Nationalism

Question 1

Nationalist views on human nature

Answer 1

Humans naturally form nations
Nations are the only logical way for humans to organise themselves

Question 2

Political vs cultural definition of the nation

Answer 2

Political-
Inclusive as membership defined by citizenship, joining doesn’t require assimilation
Civic nationalism (those who subscribe to the nations views and values can join eg American dream, British values)

VS

Cultural- membership defined by nationality, tradition, shared history, race etc making it exclusive
Ethnic nationalism- membership usually inherited through ethnicity from birth

Question 3

Explain Rousseau’s key ideas

Answer 3

“General will”- legitimate government requires active participation (civic nationalism)
Social contract

Question 4

Explain Mazzini’s key ideas

Answer 4

‘Every nation a state and one state for the entire nation’
Rejected intellectualism/ abstract thinking- developed his theory ‘thought and action’ which states that every thought must be followed by an action
“Say not I but we’”

Question 5

Explain Herder’s key ideas

Answer 5

Organic view of the nation
Culturalism- a romantic view of the nation, every nation has its own Volksgeist.
Rejected imperialism- this constitutes forcing on colonies a culture that is not theirs
Patriotism-“he that has lost his patriotic spirit has lost himself and the whole worlds about himself”

Question 6

Explain Garvey’s key ideas

Answer 6

Pan Africanism- Africans are one nation no matter their location

Black nationalism- pride in blackness eg not straightening hair to look more white

Separatism- black people could only be respected and treated equally if they created a successful economy/ society on their own

‘I am the equal of any white man’

Question 7

Explain Maurras’ key ideas

Answer 7

Integral nationalism- highly exclusive, membership is completely exclusive even with assimilation

Regressive- backward looking ‘in order to love France it is necessary to hate what she has become

Romantic/ non logical- believed in a French goddess

Militaristic- as a method of improving national pride and advancing economic interests

Anti individualist- individuals are subsumed by the nations ‘A true nationalist places his country above everything’

Reject self determination due to chauvinism

Question 8

To what extent is nationalism progressive

Answer 8

Progressive
LNs- rational in support of civic nationalism, inclusive and self determination
PCNs- seek equality and inclusion so are progressive
CNs- view the best way to advance the nations interests is to conserve- in a sense progressive

Regressive
CNs backward looking, seek to preserve volksgeist of nation through shared history/ traditional values

ENs backward looking to a golden era, integral nationalism exclusive and chauvinism over equality

Question 9

Mazzini quote self determination

Answer 9

‘Every nation has the right…to form its own destiny’

Question 10

Garvey quote self determination

Answer 10

We are entitled to our own government, our own
leaders, our own country, and our own destiny.”

Question 11

Do nationalists have a pessimistic view of human nature

Answer 11

Agreement
- LNs and PCNs both argue optimistically that humans are rational and capable of creating equal and self determined nation states

Disagreement
- LNs argue humans are rational and can work with other humans in harmony- inclusive view of nation
Whereas CNs view humans as security seeking and unable to cope with new entrants to the nation

Disagreement
- optimistic view by PCNs that humans are equal leading to a belief in equal, self determined nation states.
Where’s ENs view humans as flawed and needing to feel superior to others and be subsumed by the nation(integral nat) so reject self determination and equality- chauvinism