There has been a strong correlation between nationalism and political violence throughout the years. What is important is the extent to which nation-based conflicts regarding religion, language and ethnicity differences are causing statewide conflicts. However, by examining these causes such as nationalism, we should not underestimate other factors such as inequality and class conflicts which can play significant roles in forming state violence. Thus, it is better first to discover the true sense of state violence, its predicted and observed causes and then illustrate the phenomenon by giving some major examples from the real world such as the Irish and Lebanon interstate conflicts. So it is very crucial to ask the question: “How do conflicts derived from nationalistic ideologies arise from complex combinations of ethnic strength, class, inequality, political opportunity, mobilization processes or international interventions?” The last question to answer will be the future of nationalism, will there be an end to the imagined idea of nationalism in this smalling global world or are we going to witness strengthening of the power of nation-states?

Similar forms of separatist violence therefore always remained in countries like Turkey and Iraq; in means of Kurdish rebels, East Timorese against Indonesia, by Chechens against Russia, and by Sudan’s southern Christians against the Islamic rulers in the north, and by both Sikhs and Kashmiris against India. (Danziger, 2001,268)

In the formation of this violence, actually three phenomena are significant. First is Lebanese Shi’a as a group were transformed from an underdeveloped to a socially mobilized and economically wealthy group in 40 years. Second, the transformation to political mobilization was blocked particularly because the Lebanese communitarian system is ruled by a set of rigid rules. Therefore, Shi’a concluded that their identities were being reinforced. As a third factor, outside forces also intervened in the practices of Shi’a towards conflict and violence, by using to their advantage the failure of a new consensus within the Shi’a community(Picard 1996,190). The question whether Hizbollah represents the whole of the Shi’a community remains unanswered. However we know very well that violence against and inside the community caused the intervention of collective identity and strengthened Shi’ i internal cohesion (Picard,1996,191).

Contrary to Apter, Peter C. Sederberg mentions the tragic choices and tragic outcomes, whether the violence occurs for a revolution or not. He is more skeptical about the issue of the American Revolution. According to him, the violence is bravely justified in the name of human liberty and equality, the new American republic tolerated slavery in its constitution. He notes that the compromise between the states finally found itself in the heart of a bloody civil war. Moreover, America still continues to pay the price for this gap between its ideals and accepted political conditions. (Sederberg, 1994,367).

Nationalism implies two meanings. One of them is the ideology of self belonging to a specific nation, in which sense a fellow-feeling to other nation people and in which you get an awareness of sharing a common culture and identity. You sing patriotic songs and seek the national benefits rather than your own values and interests. An other meaning is more of an official one and based on the will of being recognized as a seat in the General Assembly of United Nations. By the end of the nineteenth century, the nation-state doctrine had become enshrined in a general principle that all nations would have the right to self determination. (Jay, 1994,154).

Some topics in this essay:
Bosnia Apter, Irish Lebanon, Bosnians Croations, Lebanese Shi’a, That’s Danziger, Political Violence, Freedom Franco, Marks Finn, Ireland Lebanon, Moreover America, political violence, northern ireland, religion language, religion language class, political violence legitimized, ethnic based, statewide conflicts, ethnicity religion, based conflicts, violence exists, language class, ethnic based conflicts, ethnicity religion language, separatist movements, race ethnicity religion,