Causes of Nationalism
As a concept of “nation” has existed for long times. We can understand it from the names of groups, which are before Roman Empire. Hittites, China Empire, Slavs, Gots and Normans are just a few examples. They lived with conscious of being nation. Butthis is so clear that being a nation and nationalism are so different than each other.
“Nationalism” is a new concept that begins in 18th century. It is accepted that it started with French Revolution. Before the revolution, there were unequality and classes between citizens. People challenged to despotism of king. After the revolution, empires became weaker and people wanted to establish their own nation states. The movements in Germany against Napoleon and in Poland against Russia are the first nationalist movements in the world. As we understood, natioalism spread because of the occupies, bullyings and pressures, thus people wanted to be together for protecting themselves from foreign enemies.
That was the beginning of nationalism. But now why are people nationalist or what are the causes of the growth of nationalism? People love to be a member of a group. Before nationalism, people were diveded according to their religion. But later, they understood that religion prevents their behaviours, science and somebody used religion for interests. After that, religion was posponed and science and reason rised up.
Other big reasons of nationalism are democracy and nation states. After the revolution some values, like democracy and nation state, became important. Nations started to declare their independence and establish their own nation states. Then everyone began to vote for the state. Legitimacy of state started to come from citizens, therefore citizens claimed their nation and states. Because, it is certain that the state and nation are all theirs so they want to protect them.
Another good reason ,maybe it’s the most useful one, is protecting the nation state from foreign enemies. Since terrorism and imperialism started to spread, nation states want to save their independence, unity and economy. These saving studies turned sometimes to chauvinism, because while you don’t want these enemies, you would better decry them. Sometimes truths, sometimes lies are spoken, but at result they make people see themselves superior and thus people part themselves in groups like “we” and “others”. Seeing somebody like “other” is the biggest and most important reason of the nationalism.
These are the basic reasons of birth and spread of nationalism, but there are other reasons like formal education, propagandas etc. Untill the reasons will finish, nationalism always exists and even it will increase. Because, everyone wants to know exaggerations instead of accepting the truth. Anyway, the main cause of distinguishing each other is that we see each other different and act them as they are “others”. We as all people must be finished from this idea: There may be differences, they are natural results of being human, but we have a big common characteristic that we are human.