Nationalism and identity Notes

How Did Nationalism Unite or Divide?

1. Nationalism is one of those ideas that can feel uplifting or terrifying depending on how it’s used.
2. At its core, it’s about a group of people feeling connected through shared identity. But in practice, nationalism can build nations or destroy them.

What is Nationalism?

1. It grew rapidly during the 19th century as communication improved and people became more politically aware.
2. It can be inclusive (“anyone can join our national identity”) or exclusive (“only certain people belong”).
3. This distinction decides whether nationalism unites or divides.

How Nationalism UNITED people

1. German Unification (1871)

1. This is one of the best examples of nationalism being used as glue.
   1. Dozens of German-speaking states shared culture and language.
   2. Otto von Bismarck used nationalist speeches and wars to convince people that unity was natural.
   3. Result: a powerful united Germany.
2. Why it united:
   1. People already felt culturally connected: nationalism just gave them a political framework.

2. Italian Unification (1861–1870)

1. Italy was historically a patchwork of regions, but nationalist leaders believed Italians should form one nation.
   1. Garibaldi’s Red Shirts sparked popular enthusiasm.
   2. Cavour built diplomatic alliances.
   3. Result: Italy became a unified state.

3. Anti-Colonial Nationalism (20th century)

1. People living under empire used nationalism to push for independence.

How Nationalism DIVIDED societies

1. Austro-Hungarian Empire

1. Imagine a house with too many families, each wanting their own room.
   1. Czechs, Slovaks, Serbs, Croats, and many others demanded autonomy.
   2. Their competing nationalisms weakened the empire.
   3. Tensions helped spark WWI.

2. Balkan Nationalism

1. Serbian nationalists believed all Slavic peoples should unite - just not under Austrian rule.
   1. Austria-Hungary saw this as a threat.
   2. A Serbian nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914.
   3. WWI followed.

Case study

Extreme Nationalism in Nazi Germany (National Socialism)

• What was National Socialism?
  • Hitler reshaped nationalism into a rigid, violent ideology:
  • Only people of “German blood” belonged to the nation.
  • A strong leader (Führer) would unite all “true Germans.”
  • Jews and communists were labelled enemies of the nation.
  • War was glorified as a way to achieve national greatness.
• Key Ideas from Mein Kampf (1925)
  • Hitler laid out his aims clearly:
    • “Greater Germany” → unify all Germans.
    • “Master Race” → racial hierarchy with Aryans at the top.
    • Exclude Jews → “They must be destroyed.”
    • Strong dictatorship → the Führer principle.
    • This is nationalism used not to unite groups peacefully, but to define belonging so narrowly that millions were excluded.
• Core Features of Nazi Nationalism
  • Authoritarian Leadership: Total obedience to Hitler.
  • Volksgemeinschaft (“People’s Community”): A racially “pure” national community.
  • Social Darwinism: The belief that nations/races were in a survival struggle.
  • Lebensraum (“Living Space”): The idea that Germany should expand eastwards into Slavic territories.
  • Militarism: Constant preparation for war.
  • Autarky: Economic self-sufficiency to prepare for conflict.
  • Enemies of the State: Jews and communists depicted as internal threats.
• Why this divided society
  • It excluded anyone who didn’t fit the racial ideal.
  • It encouraged violence as a political tool.
  • It turned nationalism into a justification for genocide and conquest.
  • This is the clearest example in modern history of how nationalism becomes destructive when built on exclusion and fear.

Why Nationalism Can Unite or Divide

1. The key difference is who gets included in the definition of “the nation.”
   1. Inclusive nationalism → brings people together (e.g., India’s independence movement).
   2. Exclusive nationalism → treats “outsiders” as threats (e.g., Nazi Germany).