Nationalism
and the Nation State
Nationalism is commonly defined as a love for
one's country. Historically, however, nationalism takes
on a far greater meaning. Throughout history, large
groups of people who share a
cultural identity (language,
customs, history) have felt the pulling power of nationalistic
feeling. The spirit of nationalism also includes the
belief that one's nation is better off as an autonomous
state. Autonomy is defined as a nation governing
itself independently from a centralized point.
Still another aspect of nationalism is the willingness to go
to extreme measures in achieving autonomous self-rule.
Revolutions, wars, ethnic tension, and other conflicts of
varying degrees have occurred throughout history because of a
love for one's country. The spirit of nationalism has
shaped the histories and destinies of many countries.
Nationalism can unite people into cohesive, stable
nations. Likewise, it can tear nations apart which can
result in long periods of social upheaval and political chaos.
Background
Nationalism in Europe can be traced back to the decline
of
feudalism and the beginning of the
Renaissance. Feudalistic societies are decentralized, meaning political control is
 spread out and
does not come from one strong, stable place. When
feudalism declined, larger areas of land were being controlled
by fewer, more powerful individuals. A good example of
nationalism supporting the rise of a single person is the case
of
Elizabeth I (shown here) and
the
nation-state of England. England had previously played a
role in the
Protestant Reformation when
Henry VIII broke away
from the
Roman Catholic Church to form his own Church of
England. The Church, during the days of feudalism, was
the one unifying factor for European people. When the
power of the Church receded during the Renaissance, people became
aware of similarities and interests beyond religion.
Elizabeth I was seen as a symbol of English pride.
England became a nation-state governing itself, not a
disjointed group of feudal states paying homage to the
Catholic Church centered in far-away Italy. Nation-states
with strong individual rulers became predominant in
Europe. Rulers such as
Louis XIV in France governed
large nations with absolute power. European people, in
general, no longer saw themselves individually as (for
example) Bavarian,
Bohemian, or Prussian, they saw themselves as
German.
The Big Picture
The Renaissance in Europe fostered new political ideas and
a reshaping of nation-states emerging out of the feudal period
of the
Middle Ages. Political revolutions
occurred,
causing tremendous impact on subsequent revolutions, and result
in ousting leaders and new governments. Many European
nations experienced heightened periods of nationalism in the
19th century and were either unified by it or
divided into ethnic groups. The European nations
that experienced unification because of nationalism eventually enter into a period of
imperialism where
they politically, socially, and economically take over weaker
nations in Asia, Africa, the
Middle East,
and
Latin America. Still later in the 20th
century, these imperialized countries experienced nationalistic movements aimed at removing European imperial
influences in order to establish their own autonomous
states. Therefore, the tide of nationalism has been
washing through history for roughly 500 years, making direct
correlations between yesterday and today.
This site is designed to aid students in reviewing the
impact of nationalism throughout human history. This site
should be used in preparation for the New York State Regents
Exam in Global History and Geography. In addition, students
may test their knowledge of the material presented here by
accessing multiple-choice questions from past Regents Exams.
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