Summary Nationalism Notes

Nationalism – Notes

Historical Overview

 The idea of nationalism was born during the French Revolution.
 Previously, political identity was formed by an allegiance to a ruler rather than a sense of
national identity or patriotism.
- Patriotism: a psychological attachment to one’s nation, literally a ‘love of one’s country
 However, the revolutionaries in France rose up in the name of the people and understood
the people to be the ‘French nation’.
- Nation: A collection of people bound together by shared values, a common language,
religion, and history, and usually occupying the same geographical area
- Their ideas were influenced by the writings of Rousseau
 Nationalism was therefore a revolutionary and democratic creed, reflecting the idea that
‘subjects of the crown’ should become ‘citizens of France’.
- The nation should be its own master.

 Enthusiasm for nationalism was largely restricted to the rising middle classes, who were
attracted to the ideas of national unity and constitutional government.
 Although middle-class nationalist movements kept the dream of national unity or
independence alive, they were nowhere strong enough to accomplish the process of nation
building on their own.

 By the end of the nineteenth century, nationalism had become a truly popular movement,
with the spread of flags, national anthems, public ceremonies, and national holidays.
 Nationalism became the language of mass politics, made possible by the growth of primary
education, mass literacy and the spread of popular newspapers.
 Nationalism had previously been associated with liberal and progressive movements but was
taken up increasingly by conservative and reactionary politicians.
 Nationalism sought to integrate the increasingly powerful working class into the nation, and
so to preserve the established social structure.
 Patriotic fervour was no longer aroused by the prospect of political liberty, but by the
commemoration of past national glories and military victories.
- Such nationalism became increasingly xenophobic.
- Xenophobia: A fear or hatred of foreigners

 This new climate of popular nationalism helped to fuel policies of imperialism, by the end of
the century, had brought most of the world’s population under European control.
 It also contributed to a mood of international rivalry and suspicion, which led to WW1
 The German, Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires were broken up and eight new states
created, including Finland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Yugoslavia.
- These new countries were designed to be nation-states that conformed to the
geography of existing national or ethnic groups.




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, Core Ideas and Principles

The Nation

 The basic belief of nationalism is that the nation is, or should be, the central principle of
political organisation.
 Nations are collections of people bound together by shared traditions, in particular a
common language, religion and history, and usually occupying the same geographical area.
- The nation can be defined by ‘objective’ factors: people who satisfy a set of cultural
criteria belong to a nation; those who do not are non-nationals
 Although particular cultural features are commonly associated with nationhood, there is no
blueprint nor any objective criteria that can establish where and when a nation exists.

 Language is often taken to be the clearest symbol of nationhood.
 A language embodies distinctive attitudes, values and forms of expression that produce a
sense of familiarity and belonging.
 German nationalism, has traditionally been founded on a sense of cultural unity, reflected in
the purity and survival of the German language.
 There are also some who share a language but don’t have a common national identity:
Americans and Aussies may speak English, but don’t think they are an ‘English nation’.
 Other nations have enjoyed a substantial measure of national unity without possessing a
national language
- In Switzerland, three major languages are spoken: French, German, and Italian

 Religion is another major component of nationhood.
 Religion expresses common moral values and spiritual beliefs.
Islam has been a major factor in forming national consciousness in much of the Middle East.
 On the other hand, religious beliefs do not always coincide with a sense of nationhood.
- Divisions between Catholics and Protestants in mainland UK do not inspire rival
nationalisms
 At the same time, countries such as Italy, Brazil, and the Philippines share a common
Catholic faith but do not feel that they belong to a unified ‘Catholic nation’

 Nations have also been based on a sense of ethnic or, racial unity.
- This was particularly evident in Germany during the Nazi period.
 However, nationalism usually has a cultural rather than a biological basis; it reflects an
ethnic unity that may be based on race, but more usually draws on shared values
- Nationalism of US blacks is based less on colour than on their distinctive history/culture.
 Nations usually share common history and traditions.

 While all nationalists agree that nations are a blend of cultural and psycho-political factors,
they disagree strongly about where the balance between the two lies.
 On the one hand, ‘exclusive’ concepts of the nation stress the importance of ethnic unity
and a shared history.
- This implies that nations are characterised by common descent and so blurs the
distinction between nations and races.
- To different degrees, conservatives and fascists adopt such a view of the nation.
 On the other hand, ‘inclusive’ concepts of the nation, as found in civic nationalism, highlight
the importance of civic consciousness and patriotic loyalty.

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