PS130 World PoliticsMichael R. Baysdell

Chapter 4: Nationalism

Nations, Nationalism, and Nation-States:Political Divisions in Global Politics

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Most people have more than one political identityNationalism–“most powerful political idea,” but not as dominant a political orientation as it used to beTransnational alternative orientations – Ch. 5Now, let’s get some definitions…

NATIONS

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Share demographic and cultural similarities: race, culture, language, ethnicity, etc.Sense of community: Recognition/belief in connectednessWant to control themselves politically: autonomous self-governanceIntangible institutions

NATIONALISM

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Separatist political impulse of a nationAn ideology that holds that the nation should be the primary political identity of individualsA sense of essential political identity that dictates action in concert

Theories About the Origins of the State

Force TheoryEvolutionary Theory—primitive family leads to a clan, clan leads to a tribe, tribe gives up nomadic behaviorDivine Right Theory—rule by the grace of God, etc.Social Contract Theory (Locke/Harrington/Hobbes/Rousseau)

NATION-STATES

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In theory, the combination of state and nation, reflecting a nation’s desire to have its own state and to govern itself independentlyRough definition: unified population that is roe than 90% of a stateEX: Japan, South KoreaIn practice, many states contain multiple nations within their own borders and nations often overlap one or more state boundaries

The Rise and Ascendancy of Nationalism:

Early Developments

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Fall of Rome, Holy Roman Empire created groups of people who could choose to be separateDivision of Western Christendom and fragmentation of European cultureRise of secular monarchs—King Henry VIII

The Rise and Ascendancy of Nationalism:

Ascendant Modern Nationalism

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Creation of a nationalistic popular cultureImplication of the spreading notion of equalityConcept of popular sovereignty, from Switzerland and England to American and French revolutionsChanges in the political map–emergence of nation-states German, Italian, Austro-Hungarian, British/French Colonial, and USSR empires fall

The Rise and Ascendancy of Nationalism: Patterns of Nation-State Formation

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Which comes first, the nation and nationalism or the nation-state?Examples both ways….Unification nationalism: Italy, Germany, JapanState-building nationalism: Rwanda, Burundi

Sometimes they evolve together: United States of America

Nationalism in Practice: Issues and Evaluation

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Nation-states: more myth than realityNationalism has a troubled face as well as a beneficent oneThe idea of self-determination may not always be a sound goalMicrostates may not be large enough to function

Nation-States: More Myth Than Reality

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Territorial boundaries of nations and states do not always coincideLack of “fit” between nations and states is a significant source of international and domestic tension and conflict.Lack-of-fit patterns: Multinational States (Francophones and Anglophones in Canada,

Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda) Multistate Nation (Koreans in North and South Korea, Albanians in

Albania & Kosovo) Multiple nations, multiple states: 1 nation dominates more than 1

state (Afghanistan—failed state; North and South Vietnam) Nation is majority in 1 state and a minority in another (Albanians,

Macedonians). Leads to Irredentism--any position advocating annexation of territories administered by another state on the grounds of common ethnicity or prior historical possession, actual or alleged

Stateless Nation (Kurds, Palestinians). Whose fault?

Understanding the Arab-Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

2200 years ago, Jews lived in Palestine

Arabs attacked and defeated Jews; dispersed throughout world

Zionist movement leads to 1917 Balfour Declaration

World War II Nazi atrocities

Homeland sought—where?

UNSCOP Partitions Palestine, 1947

State of Israel declared, 1948

Wars of 1948/1956/1967/1973

1948: Consolidation of Independence

1956: Suez Crisis

1967: 6-day war

1973: “Yom Kippur” or “October” War

The Beneficial Face of Nationalism

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Promotes democracy (self-determination, popular sovereignty), but can be manipulated by demagogues.Encourages self-determinationDiscourages imperialism: Serves as a powerful deterrent to outside rule but can encourage expansionist tendencies. (East Timor)Promotes economic developmentProtects diversity and experimentation: This seems true when considering interactions between nation-states, but it can also suppress diversity within a state

The Troubled Face of Nationalism

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Intensity and magnitude of ethnonational conflicts remain high (See Figure 4.2)Leads to the lack of concern for others, xenophobia, internal oppression, and external aggressionReluctance to help others; exclusionismNegative nationalism –“exceptionalism”–feeling superior to or even hating othersInternal Oppression: Bosnians over Kosovars, Janjaweed over Black Africans in SudanCan lead to imperialism—Czarist Russia taking over Ukraine“The de facto role of the US armed forces will be to keep the world safe for our economy and open to our cultural assault. To those ends, we will do a fair amount of killing” --Ralph Peters

Self-Determination as a Goal

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Positive Aspects: Can help end ethnic oppression

Problems and Concerns: Untangling groups Dissolution of existing states Microstates:

"Negative sovereignty" invites intervention by more powerful Is there a right to secede? Applying self-determination

principles is difficult in a complex world 1/3 of countries have populations smaller than Los Angeles Leads to questions about diplomatic recognition--legation

The Predicted Demise of Nationalism: The Lessons of World War

II

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Experiences of destructive power of nationalism (Fascism)Development of nuclear weaponsEmphasis on free trade and economic interdependence

Nationalism and the Future

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Continued strength of nationalism: Between 1940 and 2003, the number of states increased 272%BUT, nationalism may evolve toward internationalism, although at a slow pace at best; no immediate prospects for changeOn other hand, nationalism may continue to advance at a rapid pace with the increasing struggle for dwindling fossil fuel energy resourcesStill the primary source of political identification but constantly being challenged

CHAPTER OBJECTIVES

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After reading this chapter, students should be able to:

1. Define nationalism.2. Identify the elements that make up a nation. 3. Describe how a nation differs from a state.4. Identify and explain the ideal concept of nation-state and its relationship to nationalism.5. Explain nationalism as the product of historical development.6. Identify the ideal and actual relationships between nation and state.7. Define multistate nationalities and explain when they occur. 8. Discuss why nationalism is said to be both a cohesive and a divisive force.9. List and discuss positive and negative aspects of nationalism.10. Discuss the origins of microstates and the problems that their existence presents to the state-centric system.11. Identify arguments predicting the end of nationalism and the demise of the territorial state, and note post–World War II trends that have contradicted these predictions.12. Explain the place of nationalism and the nation-state in today’s world where transnational and other structures and identifications are also increasing in scope and intensity.