“Nations are irreplaceable cells of the human community” Franjo Tudjman

1. Introduction

Nationalist has arguably the most powerful force in the world politic for over 200 years. Contributed
to wars and revolutions. Linked to birth of new states, disntergration of empires, redrawing of
borders. The greatest achivemnt has been to establish the nations as the key unit for the political
rule, meaning that so called NS has been accepted as the most basic form and the only legtimiate
form of political organization.

Globalization is widenly seen as a threat for nationalist. Global political, economic and cultural
network and signicfamcntly increase intl migration has led to the development of transnational
communities, giving a growing number of socities a multicultural character.

Nationalism is a sentiment, a consciousness, a sympathy, which binds a group of people together.

According to Carlton J.H Hayes Nationalism consixtes of modern emotional fusion and exaggeration
of 2 very old phenomena- nationalty and patriotism.

2. Nationalism and world politics

A product oof 1789 French Revolution. Before this, countries would be known as realms,
principalities, or kingdoms. People stood agains louis 16 in the name of people, and understood the
people to be “French Nations”. Nationalism was therefore a revolutionary and democratic creed,
refelcing the idea that ‘subjects of the crown’ showed become the ‘ citizens of france’.

3. Making sense of nationalism

Nationalism is the belief that the nation is, or should be, the most basic principle of political
organization. Primordialism portrays national identity as historically embedded. All nationalist,
because of this notion are ‘Nationalist’. The dominant features of primordialists are:

 People are inherently group-oriented and nations are a manifestation of this.

 National identity is forged by 3 key factors: common descent, a sense of territorial
belonging, and a shared language.
 Nations are historical enitities: they evolve organically out of more simple ethnic
communities.
 Nationalism is characterized by deep emotional attachments that resemble kinship ties.

Such view scan be traced back to Johann Herded who argued that ‘each nation possess a Volksgiest,
which reveal its self in songs, myths and legends. Herders culturalism can be traced back to ancient
times too. Anthony smith highlighted the conitmiuty between modern nations and pre-modern ethnic
communities, which he called ‘ethnies’. This implies that nationalism is a variant of ethnicity.

By contrast, moderist approaches to nationalism suggest that national identity is forged in responde to
changing social and historical circumstances. Modernists therorist put emphasis on different factors but
can be associated with 3 broad themes

 The emergence of industrial and capitalist economises weaked the tradiotnal social bonds and
generated new social tensions, so creating a need for a unifying national identity.
 States often play a key role in forging a sense of national identity, implying that states predates
and in a sense ‘constructs’ the nation.
 The spread of mass literacy and mass education contributed sifnifanctly to the construction of
national identity.

Nationalism has helped to shape and reshape world politics for over 200 years. Nationalism is a
chameleon-like ideology, capable of assuming a bewildering variety of political forms.

4. Classical nationalism has been strongly associated with libteral ideas and values. In the 19 th
century in Europe nationalism meant to be a liberal. CN is based on the assupmtions that
humankind is naturally divide into a collection, each possessed of a separate identity. Nations
are therefore genuine or organic communities, nt the aritifical creation of political leaders or
ruling class. The characteristic theme of classical nationalism is the idea with a belief in popular
soveriengty ultimately derived from the idea of ‘general will’ by ‘Jean-jacques Rouusseaus’s.
Woodrow Wilson wished that Europe should not only achieve statehood but also that they
should be restructured on the basis of US-style liberal republincaims. The central theme of this
nationalism is therefore a commitment to the principles of national self-determination. Its goal
is therefore the construction of a nation state. This nationalism has profound implications on
world politics.

Nationalism was an important comptent of the 1848 revolutions that spread across Europe, from
the liberian peninsula to the borders of Russia.

When nationalism concides with the ambitions of a powerful state in case of Prussia, the character
of nationalism was also changed.nationalism which was once associated with liberal and
progresseive moments was now used to promote social cohesion, order and stability.

5. Nationalism, war and conflict:

nationalism has also been expressed through the politics of aggression, militarism and war.
Natioanal rights and national interest of one nation over the rights and interests of other nations.
The them of ‘expansionist nationalism’ has been derived from the ‘chauvinism’. It means that
nationas have a particular charateriestics and qualities and have very diffenrt distinies. Some nations
are suited to the rule; others are suited to be ruled. This form of nationalism is articulated through
doctrines of ethnic or racial superroty, therby fusing nationalism and radicalism. German nazis
‘Aryanism’ portrayed and german people were portrayed as ‘master race’ destined for world
domination, backed by anti-semantism.

