographer / Public domain

 Then, in 1932, the rice crop failed and caused many Japanese to go hungry. Japanese ultranationalists blamed their politicians for the crisis and became angry when the United States, Canada, and Australia shut out Japanese immigrants.

 In 1931, to try to obtain raw materials and markets for Japanese products, Japan invaded Manchuria. By 1937, the military controlled the Japanese government and Japan was at war with China. Military leaders brought back traditional warrior values, such as obedience to the emperor and the state. They also created a cult around the emperor, Hirohito.

Leaders who inspired others to follow:

During the 1920s and 1930s, ultranationalist dictators emerged in Germany, Japan, the Soviet Union, and in Italy.

These leaders were charismatic. They inspired devotion and enthusiasm in their followers. They also caused fear in people who questioned their leadership or policies. They used deadly force to put down opposition.