Introduction. The existence of any state, in addition to ideological, social, economic and legal aspects, is based on the most important factor of functioning in the form of the existence of certain nations and people living on its territory. Domestic and global processes have predetermined the need to distinguish between the concepts of ethnos and nation, as well as a more in-depth study of nationalism. Theoretical analysis. A comparative analysis of the development of societies in various countries of the world has shown that the ideas that flourished in France and determined the path to establishing equal status for each citizen, regardless of their origin, would later spread throughout Europe and other countries of the New World. However, the processes of globalization, wars, and changes in forms of government changed views on such topics. Thus, by the end of the 20th century in Germany, the ideas of ethnic nationalism gave way to civil nationalism, which developed into Nazism, which is based on the idea of hatred of other peoples and races. Conclusion. The study of nationalism has made it possible to identify two of its main types – civil and ethnic. Each of them is based on different principles, has its own characteristics, and meets different goals of state policy.