NATIONALISM

Nationalism is a political, social and economic ideology and movement characterised by the promotion of
the interests of a particular nation, especially with the aim of gaining the nation’s sovereignty. It means that
each nation (people or nationality) should form a state. The rise of nationalism and the push for national
sovereignty culminated with the ethnic and national revolutions of Europe. During the 19th century
nationalism became one of the most significant political and social forces in history. Napoleon's conquests of
the German and Italian states around 1800–1806 played a major role in stimulating nationalism and the
demands for national unity.
Nowadays, Nationalism is a controversial issue. It is the belief your nation sits at the top of a hierarchy of
power. Nationalists don’t just love their country. They see the world as a power struggle between nation-
states and believe their nation should win that power struggle. It’s generally believed that nationalism is a
bad thing because it leads to discrimination, whereas patriotism is positive because it represents love of
nation without the sense of superiority that nationalists have.
Nationalists can have some or all of the following features:
1. Believing In Your Own Culture’s Superiority
The politicians that frame their state as an idea based on a single cultural group, such as a country as a
‘white nation’ or, in the case of Germany in the interwar period, an ‘Aryan’ nation.

2. Jingoism or Aggressive Foreign Policy

Jingoism is a form of ultranationalism where a state embraces an aggressiveor bullying foreign policy. It is
the belief that your country is always best, often shown in enthusiastic support for a war against another
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state. The term originated during a period of nationalist rhetoric and competition in the late 1800s between
Britain and Russia. “Jingoism” comes from a song of that period, “By Jingo!”, whose chorus included the
lines:
We don’t want to fight, but, by jingo, if we do,
We’ve got the ships, we’ve got the men, and got the money, too!

For example, after 9/11, some journalists accused U.S. President George W. Bush of jingoism for his rhetoric
about a “global war on terror.” The term was used during the 1890s, when some Americans fervently
promoted entry into what became the Spanish-American War.
3. Xenophobia (Fear Of Foreigners)
Xenophobia is the fear of foreigners, people from different cultures, or anything that is perceived as being
foreign. Xenophobia can lead to genocide, as was the case with the Holocaust. Today, xenophobia is a major
problem in many parts of the world, where it often leads to discrimination and violence against immigrants.

4. Anti-Immigrant Policies
A hyper-nationalist state will typically carry out anti-immigrant policies. Examples of anti-immigrant policies
include making the process for receiving citizenship harder, placing caps on immigration, and pausing
migration from certain nations. Anti-immigration sentiment can lead to migrants being kicked out of a country
after they have moved and settled. Such policies are seen as violations of human rights.

5. Assimilationism
The policy of assimilation is an attempt by a dominant culture to absorb a minority culture into its own. This
can be done through force or persuasion. The goal is to eliminate the differences between the two cultures
and create a homogeneous society. More recently, the Spanish dictator General Franco attempted to
assimilate Catalonians by banning their language and forcing them to speak Spanish.

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The Indians were banned from practicing their traditional rituals and ceremonies; they were forced to give up
their lands and adopt the religious and education system of the U.S majority.
6. Economic Nationalism
Economic nationalism is the belief that a country’s economy should be protected from foreign competition.
This can take many different forms, such as tariffs, quotas, and currency manipulation, in order to give your
country an advantage over others. Critics of economic nationalism argue that it leads to trade wars and
ultimately harms consumers by raising prices.
For example; a protectionist policy in America placed tariffs on foreign cars, giving local producers (Ford and
GM market) market power that allowed them to raise the price of cars, which negatively affected American
consumers who faced fewer choices and higher prices

7. Sectarianism
This is the practice of dividing people into groups based on their religious, ethnic, or political beliefs. In
ultranationalist societies, this is done to oppress and marginalize the minority culture within a nation-state.
By physically moving them to the outskirts of society, the minority groups are excluded from the mainstream
ideal of what the nation-state should be. Sectarianism has always been one of the causes of conflict in
Northern Ireland.

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8. Autocracy
Autocracy is the political ideology that promotes the power of the state in the hands of a leader. This political
system believes in a strong central government that controls all aspects of society, including the economy
and the media. Individual rights are subordinate to the needs of the state, and dissent is not tolerated.

9. Ethnocentrism
Ethnocentrism is the belief that one’s own culture is the natural and most correct culture, and all others do
things wrong. Ethnocentrism can lead to prejudice, discrimination, and even violence. It is often based on a
lack of understanding or knowledge about other cultures. Some examples include believing Asians are
inferior for using chopsticks, expecting others to speak English when you travel abroad, and denying
immigrants the right to practice their own personal culture.

10. Chauvinism
The belief that your own country or ethnic group is the best or most important. It is typically exhibited
through negative attitudes towards other countries or cultures. For example, someone who is chauvinistic
may view foreigners as dirty and inferior to their own countrymen.

