Definitions of White Nationalism, White Supremacy, White Separatism, Nationalism, and Liberalism

Here are precise, scholarly definitions of these terms, free from mainstream rhetorical distortions and pejorative misrepresentations. These concepts are frequently misconstrued in public discourse, particularly when used as political insults rather than analytical categories. Below is a neutral and intellectually rigorous differentiation of these ideologies, with attention to their historical development, internal variations, and points of overlap or mutual exclusivity.

1. White Nationalism, White Supremacy, and White Separatism

These three concepts are often conflated, but they are distinct in both ideology and intent.

A. White Nationalism (WN)

• Definition: White Nationalism is the belief that white people constitute a distinct national identity and should work to preserve their demographic, cultural, and political sovereignty.
• Key Tenets:
  • Whites have collective interests that need protection.
  • White-majority societies should maintain their racial and cultural character.
  • Many white nationalists advocate for an ethnostate, but not all demand total racial exclusion.
• Divergences Within White Nationalism:
  • Civic White Nationalism: Prioritizes white-majority governance but allows for non-white minorities who assimilate.
  • Ethnic White Nationalism: Prioritizes racial homogeneity and often calls for repatriation policies.
  • Pan-European White Nationalism: Sees all European-descended peoples as a single racial group with shared interests.

B. White Supremacy (WS)

• Definition: White Supremacy is the belief that white people are inherently superior to other races and should dominate society politically, socially, and economically.
• Key Tenets:
  • Whites are biologically, morally, or intellectually superior.
  • A racial hierarchy is natural and should be maintained.
  • Historically associated with colonialism, segregation, apartheid, and eugenics.
• How It Differs from White Nationalism:
  • White Nationalism does not require belief in superiority—only self-preservation.
  • White Supremacy often seeks racial domination rather than just separation.

C. White Separatism (WSep)

• Definition: White Separatism is the belief that whites should live completely apart from non-whites, often through voluntary migration or legal separation.
• Key Tenets:
  • Does not necessarily claim white superiority, only racial incompatibility.
  • Advocates for physical separation rather than racial hierarchy.
  • Examples: Northwest Territorial Imperative, Orania (South Africa).
• How It Differs from White Nationalism:
  • White nationalism can accommodate multiethnic societies with a white majority.
  • White separatism rejects any form of racial coexistence.

2. Broader Nationalism and Its Variants

Nationalism is the belief in a distinct national identity, but the criteria for defining “nationhood” vary.

A. Civic Nationalism (Melting Pot)

• Definition: A nation is defined by shared values, culture, and civic institutions, rather than ethnicity or race.
• Examples:
  • Early U.S. model (pre-multiculturalism): America as a “melting pot” where immigrants assimilate into Anglo-American culture.
  • French Republicanism: National identity is defined by secularism and French civic ideals rather than ethnicity.

B. Ethnic Nationalism (Blood and Soil)

• Definition: A nation is defined by ethnicity and shared ancestry, rather than by civic institutions.
• Examples:
  • Pre-2000 Germany: Citizenship was based on German bloodline rather than birthplace.
  • Zionism (Ethnic Form): A Jewish ethnostate, prioritizing ancestry in national identity.

C. Racial Nationalism

• Definition: A broader form of ethnic nationalism where race (not just ethnicity) defines the nation.
• Examples:
  • Apartheid South Africa: Defined by racial hierarchy rather than cultural nationalism.
  • Some European Identitarian movements, which see all whites as a single people with a shared destiny.

3. Liberalism and Its Variants

Liberalism is a broad political tradition centered on individual rights, free markets, and representative government, but it has diverged into different branches over time.

A. Classical Liberalism (Libertarian Foundations)

• Definition: The original form of liberalism, emphasizing individual liberty, limited government, and free markets.
• Key Tenets:
  • Personal freedom takes priority over state control.
  • Free-market capitalism is preferred over state intervention.
• Examples:
  • John Locke, Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill.
  • Early U.S. Founding Fathers (although they balanced it with nationalism).

B. Neoliberalism (Globalist Economic Liberalism)

• Definition: A modern form of liberalism focused on free trade, deregulation, and globalization.
• Key Tenets:
  • Minimal economic barriers, favoring free trade and mass immigration.
  • Corporate-led globalization over national economic policies.
• Examples:
  • Milton Friedman’s economic policies.
  • Bill Clinton’s and Tony Blair’s market-oriented globalization.

C. Progressive Liberalism (Woke Left)

• Definition: A modern shift toward social justice, identity politics, and redistribution.
• Key Tenets:
  • Emphasizes group rights over individual rights.
  • Often aligns with anti-nationalist, globalist perspectives.
• Examples:
  • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies.
  • Modern critical race theory which deconstructs national identity.

4. How These Ideologies Interact

5. Key Takeaways

1. White Nationalism ≠ White Supremacy
   • White nationalism only requires belief in racial self-governance, not racial superiority.
   • Many white nationalists believe in ethno-pluralism, meaning separate but equal racial societies.
2. White Nationalism ≠ White Separatism
   • White nationalism can include majority-white nations with some non-white presence.
   • White separatism demands total racial exclusion.
3. White Separatism ≠ White Supremacy
   • White separatists reject racial hierarchy in favor of racial independence.
   • White supremacists believe in domination and racial stratification.
4. Liberalism has split into distinct camps, with neoliberalism aligning with globalism and progressive liberalism rejecting nationalism altogether.