Primordialism :The organic nation

Primordial nationalism is a theoretical perspective that views nations as ancient, natural phenomena rooted in deep-seated, "primordial" attachments such as shared ethnicity, ancestry, language, and religion. Unlike modernist theories that see nations as recent social constructs, primordialism argues that national identity is an inborn, fixed, and permanent characteristic that individuals inherit rather than choose.

Key Characteristics

Inherent Identity: National identity is seen as a biological or cultural "given" that exists independently of historical processes.
Deep Emotional Bonds: It emphasizes "blood and soil," where the emotional intensity of nationalism stems from instinctual ties to one's kin and ancestral territory.
Perceived Continuity: Proponents believe nations have existed since time immemorial, maintaining an essential continuity from group ancestry to modern progeny.
Ineffability: The bond is often described as overwhelming and beyond rational explanation, naturally emitting powerful sentimentality.

Human nature: there is a range of views in how nationalists view human nature. A common one is that human nature is reflected as an instinct and humans naturally wish to be united around common themes. Liberal nationalists see humans as rational individuals who will make choices out of free will.

Balkan Nationalism: Nationalist movements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the Balkans often invoked ancient cultural ties and historical grievances to unify people around perceived ethnic origins.

liberal nationalism is based firmly upon a rational mindset. Liberal nationalism assumes that warfare and economic protectionism is contrary to the national interest. Instead, nations understand the need to maintain dialogue, peaceful co-existence, and trading links with other countries. We also fully recognise the need to respect our neighbours’ borders and foster a sense of international cooperation. Taken together, this provides the basis for a stable world order. Conservative nationalism is also based upon a shared sense of common interest. However, the assumptions behind conservative nationalism do not belong within the rationalist mindset. Conservatives believe that a nation emerges on an organic basis rather than rational calculations.

Other strands of nationalism reject the rational view. They contend that nations are locked into a Darwinian struggle for survival in which only the strong survive and the weak go to the wall. Nations therefore have no choice but to compete with others over scarce resources. People are driven by their emotions and a primordial desire to preserve their gene pool

Nationalists may have differing views on what defines a nation, but they are united in their belief that nations are natural communities. They argue that humankind is inherently divided into distinct nations, each with its own unique character and identity. Nationalists claim that loyalty to the nation holds greater significance than loyalty to any other social group. While factors like class, gender, religion, and language may be important in specific contexts, national bonds are considered more essential. National ties and loyalties are universal, enduring, and operate at an instinctual level. Various theories, such as primordialism, modernism, and constructivism, have been proposed to explain this phenomenon. Primordialist views on nationalism suggest that national identity is deeply rooted in a shared cultural heritage and language that existed long before the formation of states or quests for independence. All nationalists, in a way, adhere to primordialism. Anthony Smith emphasized the significance of primordialism by highlighting the link between modern nations and pre-modern ethnic communities known as "ethnies". He argued that nationalism draws upon the existing history of a group to create a sense of shared identity, even if this history is not entirely accurate. Smith contended that many nationalistic interpretations of history are fabricated to justify contemporary political and ethnic stances. Nationalistic narratives of sacrifice, victories, or defeats are often invoked to legitimize present-day decisions. According to Smith, nationalism does not require all members of a nation to be identical, but rather to feel a strong sense of solidarity with their nation and fellow citizens. These myths, memories, symbols, and values can predate the modern world, forming the basis of the ethno-symbolic approach to understanding the origins of nations.

British Museum removes ‘Palestine’ from ancient Middle East displays:

The removal of the term Palestine from displays in the British Museum in February 2026. Is a good example. Of primordial nationalism in action. The pro Israeli pressure group Lawyers for Israel objected to the term Palestine being used to describe an area of the world over one and a half thousand years ago since it seems to assert the ancient and enduring existence of a Palestinian people. Palestinian national identity.,if it has origins in ancient history. then it could be seen to have primordial origins. The word “Palestine” has been removed from some British Museum displays following complaints from a pro-Israel legal group.

In the context of the origin of Israel and Zionism, primordial nationalism refers to the belief that the Jewish people possess an inherent, ancient, and enduring identity rooted in a shared history, religion, and ancestral connection to the Land of Israel (Eretz Israel). While modern Zionism emerged as a political movement in the late 19th century, it drew heavily upon these "primordial" elements to justify the reconstruction of a Jewish nation-state.

Information boards in the museum’s ancient Middle East galleries, covering the period from 1500BC to 1700BC, had referred to the eastern Mediterranean coast as Palestine, with some individuals described as being “of Palestinian descent”.Concerns were raised by UK Lawyers for Israel, a voluntary group of solicitors, which argued that the term was being used “retrospectively” to describe civilisations that predated the modern use of the name, according to The Sunday Times.

In a letter to the museum’s director, Nicolas Cullinan, the group wrote: “Applying a single name – Palestine – retrospectively to the entire region, across thousands of years, erases historical changes and creates a false impression of continuity.The eastern Mediterranean has been known by different names throughout history. Texts from around 1500BC refer to the region as Canaan. The Kingdom of Israel is first mentioned in an Egyptian inscription dating to around 1200BC. The Greek historian Herodotus referred to “Palestine” in the fifth century BC.

More than 5,000 people have since signed a Change.org petition calling for the museum to reverse its decision. The petition claims the move is “not supported by historical evidence and contributes to a wider pattern of erasing Palestinian presence from public memory”.