近代民族主義運動是一個前仆后繼的過程。初期歐美掀起組建民族國家運動,對反基督教神學、反封建主義發揮了顛覆性作用;爾后亞非拉民族解放運動接過民族國家接力棒,對反殖民帝國主義、東方各國的國家獨立起到決定性作用。無疑,民族主義在人類歷史上發揮了巨大的積極作用,但也暴露出嚴重的弊端,產生民族主義與國家主義之間的悖論。其實,民族與國家、民族主義與國家主義雖然密切相關,但兩者有本質區別。因為民族主義與國家主義有交叉,所以必然混淆。也因為是交叉關系,基于非交叉部分,使得二者有了根本性的區別。厘清民族與國家、民族主義與國家主義,讓族群主義代替民族主義,乃是當代人類必須完成的重要任務。

Modern nationalist movement is a continuing process.Early nationalist movements in Europe played a revolutionary role in overthrowing Christian theology and feudalism;thereafter in Asia,Africa and Latin America,National Liberation Movements took decisive roles in anti-colonial imperialism and in the independence of Eastern countries.Undoubtedly,nationalism played an immensely positive part in human history;however,it also exposed serious drawbacks,forming the paradox of ethnicism and nationalism.In fact,despite a close connection,there are also essential differences between the nation and the state and between ethnicism and nationalism.There are overlaps between ethnicism and nationalism,which makes confusion unavoidable,while the non-overlapping parts form their essential differences.It is an important task for contemporary mankind to clearly distinguish between the nation and the state as well as ethnicism and nationalism.It is also of pivotal importance to replace nationalism with ethnicism.