A positive effect of nationalism is that it can build up a desire for independence within a country and this can cause them to overthrow colonial rule. An example of nationalism helping overthrow colonial rule is shown between the years 1950 till 1980 when forty-seven different African countries gained their independence by overthrowing colonial rulers (Beck, Black, & Krieger, 2005). Another example of how nationalism can make its nation want to control itself instead of by becoming independent was in Southeast Asia when nationalism led to the overthrow of colonial rule (Wilson). After World War 2, nationalist in Africa and Asia, overthrew European colonial rule and reigned their peoples independence in one of the world a nations great revolutionary movements (Colonialism, Overthrow Of: Sub-Saharan Africa, 2009).
Overthrowing colonial rulers isnt the only positive effect of nationalism, it can also help advance a nation scientifically and technologically. An example of this is during the 1900s Germany and Britain was competing to build battle ships to improve their navies (Beck, Black, & Krieger, 2005).
Nationalism can lead to the rise of extreme Nationalistic movements, such as Zionism and Nazism (Beck, Black, & Krieger, 2005). Both of these nationalistic groups believed that the ethnic- supremacy was the master race and the chosen people (Rake, 2005). Both groups practice ethnic cleansing (Rake, 2005). The member of Nazism did by