How Did Nationalism Unite or Divide?
- Nationalism is one of those ideas that can feel uplifting or terrifying depending on how it’s used.
- 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.
- Think of it like fire:
- Controlled, it brings warmth and unity.
- Uncontrolled, it burns everything around it.
What is Nationalism?
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political and cultural ideology that emphasizes strong loyalty, devotion, and identification with one’s nation. It promotes the belief that people who share a common identity, such as language, culture, history, or ethnicity, should govern themselves and prioritize the interests of their nation.
Example
- German and Italian Unification (19th century): Nationalism inspired fragmented states to unite into nation-states.
- Indian Independence Movement: Nationalist leaders mobilized citizens to resist British rule and seek self-governance.
- American Revolution: Colonists used nationalist ideas to justify breaking away from British control.
- Balkan Nationalism: Competing national identities contributed to tensions and conflicts in the region.
- Zionist Movement: Jewish communities sought a national homeland based on shared identity and history.
- It grew rapidly during the 19th century as communication improved and people became more politically aware.
- It can be inclusive (“anyone can join our national identity”) or exclusive (“only certain people belong”).
- This distinction decides whether nationalism unites or divides.
How Nationalism UNITED people
1. German Unification (1871)
- This is one of the best examples of nationalism being used as glue.
- Dozens of German-speaking states shared culture and language.
- Otto von Bismarck used nationalist speeches and wars to convince people that unity was natural.
- Result: a powerful united Germany.
- Why it united:
- People already felt culturally connected: nationalism just gave them a political framework.
2. Italian Unification (1861–1870)
- Italy was historically a patchwork of regions, but nationalist leaders believed Italians should form one nation.
- Garibaldi’s Red Shirts sparked popular enthusiasm.
- Cavour built diplomatic alliances.
- Result: Italy became a unified state.
3. Anti-Colonial Nationalism (20th century)
- People living under empire used nationalism to push for independence.
- India: Gandhi united diverse groups through a shared identity of resisting British rule.
- Ghana: Nkrumah used nationalism to inspire independence movements.
How Nationalism DIVIDED societies
1. Austro-Hungarian Empire
- Imagine a house with too many families, each wanting their own room.
- Czechs, Slovaks, Serbs, Croats, and many others demanded autonomy.
- Their competing nationalisms weakened the empire.
- Tensions helped spark WWI.
2. Balkan Nationalism
- Serbian nationalists believed all Slavic peoples should unite - just not under Austrian rule.
- Austria-Hungary saw this as a threat.
- A Serbian nationalist assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914.
- WWI followed.
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.
- Hitler laid out his aims clearly:
- 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
- The key difference is who gets included in the definition of “the nation.”
- Inclusive nationalism → brings people together (e.g., India’s independence movement).
- Exclusive nationalism → treats “outsiders” as threats (e.g., Nazi Germany).
- Imagine drawing a circle:
- A big, open circle = unity.
- A tiny, closed circle = conflict.
- Describing nationalism without explaining why it unites or divides.
- Forgetting to mention identity (language, religion, culture).
- Mixing up patriotism (pride) with nationalism (political identity).
- Not showing the difference between inclusive vs exclusive nationalism.
- Treating all nationalism as either “good” or “bad”: context matters.
- Use one uniting example + one dividing example for full marks.
- Always link back to identity: “This mattered because people shared/didn’t share…”
- Mention leaders: Bismarck, Garibaldi, Gandhi, Hitler (examiner loves named examples).
- Explain consequences, not just ideas.
- Why did nationalism help unify Germany but divide the Austro-Hungarian Empire?
- How does exclusive nationalism differ from inclusive nationalism? Give examples.
- What features of National Socialism made it an extreme and dangerous form of nationalism?
- Why did Balkan nationalism contribute to the outbreak of World War I?
- Can nationalism ever be entirely positive or negative? Explain your reasoning.