Topic: Rising Nationalism and Political Extremism
Country: New Zealand
Delegate Name: Anish Kokkula
School: Troy High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All New Zealand position papers GLIMUN 2018 committees
Nationalism is the ideology of “power hunger driven by self-deception.” Although nationalism can unify a country, it often ruins diplomatic relationships between countries. Nationalist movements date back to the American Revolution in the 1770s and the French Revolution a decade later. Political extremist problems arise when people begin to exaggerate the value and importance of their own country, believing that it's beliefs, virtues and interests are superior to other countries. For example, according to Alpha History, nationalism was a part of what caused World War 1 and World War 2, as the “great powers” — Germany, US, France, UK, Russia, etc. — strongly believed in the cultural, economic, and military supremacy of their nation. As these increasingly prominent nationalist movements continue to occur today, it is the duty of the Special Political committee to curb the violence and instability that fuels political extremes. New Zealand understands the negative effects that Nationalism and Political Extremism can have on the world; as a result, it is in not only our best interests but in the best interest of the Special Political and Decolonization Committee to act deliberately on this topic.
Although nationalism exists in New Zealand, rather than stimulating people’s belief in their country’s of cultural, economic, and military superiority, it unites people by creating a patriotic feeling for their country, principles, and efforts. For example, in March 2014, Prime Minister John Key denounced the national flag of New Zealand claiming that it “evoked an older version of the nation, one which was much more closely tied to their colonial yoke.” A sense of nationalism was created by the efforts to create a new flag that better represents the mainstream New Zealand culture. The Department of Corrections in New Zealand established a Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) group in 2015. According to the Department of Corrections, their establishment arose from the “recognition that they play an important role in the government's wider counter-terrorism strategy.” The department developed a CVE strategy to protect public safety, aiming to address extremism emanating from a range of sub-groups and affiliations that pose a threat to both public and community safety. This includes groups such as radical Islamic terrorists, extreme right-wing groups, and violent issue motivated groups. As a part of UNESCO, New Zealand plays a vital role in preventing threats driven by distorted interpretations of culture, hatred, and ignorance. Disarming the process of radicalization must begin with human rights and the rule of law, with dialogue across all boundary lines. New Zealand understands that it is crucial for global prosperity to eradicate nationalist and extremist sentiments because it leads to national confrontations and violence.
New Zealand is aware that some political extremists are harmless to a nation, but others are known to engage in ideologically driven criminal activity, including violence. We recognize that we cannot completely suppress the formation of these groups, as it is against moral principles such as the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment, which prevents the government from making laws that prohibit speech or assembly. New Zealand proposes that the Special Political Committee makes an effort to control only the violent groups, such as extreme left-wing or right-wing groups, Radical Islamic Terrorists, Anti-abortion extremists, Militias, White Supremacists, etc. We must prevent extremist movements from its source: radicalization. We must focus our efforts on suppressing not the extremist groups that already exist, but rather on preventing the rise of these extremist groups from the process of radicalization. An international effort must be made to follow in the footsteps of the Countering Violent Extremism Task Force (CVE), a US government program established under the Obama administration to counter all violent ideologies. This can be accomplished by engaging community groups such as local governments, police departments, universities, and non-profits, in the counterterrorism effort through education programs or counter-messaging. Nationalism often unites a nation, but extremism will tear it apart. A resolution that tackles extremist movements from its core is in the best interest of the UN, as it will end any threat to peace that is imposed by political extremists.