Nationalism from its inception was infested with chaunism and has always harboured at least
implicit racial beliefs, based on the assumptions that its ia natural to prferer ones own people to
others. All forms of nationalism thus exhibt some form of xenophobia. The aggressive face of
nationalism became prominent from the late 19 th century. European powers---indulged into making
colonies- scramble for Africa. Aggression were also evident in the forms of ‘pan-nationalism’ that
developed in Russia and Germany, japan and Italy. Nationalism conritibuted to both world wars.

6. Approaches to nationalism
 Realist: realist don’t generally place an emphasis on nationism as such. To them, the crucial
stage of development was the emergence of soverign states in 1500. Realist see nationalism
 in positive terms. It’s a key auxillary component of state power, a source of internal
cohesion that consildates the external effectiveness of a nation state.
 Liberal: liberals have long endorsed nationalism. Liberal nationalism is the principle form of
nationalism based above on the notion of self-determination. Self determination is a
universal right, reflecting the equality of nations. World is full of peace because nation-
statesare likely to respect each other rights and freedom.
 Critical views: for Marxist, nationalism is an example of ‘false consiousness’, an illusion that
srves to mystify and confuse the working classes, preventing them from recognizing their
genuine interests.
o Social consstrucivist have been critics of ‘prmiordial’ images of fixed ethnic and
national identities. Nationaling belonging is constructed through social, pollical , and
other processes.
o Post constructvist and post modern at the heart of nationalism is a collection of
narratives. History books, fiction, symbols, myths and so on.
o Feminist theorists: motherland rather than father land. Women are porducers of
nations. Heroism, aggression, self-assertion, tending to conflate nationalism with
militarism is masculine.

Is nationalism aggressive or oppressive?

YES, it is aggressive because

 Nationalism as narcissism
 Negative integration
 Nationalism and power

No, it is oppressive because

 Nationalism promotes freedom

 Civic nationalism
 Cultural belonging

Read this complete in notes.

Elements or roots of nationalism

 Human nature: Man is a social animal(Aristotle). He cant live alone. Attachement to people
and place. Terrorty and country. Nations and nationals
 Geography: Geographical features promotes the development of nationalism as they unite a
particual group and isolate it from the other group. Territory os the 1 st step towards
establishment of state. Muslim majority territory in India. Jews also claimed it and got Israel.
 Race: physical features which diffeneriated a group of people from other people also
promotes nationalism. Racial myths of nation hood. Racial chains. Tribes and clans.
 Religion: unity of nation is strenghend and weakened by religious similiarites or diffenrces
among people. Belive in same religion or not. Lost its importance in secualirsm .
  Language: Ramisy Muir says that there is indeed nothing that will so readily give unity to
divergent races as a commo tongue and in very many cases unity of language and
community of idea which it brings have proved the main binding force in a nation.
 Historical tradition: Common traditions and history. Common heroes and demons. The
glorious past. Look upon the historical figures.
 Common government: second step after a territory has been established. Sovereign and
pollical speaking independence is usually the final goal of all nationalist movements.
 Democracy: the growth of doctrince of popular soveringty made popular the identification
of people with the state, which served to promote nationalism. Democracy is the base of
nationalism because WW1 was fought because of the difference of ideologies. Champions of
democracy vs the axis powers on the basis of dictatorship.
7. Types of nationalism
it has different forms which can be analyzed in different ways. Print nationatlism from
Wikipedia.

Aayes has described 5 principal successive stages of nationalism:

 Humanitarian
 Jacobin
 Traditional
 Liberal
 Integral

The first 4 originated in the 18th century and took distinctive form in the period of French
Revolution.

Quincy Wright has discussed stages of nationalism in chronological order

 Medieval
 Monarchial
 Revolutionary
 Liberal
 Totalitarian

Professor Synder has mentioned stags in the chronology of nationalism

 Integrate nationalism
 Disruptive nationalism
 Aggressive nationalism
 Contemporary nationalism