When Nationalists Break Nations
A first note from the middle of Europe
I will be provocative. In a changing world, the principle of human connection based on nations as homogeneous communities — rooted in a shared language, culture, territory, and ancestry — is gradually dissolving. And paradoxically, the main drivers of this process are today’s loudest nationalists: Trump, Putin, Fico, Orbán.
As an ordinary Slovak or Czech, I closely follow the NHL and the careers of “our” hockey players. When Juraj Slafkovský scores a goal, I feel pride. It is noticeably stronger than when Connor McDavid or Nathan MacKinnon scores. After all, Slafkovský is Slovak.
This emotion, however, is entirely irrational. I am not a member of his family. I did not contribute in any way to his development as a world-class athlete. He is not my friend, and I have never met him. The only thing connecting us is a coincidence: he was born in the same country as I was.
Recently, the Ice Hockey World Championship took place in Europe — a tournament deeply embedded in Central European culture. Something unusual happened. In protest against the nomination of players from the Russian KHL league, many Slovaks found themselves cheering more for their opponents, especially the Czech national team. The Czech hockey federation had taken a principled stance and barred KHL players from representing the country. Suddenly, national pride gave way to values.
In a global, multicultural world, borders between countries are increasingly blurred. English is becoming a universal language. The concept of the nation-state naturally retreats in favor of proximity based on shared values rather than shared passports.
The politics of nationalism, actively supported from Russia, has consequences. New kinds of nations are emerging — not formed by territory, but by values. The Nation of Billionaires. The Nation of Those Who Believe in Democracy. The Nation of Influencers. These new “nations” shape the future world we will live in. They compete, clash, and wage new kinds of wars. People across the globe increasingly seek belonging among those who share their values, identifying with them more strongly than with their place of birth. Physical borders fade; new mental ones emerge.
This development may have fatal consequences. We should not forget those who created and actively support it. They are the ones who, under the banner of nationalism, build and reinforce autocratic regimes, concentrating power in the hands of a narrow elite. This new division of the world is not an accident — it is a tool of power.
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