Origins of 19th Century Nationalism: History and Evolution

Origins of Nineteenth Century Nationalism

The concept of the nation experienced significant ideological differences and developments driven by the French Revolution. Subjects transitioned from personal loyalty to feudal and absolute monarchs toward the status of active citizens under a legal framework established by a constitution. Individuals began to belong to a primary community, sharing culture, customs, language, and exercising civic rights. Most liberals of the 19th century were generally considered nationalists, working to substitute old feudal states with national states.

The expansion of Napoleon's army and the creation of new monarchies permitted the circulation of nationalist ideas throughout Europe. This era saw the development of historical, linguistic, folk, and cultural research dedicated to rediscovering the national past, helping communities consolidate their own political systems.

Political Romanticism and Cultural Identity

Political romanticism, with its affinity for customs, traditions, and popular culture, collaborated in creating a distinct national past. Each country sought to differentiate itself from the rest. Nineteenth-century nationalism was an ambiguous and complex phenomenon that developed two main currents:

1. Progressive Nationalism (Volunteer Nationalism)

• Any community could convert into a nation if desired.
• It put the necessary means in place to form a new state or unite existing ones.
• Any person could change nationality simply by choice.

2. Traditionalist Nationalism (Organic Nationalism)

• It is not based on the will of the people, but rather on pre-existing cultural, ethnic, and linguistic features.
• These characteristics accompanied individuals throughout their lives wherever they went.
• The nation was conceived as an organic entity, an objective community defined by history, tradition, and culture.

Nationalist Movements and International Organization

Out of this coexistence, nationalist movements were born, leading to international organizations. Revolutionary groups like Young Italy, Young Poland, and Young Germany made common cause, sometimes blending with aggressive and exclusivist nationalist effects.

Integrative and Disintegrative Nationalism

Another classification distinguishes between:

• Integrative Nationalism: Pretended to attract citizens toward common symbols to create great states.
• Disintegrative Nationalism: Attempted to destabilize and fragment traditional large states.

Nationalism began as a very active minority ideology, but from 1848 onward, it transformed into a mass movement.