FROM NATIONALISM TO INTERNATIONALISM & FROM INTERNATIONALISM TO REGIONALISM
Nationalism - (Rise and Impact)rise of Nationalism, especially after French revolution, had important impact on the world including on the re-drawing of national boundaries. Britain and France were the first nation-states to emerge.
•Concept of Nationalism:--Until the French revolution, except for Britain, the Europe was under the domination of feudal system and there was no concept of a Nation. There were empires with scattered territories ruled by Monarchs, there existed feudal lords with their estates and there were towns and cities, but no Nation, as we understand it today. The French revolution gave the concept of a Nation, which was sum total of people and in whom lay the sovereignty. Thus, Nationalism came to be represented as self-rule due to the French and American revolutions.
• Misuse of Nationalism by Absolute Monarchs:--- when Napoleon invaded the rest of Europe, stoked by the monarchs of Europe,
nationalism manifested in form of the desire to protect the territory against foreign invasion. Thus the Monarchs used nationalism to consolidate their hold on power and the 19th century. Europe witnessed aggressive Absolute Monarchies with focus on extension of territory and expansion of colonial empire. After Napoleonic wars, Europe saw waves of pro-democracy revolutions but Monarchies were opposed to the democratic ideas of French revolution and they used nationalism as a shield to defend and even extend their empires. War victories (e.g. Bismarck consolidated his hold on Germany via Franco-Prussian War of 1870) and admission of more colonies(e.g. Italy entered colonial race in Africa for political benefits at home) were used to maintain the hold on power.
•Role of Revolutionary Thinkers in Nationalism:----Modern thinkers contributed a lot to the concept of nationalism. Idea of self-rule and
nationalism were also altering the national boundaries. Greece became independent from
Ottoman Empire in 1832, while Belgium’s pro-democracy revolution against United Kingdom of
Netherlands helped it attain independence in 1839.The movement for unification of Germany and Italy derived much of their energies from the ideas of these thinkers. Example, Garibaldi and Mazzini played an important role in unification of Italy, while the English poet Byron wrote and fought for Greek independence. These thinkers brought Romanticism to the literary content of those times, which enthused the people to lend their support to their armies, freedom fighters and monarchies alike for sake of Nation’s glory.
• Industrial Revolution & Nationalism
The Industrial Revolution in Europe during the 19th century increased the national competition in economic sphere and brought the nation-states in conflict with each other for acquisition of colonies. That ultimately led to Internationalism /globalisation.
The world that evolved after world war 2 was built on certain assumptions. First that the origin of war was rested in rise on Nationalism in Germany. And inability of other countries to form an effective and proactive alliance to contain German and destroy the Nazi regime. Second reason the financial crisis that preceded world war second was rooted in collapse of international trade and businesses due to protectionism. In USA this was represented by smoot-Hawley tariffs.
These two assumptions frame the post world war world and Cold war. The USA as leading non Communist power followed a strategy to contain soviet union stretching from Japan to Norway. The USA forged complex structure of allies to avoid old mistakes (1930).
In order to maintain this structure vibrant economies were essential. Both the allies and their resources (economic as well as military) to demonstrate their superiority to the rest .
====Now here came the real problem,as economic development needs cooperation and free trade . The USA pushed for EU integration and liberalised trade and multi national economic entities world Bank, international monetary fund, UN etc..
World war 2 was seen as revealing the dangers of nationalism and necessity for international cooperation.
What emerged was an internationalist system that wanted to see increasing political and military and economic integration in the west. By the 1989-91 soviet union was collapsed and what began as lesson learned from world war 2 and a response to contain soviet became a moral imperative.
