Amid the glint and glamour of the 2008 Summer Olympics, China confronts a
question of dueling national identities. On one side is patriotism, with
Chinese people expressing pride in their country's remarkable accomplishments
and emerging power. On the other side is nationalism, as foreign criticism has
prompted defensive reactions from the Chinese government and public. The
Beijing Olympics may reveal which perspective dominates.
George Washington University Professor David Shambaugh has outlined two types
of Chinese nationalistic attitudes that have emerged in response to increased
international attention. The first is a "xenophobic type rooted in past
indignities experienced by
the Chinese people"; the second, a "more cosmopolitan version taking shape
along with globalization and China's integration into the international
community". The former reflects a defensive strain of nationalism, while the
latter is more closely associated with patriotism.
Although the terms "patriotism" and "nationalism" are often used
interchangeably, they carry significant differences in their underlying
connotations. Both concepts center on love and devotion to one's country, but
patriotism emphasizes the positive attributes and accomplishments of a country
without denouncing other states. Patriotism is proactive and can emerge
organically out of pride in being Chinese and part of a long historical and
cultural tradition. It implies a self-confidence that can make a country more
open to constructive criticism and better able to make efforts to acknowledge
and address its problems.
Conversely, nationalism connotes an ethnocentric and hierarchical approach that
implies superiority over other nations. It is frequently a defensive reaction,
triggered by negative external actions or criticism. Nationalism often prompts
a country to reject all outside criticism, regardless of its validity, in order
to perpetuate an image that problems within the country are insignificant or
non-existent. Although both terms represent national pride, nationalism has
exclusionary undertones that impede integration and cooperation in an
increasingly interconnected world.
What inspires patriotism and what triggers nationalism? The Sichuan earthquake
on May 12 inspired Chinese people to demonstrate their patriotism through
voluntary relief efforts and support for the victims. Immediately following the
quake, Sichuan province experienced a flood of assistance from students and
ordinary people around the country who donated blood and collected money to
help fellow Chinese citizens. However, these demonstrations of patriotism did
not preclude demands for investigations into the collapse of school buildings
or denunciations of local governments for allowing construction of shoddy
elementary schools in the first place.
In contrast, foreign criticism following the Tibetan protests in the run-up to
the Olympics placed the Chinese government on the defensive and forced it to
defend aggressively its official position on a matter China regards as an
internal dispute. This government response, coupled with the perception that
much of the foreign media took a clear anti-China stance on the issue, prompted
much of the Chinese populace to respond nationalistically.
In a tumultuous year brimming with overtly politicized events and unforeseen
tragedies, it would serve both foreign observers and the Chinese themselves
well to recognize the difference between patriotism and nationalism.
In the past, the Chinese government has found the defensive quality in
nationalism useful for deflecting foreign criticism and covering up problems in
the country. This strategy is ultimately destabilizing because it has the
potential to increase domestic social discontent and to damage China's
reputation abroad. The Chinese government needs to differentiate between
promoting a positive pride in a country's achievements and instigating a
defensive reaction that seeks to elevate China's interests above other
countries.
The Chinese government - along with most of the Chinese people - views the
Beijing Olympics as a long-awaited chance to display pride in the "new China"
that is modernizing, growing rapidly, and expanding its international
influence. But if China cannot face criticism without being excessively
defensive, positive patriotic impulses may quickly transform into negative
nationalist feelings. If this becomes the case, then China will not receive the
respect it feels it is due and the world will lose an opportunity for China to
move one step closer towards a positive role as a responsible stakeholder in
the international system.
The 2008 Olympics provide a prism that allows us to see both the good and bad
sides of China. We have witnessed the Chinese government's best efforts to
showcase China as a globally integrated cosmopolitan giant, as evidenced by its
grandiose opening ceremony as well as the impressive sports facilities designed
by world-class architects. The negative aspects of China's system, such as
media censorship and environmental problems, are also on display as China
enters the global limelight.
As the Summer Olympics unfold, the international media has descended upon
Beijing, with the resulting stories and images reflecting both China's
accomplishments and shortcomings. Observers should not only watch the medal
count, but also be looking to see whether patriotism or nationalism prevails
during China’s moment in the Olympic spotlight.
Anne Meng (ameng@berkeley.edu) is a research assistant at the
Institute for National Strategic Studies at the National Defense University in
Washington. She is also a senior at the University of California, Berkeley,
where she studies Chinese politics. Her comments represent her views and do not
necessarily reflect those of National Defense University, the Department of
Defense or the US government.
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