ABSTRACT
One cannot get away from the fact that nationalism is in a state of constant tension with democracy and their compatibility remains a subject of continuing debate. Nationalism's role in the democratisation process is complex and cannot be generalised - it depends on the extent to which it can contribute towards democratic state-building. Democracy, in some form or another, says Philippe Schmitter, 'may well be the only legitimate and stable form of government in the contemporary world', yet despite the high legitimacy that democracy enjoys, sustaining it seems at least as problematic as establishing it. The idea of nationalism is as follows: the principal object is the nation, the objective is the future of the nation, the strategy is the promotion and protection of the nation and its interests. The idea of national self-determination stands for the establishment of the preferred form of government, whether it is a component of a multinational state, a federation or as an independent state.
