Nationalism

Nationality stems from the basic human need to protect and secure resources. When groups of people - whether by tribe, region, or later by country - compete for land, food, or wealth, they tend to form a collective identity. 

It’s a natural thing, really. People rally around something bigger than themselves for survival and progress. But the game changes when the focus shifts from securing those resources to simply holding onto power for its own sake.

 

That’s when things start to get worrying. When power becomes the goal, rather than a means to improve lives or distribute resources fairly, it leads to exclusion, oppression, and often conflict. Nationalism, which might have started as a way to unify and protect, turns into a tool of division and control. It’s no longer about “us versus the threat,” but more about “us versus anyone not like us”—and that’s where trouble brews.

So, it’s important to keep an eye on when healthy competition for resources morphs into something more dangerous. Power for power’s sake usually ends up hurting everyone in the long run. The key is balance: competition, yes, but also cooperation. Otherwise, the lines between protection and aggression blur, and history has shown us where that road can lead.

Which brings us to the debacle which is the Tory leadership election and the lurch to the right to chase Reform Ltd. Rather than going for just the lettuce, they seem ti be going for the full salad and it will bite them in the bum. Whichever of the two remaining candidates is chosen, Labour MPs are going to have to register that person as a gift in the Register of Members' Financial Interests.