Nationalism in Europe Before WWI

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Formation of Nationalism in Germany and Italy
Consequences of Nationalism
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

When looking at the conditions of the emergence of classical European nationalism, it is possible to conclude that many nations experienced the rise of national movements before World War I. This growth was most consistent in Italy and Germany, which is quite natural since these countries were leaders and were the main participants in the opposing bloc. The ideology aimed at strengthening national identity became key in these states, which led to serious historical consequences and global changes in the world. The formation of European nationalism from the 19th century was the reason for a significant change in views on the dominance and order of individual countries. This movement was the result of effective propaganda and an aggressive policy aimed at the redistribution of territories and the seizure of power.

Formation of Nationalism in Germany and Italy

The emergence of new economic models and forms of property management in Europe in the 19th century was a significant stage. It was one of the main factors driving the transition of German elites to the course of nationalism. According to von Bernstorff, the movement aimed at preserving the national idea in the conditions of competition and the struggle for world domination became prevailing because of specific economic issues (p. 237). It was due to the powerful orientation of people towards the course on innovations and the strengthening of countries internal structure. Despite the difficulties that both Germany and Italy experienced before the outbreak of World War I, both countries managed to use maximum opportunities to strengthen the national identity of the population.

Consequences of Nationalism

As a result, the 19th century was a turning point in the histories of these countries thanks to the policy of preserving domestic resources and building internal capacity. Maxwell and Davis note that some European countries supported such an order, which led to the spread of the ideas of nationalism and changes in views on development (p. 4). Anarchist ideas gave way to the order that, in turn, led to the policy of strengthening national identity. As Conversi argues, different social classes supported the course of transition to the power that was aimed at nationalism (794). Further, this movement became widespread as an algorithm for overcoming an economic crisis.

The history of Germany and Italy, beginning from the 19th century, has much in common since both states during the first half of that century created the ideology of future national unity. In the second half of the 19th century, Germany and Italy ended the struggle for unification and occupied the position of major independent European powers that began to influence global politics (Lyttelton and Ialongo, p. 300). Both countries were dissatisfied with the situation that they were allotted to countries that had previously dealt with feudal fragmentation, primarily Britain and France. After World War I, the states were humiliated by the Versailles Peace Germany, as a defeated country, and Italy, as a member of the coalition (von Bernstorff, p. 254). However, the surge of nationalism in Europe spread far beyond Germany and Italy, which proves the power of this ideology.

Conclusion

Effective intrastate propaganda and the desire to strengthen civic identity became the factors influencing the development of nationalism in Europe. Germany and Italy supported this course that, subsequently, was borrowed by other states. The preconditions of nationalism included the need to strengthen the economy and the desire to expand the spheres of influence. As a result, this powerful movement developed due to the impact of politicians. The consequences of nationalism were significant, and World War I was one of the outcomes.

Works Cited

Conversi, Daniele. Anarchism, Modernism, and Nationalism: Futurisms French Connections, 18761915. The European Legacy, vol. 21, no. 8, 2016, pp. 791-811.
Lyttelton, Adrian, and Ernest Ialongo. Multi/Interdisciplinary Investigations into Italy and World War I: An introduction. Journal of Modern Italian Studies, vol. 21, no. 2, 2016, pp. 300-305.
Maxwell, Alexander, and Sacha E. Davis. Germanness Beyond Germany: Collective Identity in German Diaspora Communities. German Studies Review, vol. 39, no. 1, 2016, pp. 1-15.
von Bernstorff, Jochen. The Use of Force in International Law before World War I: On Imperial Ordering and the Ontology of the Nation-State. European Journal of International Law, vol. 29, no. 1, 2018, pp. 233-260.

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Nationalism in Europe Before WWI

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