Module V·Article II·~2 min read
Nationalism as a Political Ideology
Nationalism, Liberalism, and 19th-Century Imperialism
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Nation as a Political Principle
Nationalism asserts: political and national units must coincide—every nation should correspond to a state, every state should include only members of one nation. This may seem obvious, but it is historically specific and problematic.
Ernest Gellner ("Nations and Nationalism", 1983): the nation is a product of nationalism, not the other way around. It is not the "awakening" of dormant nations—it is the creation of nations through ideology. Nationalism precedes nations: first the idea, then the reality. This is the "invention of tradition" (Hobsbawm): Scottish tartans were "invented" in the 19th century; the majority of "ancient traditions" are modern constructs.
Ethnic and Civic Nationalism
A distinction that has become politically important: ethnic nationalism (membership in the nation is defined by blood and origin) and civic nationalism (membership is defined by citizenship and shared values).
German nationalism of the 19th century was primarily ethnic: "Volk"—an organic national unity. French nationalism after the Revolution was civic: "Frenchman" could be anyone who accepted republican values. The Declaration of 1789 appealed to the "French nation" as a political community, not an ethnic group.
In practice, most nationalisms mix both types. And both can be dangerous: civic nationalism can become forced assimilation, ethnic nationalism—ethnic cleansing.
Liberalism vs. Nationalism
A complex relationship. Mill's liberalism emphasized individual rights—nationalism appeals to collective identity. They can cooperate (nations seek self-determination) or conflict (the nation limits minority rights).
"Liberal nationalism" (Yael Tamir, David Miller): a form of nationalism compatible with liberal principles is possible—if the nation is based on citizenship, open to inclusion, and respects minority rights. Critics are skeptical: "nationalism" without ethnic exclusivity is either not nationalism or not liberalism.
Question for reflection: Your organization or professional community has a "culture" with criteria for membership. By what criteria is someone considered "one of us"? Is this an ethnic or a civic type of belonging?
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