This paper examines the relationship between politics, economic development, nationalism, and school language policy in the Marianas and Guam. Past and present developments in language policy and various rationales in support of bilingual education programs are reviewed. The author draws from Fishman's "Language and Nationalism" and Woodward and Inglehart's "Language Conflicts and Political Community" to support his arguments that (1) language difference does not promote nationalistic conflict in and of itself; and (2) while language is not a necessary component of nationalism, it does provide a link to ethnic and cultural authenticity. It is suggested that bilingual programs have been viewed as reconciling rising nationalism in the Marianas, concern over the loss of Chamorro ethnic and cultural identity, and pressures to learn English and assimilate into a dominant English speaking culture. The report concludes with the observation that in developed Pacific areas such as Guam, the use of language in schools is evaluated far less for its educational value than for its use in defining the essence of a society that is struggling for cultural survival. (JCD)