Honestly, patriotism is a tool that the elites use to exploit the rest of us
Hardly, considering the fact that most European political elites are internationalists and EU-integrationists who are deeply scornful of patriotism (which they see as dated provincialism). Just look at Merkel's reaction at a party colleague who tried waving a German flag at an election victory party: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kgQF5rvpY0
Which is why Merkel completely rejected fiscal union... knowing that the existing fiscal structure of the euro was very much in Germany's interest.
There is a reason that right wingers like Rutte and Merkel are happier with an internationalist EU rather than real federalism and démocratisation. The elite are perfectly happy with nation states as they are - it let's the keep up a system of competition between nations which ultimately only really benefits the rich
That's why left-wing nationalism is fundamentally nonsensical and self-contradictory.
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