The difference between a patriot and a nationalist is subtle but important. Here’s the dictionary speaking:

Patriot: A person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies and detractors
Nationalist: A person with strong patriotic feelings, especially one who believes in the superiority of their country over others

Of course we never use nationalist or nationalism because of their nasty connotations, but I suspect that a lot of what we call patriotism is closer to nationalism.

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