Later on, nationalism soon reached the neighboring societies, and this was due because of several reasons like the natural diffusion of the beliefs of those who support independence, and also the reaction to the French aggression and domination. It was further moved by the industrial revolution which, with its new mode (cheap newspapers and the others) for mass communication, brought about a more effective and most acceptable way of teaching citizens. (Stavrionas, 1991: 33)
Nationalism became stronger after 1815 due to the territorial settlement of that year which left millions of peoples either disunited or under foreign rule. This was the case with the Germans and the Italians, and also the other societies like Belgians. The result was a series of nationalist rebellions that broke out in all parts of Europe after 1815. The Italians, after unsuccessful uprisings in 1820, 1830 and 1848, established an independent and united state between 1859 and 1871. The Germans, united under the leadership of Prussia, built their German empire after defeating Austria in 1866 and France in 1870-1871. (Hause and Maitby, 2005; 71, 84-89)
Secondly, the arms race of the nineteenth century was also linked with nationalism. For example, that naval arms race between Britain and Germany just before the First World War. These naval arms races which were intensified in 1906 with the launch of HMS Dreadnought, a revolutionary warship that caused all previous battleships obsolete. Britain maintained a large lead over Germany in all categories of warship. Paul Kennedy has pointed out that both nations believed in Alfred Thayer Mahan’s thesis that command of the sea was vital to a great nation. (Perryl et al, 1981; 93-116)
Thirdly, nationalism has been also accused as the major cause of the First World War. This was due to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austrian throne on June 28 1914, in Sarajevo. Gavrilo Princip, the assassinator was a member of the Young Bosnia, a group whose aims include the unification of South Slavs and independence from the Austria-Hungary Empire. However, the assassination in Sarajevo, did not achieve its main aims and in turn, it set into motion a series of fast-moving events that escalated into a full-scale war. The end of World War 1 led to the dissolution of the Autro-Hungary army and the disintegration of Austria-Hungary, proclaiming the independence of their respective parts of the old empire.
Fourthly, the effect of nationalism was also led to the breakaway from the Catholic church of several national churches. During earlier periods, the universalism of the Roman Empire lived on in the Catholic Church, to which all Western Christians belonged. Mass allegiance was, most of the time lies to the church since there’s no such nation existed, and thus some citizens considered themselves as Christians. The emergence of nations such as Italy, Germany and their vernacular languages changed this allegiance when people during the nineteenth century identified themselves as people of the sovereign instead of as Christians. (Stavrionas, 1991: 33)
Finally, it was clear from all the definitions above that nationalism was truly a global issue, that one might aware of. Although it is, actually, just a feeling one might feel, its role in shaping the world history was very significant in creating new nations that are still existed nowadays. Not only that, world war one, thus reminding new and powerful governments about the effects of the war and in developing new ideas that are also contributed to the arms race thus maintains the balance of power. The ruling systems during the earlier periods may have now considered being inappropriate toward nowadays living conditions, but their effects had significant impacts in developing the basis of nationalism, the feeling that was so new for people during the nineteenth century. Such a feeling was also true nowadays and therefore important for every governments or individuals to consider, in order to prevent more violations and killings that might happen from this feeling or emotion like that happened, especially during World War 1.
Bibliography
Stavrionas L. S, A Global History: from Prehistory to the Present, 5th edition. New Jersey, Prentice Hall, 1991, pp 494-516 [Ch. 29: Europe’s Political Revolutions]*
Perry M et al. Western Civilization: A Concise History, Boston, Houghton, Mifflin, 1981, pp 589-613 [Ch. 26: Western Imperialism: Global Dominance] *
Hause S. C and Maitby. W, Western Civilization: A History of European Society, 2nd edition, Belmont, CA, Thomson Wadsworth, 2005, pp 625-653, [Ch. 25: Europe in age of Nationalism, 1848-1870]*
*All extracted from the course reader, HP102 Contemporary History – The Modern World, 1750 to the Present
