Compare and Contrast Nationalism of 1815 to Nationalism of 2018

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Nationalism in the US
Nationalism is a term or philosophy that has often cropped up in the US’s political discourse since independence. By 1815, the US had attained independence and managed to restore peace within its borders after the signing of the Treaty of Ghent in 1814. This deal spelled the end of hostilities between the US and Britain. A peaceful USA then ushered in a period of nationalism, characterized by national unity and loyalty spirit. These national values have however faded, at least until 2018, when a new wave of nationalism has begun taking root under the stewardship of President Donald Trump. This paper, therefore, seeks to look at the similarities and differences of nationalism in 1815 and 2018.
The nationalism wave of 1815 is similar to that of 2018 in many ways. Just like in 1815 when as a young nation ushered in a period of tranquility and national unity that was devoid of sectionalism, the nationalism wave of 2018 dubbed as “America First” seeks to restore a particular identity that the US had seemingly lost. There is an increased clamor for the US to take care of its economic, social, and political interests first before getting involved with other global nations (Habib, Jasmin, and Michael 103). However, in the current more globalized world, this nationalist movement has experienced more hurdles than successes.
Despite the many similarities, the nationalism wave of 1815 differs significantly from that of 2018. The first difference is that of the premises of both nationalism waves.

On one hand, the nationalism wave of 1815 was premised on the need to unify the country after a tumultuous and war-torn period (Breen 34). Contrastingly, the current nationalism wave of 2018 is premised on the need to consider “America First” in a time when many nations are seeking to embrace globalization ideals (Habib, Jasmin, and Michael 110). One can easily argue that the latter wave is rather sectional in nature, while the former was inclusive and merited considering the socio-political circumstances of that period.
In conclusion, while there are some similarities between the nationalism wave of 1815 and that of 2018, there are many differences that set them apart. This paper has thus elaborated on some of the similarities and differences of both nationalism periods, begging for the question on whether there is really a need for nationalism in this period in time which is dominated by globalization.
Work Cited
Breen, Drusilla Agnes. “Aspects of Nationalism in the United States, 1815-1830.” (1936). 1-167.
Habib, Jasmin, and Michael Howard. “The Political Economy of Donald J. Trump.” Reading Donald Trump. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, 2019. 103-125.