Lingering discussions on problems of nationalism concentrate around the traditional dilemma: it is either «well-meant», «constructive», «liberal», or – «wicked», «destructive», «zoological» etc. The article marks a stage in the discussion on the subject. The author analyzes in details the distinction of the category of the national from that of the nationalistic. Nationalism, the researcher maintains, is ideology, policy and social practice of opposing different nations to one another on the basis of «ours» vs. «the alien», it bears, furthermore, feelings and ideas of self-superiority, of priority of the national community itself over other interests and values.