If he doesn’t bark in French don’t answer him

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11. Separatist nationalism
It is a centrifugal force within a state that works to pull that union apart. They are more common in larger
states, particularly states that contain a large number of different nationalities competing for control and/or
self-determination.

12. Nationalism can be a unifying force. That was the case of the German and Italian nations. They were
divided into many states. They gradually discovered their shared identity and the new nation states of
Germany and Italy were established in the second half of the 19th century. The European nations would then
compete for colonies across the world in Africa, Eastern Asia, and Southeast Asia by the end of the 19th
century. At the beginning of the 20th century, however, nationalism played a major role in the competition
between nations in the road to World War I. Then and now, in difficult times, some rulers think their nation-
state needs an external enemy to generate internal cohesion.

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 REVOLUTIONS IN LATE MODERN PERIOD
The Atlantic Revolutions. Battling Ideologies (1815-1871)

A. Identity

B. If he doesn’t bark in French don’t answer him

C. Political leaders from the interwars period

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 D. Superiority

E. Barriers

F. `Right´ perspective

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G. Firstly savages and then civilised

H. Fear from infection

I. Another wall

J. Opposed
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 K. Bullying

1. Match each image from above (A-K) with the correct feature of Nationalism (1-12) and write one of the
following statements as a caption for each picture after reading the file Nationalism:

a) The fear of foreigners and people from different cultures

b) When the state makes the process for receiving citizenship harder, pause or set up caps of migration
c) When a a state embraces a warlike or bullying foreign policy
d) The idea of dividing people into groups based on their religious, ethnic, or political beliefs
e) The belief that one’s own culture is superior and the natural and most correct culture, and all others do
things wrong.
f) When the oppressed nations want to separate from a prison state/oppressor.
g) This political system believes in a strong central government that controls all aspects of society.
h) When a political leader want to frame their state based on a single cultural, ethnical o religious group.
i) The attitude of watching foreigners as dirty and inferior to their own countrymen.
j) When your ruler doesn’t allow you to speak your mother tongue and impose the another culture
k) Your government place tariffs on foreign commodities in oder to protect the local producers from foreign
competition

2. Read the text (on page 81 from your textbook) and answer the questions below.
Article 1.- The Spanish nation is made up of all the Spaniards of both hemispheres.
Article 3.- Sovereignty belongs to the nation, consequently it exclusively possesses the right of establishing
its fundamental laws.
Article 4.- The nation is obliged, by wise and just laws, to protect the liberty, property and all other legitimate
rights, of every individual which composes it.
Article 13.- The object of Governments is the welfare of nations; as is the happiness of the individuals who
compose them, that of all political societies.
Article 14.- The Government of the Spanish nation is a moderate, hereditary monarchy.
Article 15.- The power of making laws is in the Cortes, with the King.
Article 16.- The power of executing, the laws is in the King.
Article 17.- The power of applying the laws, in civil and criminal causes, exists in the tribunals established by
law.
Cádiz, 19 March 1812

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 A. Is this text a secondary or primary source? Give some evidence.
B. What does “both hemispheres” in article 1 mean?
C. Explain the effect of article 3 on the absolute monarchy.
D. Which articles refer to the separation of powers?
E. Which institutions and powers are mentioned?
F. According to this text, to whom does the sovereignty belong? What type of sovereignty does this text
show?
G. What type of rights does this text protect?
H. What type of text is this?
I. What ideology did it promote?
J. Who were the supporters of this ideology?
K. What were their objectives? (Politics, Economics and Society)

3. What were the ideologies that were involved in the revolutions during the first half of the 19th century in
Western Europe?
A. Capitalism, anarchism, Marxism and conservatism
B. Conservatism, Liberalism and nationalism
C. Liberalism, Marxism, democracy and anarchism
D. Mercantilism, French revolution, liberalism and socialism
4. Which of the following great European powers was the last to achieve political unity?
A. France
B. Germany
C. Austria
D. Great Britain
5. Cavour hoped to unify the independent Italian states around
A. Papal States
B. The Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
C. The Kingdom of Piedmont
D. The Austrian-controlled Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia
6. Which of the following did NOT have to deal with the problem of the nationalism of the subject peoples in its
territory during the nineteenth century?
A. Austrian Empire
B. Ottoman Empire
C. Russian Empire
D. Prussia
7. Answer the following questions about Nationalism:
A. What were their objectives in Politics? And in Economics?
B. This ideology did mix well with:
This ideology did not play well with:
C. What types of nationalism were there during the 19th century?
8. Comment the following painting that corresponds with the artistic movement of the 19th century by
answering these questions:

A. This ideology/artistic movement did not play well with… (complete)

B. What were its values?

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9. Organize the following maps in chronological order and describe, in six lines, main historical events
represented in each map (date, main powers, name of the period, changes in boundaries and dominant
ideologies). Use the maps on pages 41, 45 and 46 on your textbook.

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