In many ways it buried political distinctions. All the major parties were internationalist. Conservatives saw it as a path of prosperity while liberal saw it as a way of improving standard of living. Creating international standards for international political behaviour..The distinctions between left and right eroded. Different countries had different emphases but doctrine of Internationalism dominated the world. Even those that were not going to be liberal like China valued the trade system and depended on it. And even western believed tha if Chinese had iPod in their hand they would inevitably became like West. Internationalism was vibrant throughout the world and it moves business particularly during 1991-2008....(.to be continued in second part)
•Concept of Nationalism:--Until the French revolution, except for Britain, the Europe was under the domination of feudal system and there was no concept of a Nation. There were empires with scattered territories ruled by Monarchs, there existed feudal lords with their estates and there were towns and cities, but no Nation, as we understand it today. The French revolution gave the concept of a Nation, which was sum total of people and in whom lay the sovereignty. Thus, Nationalism came to be represented as self-rule due to the French and American revolutions.
• Misuse of Nationalism by Absolute Monarchs:--- when Napoleon invaded the rest of Europe, stoked by the monarchs of Europe,
nationalism manifested in form of the desire to protect the territory against foreign invasion. Thus the Monarchs used nationalism to consolidate their hold on power and the 19th century. Europe witnessed aggressive Absolute Monarchies with focus on extension of territory and expansion of colonial empire. After Napoleonic wars, Europe saw waves of pro-democracy revolutions but Monarchies were opposed to the democratic ideas of French revolution and they used nationalism as a shield to defend and even extend their empires. War victories (e.g. Bismarck consolidated his hold on Germany via Franco-Prussian War of 1870) and admission of more colonies(e.g. Italy entered colonial race in Africa for political benefits at home) were used to maintain the hold on power.
•Role of Revolutionary Thinkers in Nationalism:----Modern thinkers contributed a lot to the concept of nationalism. Idea of self-rule and
nationalism were also altering the national boundaries. Greece became independent from
Ottoman Empire in 1832, while Belgium’s pro-democracy revolution against United Kingdom of
Netherlands helped it attain independence in 1839.The movement for unification of Germany and Italy derived much of their energies from the ideas of these thinkers. Example, Garibaldi and Mazzini played an important role in unification of Italy, while the English poet Byron wrote and fought for Greek independence. These thinkers brought Romanticism to the literary content of those times, which enthused the people to lend their support to their armies, freedom fighters and monarchies alike for sake of Nation’s glory.
• Industrial Revolution & Nationalism
The Industrial Revolution in Europe during the 19th century increased the national competition in economic sphere and brought the nation-states in conflict with each other for acquisition of colonies. That ultimately led to Internationalism /globalisation.
The world that evolved after world war 2 was built on certain assumptions. First that the origin of war was rested in rise on Nationalism in Germany. And inability of other countries to form an effective and proactive alliance to contain German and destroy the Nazi regime. Second reason the financial crisis that preceded world war second was rooted in collapse of international trade and businesses due to protectionism. In USA this was represented by smoot-Hawley tariffs.
These two assumptions frame the post world war world and Cold war. The USA as leading non Communist power followed a strategy to contain soviet union stretching from Japan to Norway. The USA forged complex structure of allies to avoid old mistakes (1930).
In order to maintain this structure vibrant economies were essential. Both the allies and their resources (economic as well as military) to demonstrate their superiority to the rest .
====Now here came the real problem,as economic development needs cooperation and free trade . The USA pushed for EU integration and liberalised trade and multi national economic entities world Bank, international monetary fund, UN etc..
World war 2 was seen as revealing the dangers of nationalism and necessity for international cooperation.
What emerged was an internationalist system that wanted to see increasing political and military and economic integration in the west. By the 1989-91 soviet union was collapsed and what began as lesson learned from world war 2 and a response to contain soviet became a moral imperative.
In many ways it buried political distinctions. All the major parties were internationalist. Conservatives saw it as a path of prosperity while liberal saw it as a way of improving standard of living. Creating international standards for international political behaviour..The distinctions between left and right eroded. Different countries had different emphases but doctrine of Internationalism dominated the world. Even those that were not going to be liberal like China valued the trade system and depended on it. And even western believed tha if Chinese had iPod in their hand they would inevitably became like West. Internationalism was vibrant throughout the world and it moves business particularly during 1991-2008....(.to be continued in second part)
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