Nationalism is power hunger tempered by self-deception.

George Orwell, the prophet of clear sight, once declared: “Nationalism is power hunger tempered by self-deception.” In this saying lies a warning carved deep into the chronicles of mankind. For nationalism, while often cloaked in noble garb, is but the thirst for dominion, a craving for power that disguises itself as love of country. The self convinces itself it serves a higher good, when in truth it serves only its own desire to dominate, to elevate one tribe above all others.

The ancients knew this peril well. Self-deception is the sweetest poison, for it blinds the heart while flattering the mind. The man who seeks conquest under the banner of nationalism does not confess he lusts for control; instead he says, “I fight for honor, I fight for freedom, I fight for the soul of my people.” Thus tyranny is baptized as virtue, and oppression is mistaken for destiny. Orwell, who witnessed the storms of the twentieth century, spoke not from abstraction but from the battlefield of history itself.

Consider the rise of Nazi Germany, where the fever of nationalism consumed millions. The people were taught that their struggle was righteous, that they were reclaiming greatness denied to them. In truth, it was the power hunger of a few, masked by the self-deception of many, that led to war, ruin, and the slaughter of innocents. What began as pride in nationhood became a dark engine of conquest, proving Orwell’s words with terrible force.

And yet, one must not confuse patriotism with nationalism. Patriotism is love; nationalism is possession. The patriot serves his people with humility, while the nationalist seeks to rule others with arrogance. Patriotism is rooted in truth, nationalism in illusion. Orwell, ever the surgeon of words, sought to draw this line clearly, lest future generations mistake the one for the other.

Let the wise remember: the call of nationalism is seductive, for it whispers of belonging, of glory, of unity. But beneath its song lies a chain, binding men to delusion and feeding the fire of endless strife. To resist it is to resist both the hunger for power and the blindness of self-deception. This is the teaching of Orwell—stern, sorrowful, yet full of light for those who would see clearly.