Nationalism thinkers Flashcards
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
Born in geneva
The leading member of the ‘philosophes’, a group of radical thinkers who were a major influence on the French Revolution and upon liberal thinking in general
Best known for ‘The Social Contract (1762)’
Different social contract to hobbes/locke
Rousseau - nation
General will argued that governments should be based on the indivisible collective will of the ‘community’
This notion of community was based on the idea of a national community, a nation
Rousseau - self determination
Argued that these communities had the right to govern themselves, so he was associated with the idea of national self determination
Rousseau - government
were obliged to listen to the collective will of the people and ensure that it’s laws were applied universally and enforced the collective will of the people, not to direct it
Rousseau - civic nationalism
argued that the state can only be legitimate when it’s based on the active participation of its citizens
The social contract was the basis of civic nationalism
Johann Gottfried von Herder (1744-1803)
Associated primarily with culturalism
Rejected the rational beliefs of liberal forms of nationalism, focusing instead on nations as cultural, organic groups invested in their own unique spirit (volksgeist)
At the time, germany was many states, and the movement to unite them was influenced by him
Herder - culturalism
suggested that every nation was different and that each had its own unique character and identity that it should pursue and enhance
Herder - inclusive nationalism
relations between nations allowed an understanding of other nationalities, and encouraged people to understand what was distinctive about their own nation
Herder - volksgeist
identified the people as the root of national culture and special nature that each nation should try to express
Argued that nation states are an expressive of cultural differences, not the creator of them
Herder - patriotism
attached exceptional importance to the concept of nationality - ‘he that has lost his patriotic spirit has lost himself and the whole world’s about himself’
Giuseppe Mazzini (1805-1872)
Combined philosophy with heroic political and military action in the pursuit of his ideals
Along with his close associate Giuseppe Garibaldi he became the face of italian nationalism and unification - liberating the separate italian states from foreign rule and fusing them into a free independent republic
Seen as a liberal nationalist, but this was only partly true
Mazzini - nationhood
believed that humans could only express themselves via their nation
People had to unite as nations to enjoy their rights; thus human freedom rested first and foremost on the creation of one’s own state
The nation state was not merely a convenient form of government, but was a partnership of free and equal humans bound together in unity towards a single aim
Mazzini - patriotism and action
the nationalist cause had to take precedence over all causes
Regarded patriotism as a duty, and love for the fatherland a divine mission
Rejected intellectualism and rationalism and created an idea known as ‘thought and action’ in which every thought must be followed by an action
Mazzini - spirituality
motto was Dio e Popolo (god and people) and he believed that it was god who divided people
Even though some of his writings can sometimes be understood as speaking out against the catholic church, he remained deeply spiritual, distinguishing between religious sentiment and the catholic church
Charles Maurras (1868-1952)
Was a key advocated of integral nationalism, a form of right wing nationalism that influenced the ideas of fascism (exclusive, racialism, nativism)
Maurras - integral nationalism
Integral nationalist states were usually totalitarian, where the state dominates all aspects of society
Mussolini’s italy was the first example of such a society, japan in the 1940s
Maurras - individualism
rejected individualism as it led to individuals thinking only of their best interests, rather than the nation and their place in it
He believed that the french revolution had contributed to this malaise
Maurras - militarism
integral nationalism often results after a nation had achieved independence and established a state
Often, these countries have a strong military ethos, which became entrenched through the struggle for independence
Marcus Garvey (1887-1940)
Was an early advocate of pan-africanism, founding the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and well as pioneering black nationalism
Garvey - black pride
encouraged african people around the world to be proud of their race and to see beauty in their own kind
Believed that african people around the world were one people and that they would never progress if they did not put aside their cultural/ethnic differences
Ultimate dream of united states of africa
Garvey - Pan-africanism
wished to inspire a global mass-movement and economic empowerment focussing on africa, where he sought to end imperialist rule and create modern societies
Garvey - economy
Argued that black people would be respected only when they were economically strong and proposed an independent black economy
Connected black communities on three continents with his newspaper Negro World and formed Black Star Line Shipping company to provide transport and to encourage trade among black businesses of africa and the americas
