"In some states militant nationalism has gone to the lengths of dictatorship, the cult of the absolute or totalitarian state and the glorification of war"

Arthur Henderson’s observation draws attention to the extreme forms that nationalism can take, especially when it develops unchecked within certain political contexts. He describes a process where patriotic sentiment is manipulated or intensified to the point that it fosters authoritarian forms of governance. Militant nationalism refers not merely to a healthy pride or loyalty to one’s nation, but to a dogmatic, exclusionary, and often aggressive form of national identity. In this state, critique or dissent is discouraged or outright oppressed, with unity being enforced by political and often violent means.

The mention of dictatorship signals a deliberate concentration of power in the hands of one ruler or a small elite, often justified as necessary to preserve national strength or unity. Here, democratic institutions and civil liberties are sacrificed because a strong, commanding authority is seen as essential to defend the nation against internal and external threats. This is closely tied to the concept of the “absolute or totalitarian state,” where the government seeks complete control over all aspects of public and private life. The state becomes an all-encompassing entity; the boundaries between society, the individual, and the regime blur, with the government claiming the right to direct not only political life but also culture, thought, and even personal belief.

Henderson also highlights the elevation of war itself as a key component of this ideology. Under such regimes, war is not only tolerated or accepted as a necessity but actively glorified. It becomes a unifying cause, a means of proving a nation’s strength, exerting its will on others, or purging internal “weakness.” Citizens are encouraged to embrace militarism and see violence as heroic or regenerative. The dangers inherent in these developments, loss of freedom, erosion of critical thought, institutionalized violence, underscore why Henderson warns against the unchecked progression of militant nationalism.