Nationalism can motivate expansion and dominance when patriotic pride, perceived national superiority, and the desire to secure prestige, security, and economic advantages reinforce a belief that a nation’s power is a measure of its identity and future survival. When feelings of national belonging are linked to notions of collective destiny or civilizational mission, states may pursue dominance over other countries or regions to protect or enhance that identity, access strategic resources, or secure markets for their goods. Key mechanisms and dynamics

• Legitimizing expansion: Nationalist rhetoric frames territorial control or influence as a rightful expression of national destiny, often portraying rivals as threats or as moral or civilizational competitors. This can build public consent for costly foreign adventures or settler-colonial ventures.
• Prestige and great-power competition: National pride and the prestige attached to empire or influence can motivate leaders to acquire colonies or spheres of influence to project power, deter rivals, and signal national strength to both domestic audiences and foreign observers.
• Security and deterrence: Nationalist narratives emphasize safeguarding borders, protecting core national communities, or ensuring access to critical resources. Domination of adjacent regions or weaker states is sometimes framed as a strategic necessity to prevent encirclement or encroachment by rivals.
• Economic motives reframed as national duty: Economic advantages—raw materials, labor, markets, or new investment opportunities—are often recast as national prosperity tied to the nation’s competitive standing. Nationalists may argue that sacrificing some autonomy is acceptable to ensure long-term national welfare.
• Internal cohesion and legitimacy: Nationalist appeals can unify diverse groups within a country by focusing attention outward. External dominance can be used to bolster a ruling regime’s legitimacy at home, especially if domestic political conditions are fragile.
• Cultural and civilizational narratives: Some nationalist ideologies frame expansion as a civilizational mission, sometimes implying a duty to spread language, religion, or political systems. This can provide moral justification for domination and help sustain popular support.

Historical patterns and caution

• Nationalism and imperialism often intersected in the 19th and early 20th centuries, as rising nationalist movements coincided with formal imperial expansion, competition for colonies, and strategic alliances. The union of national self-assertion with imperial ambitions helped explain why states pursued overseas empires and why conflicts between imperial powers were frequent.
• Not all nationalist movements lead to domination by others; in some cases, nationalist mobilization contributed to anti-imperial revolts or the push for self-determination, transforming hegemonic projects into new nation-states.

If you’d like, I can tailor this to a specific era or region (e.g., European imperialism in Africa, post-colonial state-building in Asia, or interwar nationalist movements) and discuss concrete case studies that illustrate these dynamics.