Nationalism is the feeling of loyalty shared by a group of people united by race, language, and culture. It was born and spreading since 1789 during the French Revolution, and spread by the Napoleon army. To express their loyalty to their nation, people will attempt to fight for independence against foreign rule or unite themselves into one large nation-state. Nationalism therefore was both a uniting force and dividing force; uniting a number of small states into one large nation-state or splitting a large country into smaller ones. This feeling of nationalism therefore directed the people to make many territorial changes on the face of Europe.
First, we should look at changes made by nationalism to the Vienna settlement. Vienna settlement can be seen as a stage that attempts to stop changes from taking place in Europe: it aimed to “turn to clock back”, restoring old order, and preserve a “status quo” to maintain balance of power and stability in return for peace. Changes made to it started in 1830, when there was the Belgium War of Independence. The Belgians, forced to unite with Holland in 1815 by the Vienna settlement to create a buffer state to prevent France from further aggression, were serious fed up of the Holland government over them because they were treated like a conquered country and started a revolt. The success of the Belgian revolt was the first important violation of the settlement.
Reactionary powers, which suppressed all revolts and uprising previously in Europe, surprisingly helped in the creation of the new Belgian state. Their independence served as great encouragement to those who were still under foreign rule and want their own independence because of nationalist thinking. Belgium Independence was one of the changes made to the map of Europe under the force of nationalism, cutting up the buffer state Kingdom of United Netherlands, creating a new nation, Belgium.
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Italian unification carried out during 1858-1870 was another change made to the European map due to nationalism. Italian states were what Metternich described as “geographic expression”, no more than a loose collection of states, not a nation. Nationalism increased the desire for these nations to be united into one country. Therefore, the Italians, under the lead of Piedmont-Sardinia, started wars to overthrown foreign rule, changing the original decisions made by the Vienna settlement as to how and who the states should be governed. The Italian unification decreased the power of Austria since some states were ruled by them previously, and gave birth to a new power, Italy. These are changes made by nationalism because the Italian unification is the end product of nationalism.
Almost carried out at the same time was the German unification (1864-1870).
Under Prussian, the German states grouped together and form the German Empire. This was an emergence of a new great power, changing the original balance of power. The German Unification was also a product of nationalism as it started out as a movement to group the German States together when they are separated. Therefore nationalism was an important force in this process, hence an important force which cause the change in the balance of power as well changes to map.
Eastern Question was the decline of the Turkish empire. This “sick man of Europe” relates to the force of nationalism because her states, Bulgaria, