Natinalism Case

Nationalism: Examine the emergence of nationalism through the 19th century revolutions in North America, Europe, and South America. Using at least two nations as examples, how did this new idea change people's basis of political loyalty and identity? What were the key processes by which nationalism developed? Who counted as a nation, and who did not? Include liberalism in your answer.

Answer 1:

Nationalism can be defined as positive sentiments of an individual towards the nation. Nationalism is individuals' belief and faith in national affairs, which are respected and followed by an individual. Perhaps, these beliefs make individuals' more attached towards the country and do things for the country as united citizens. Nationalism is a joining and mixing fueling among the peoples of a country. These people owe their first and last duties towards the development of the country. In past, empires that held many nations ultimately fell apart because they lacked national feeling, which keeps the nation together. The essence of nationalism is a unifying, integrating, all-pervasive fueling among the people or peoples of a country who owe their first and last duty to the nation. In the past, empires comprising many nations ultimately disintegrated because of the lack of national feeling that helps and hastens fusion of the component nations into a homogeneous unit.

The ideas behind national unity were closely related to ideology behind liberalism. Liberalism derives from a Latin word, where liber refers to free. The middle classes asked for liberalism that demanded freedom and equality of an individual before the law. Politically, the ideology of liberalism demanded for democratic government, which would treat all individuals fairly and equally.

Nationalism was the most successful political force of the 19th century. Nationalism emerged from two of the main sources, firstly from the feeling and identity and secondly from requirement of having a state based on people vote rather than dynasty or imperial domination. Conservatives for promoting state power and achieving political domination over Europe often mobilized nationalist sentiments. This can be observed in the process by which Germany and Italy came to be unified as nation-states.