ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the areas where, and conditions under which, Chinese nationalism can be said to constitute an obstacle to democratization. It seeks to demonstrate the logic of the conflict between democracy and nationalism in the Chinese context. The chapter offers some general remarks on the relationship between nationalism and democracy. It gives a brief historical account of the various episodes where the national identity question has clashed with democratization. The chapter also examines further the clash between democratization and nationalism in today's China, with particular focus on Hong Kong, Tibet and Taiwan. It considers the tension that exists between the national identity question and democratization in a broad comparative context. The chapter identifies the asymmetric effect of democratization and explains why the question of national identity provokes a clash between democratization and state nationalism in China.
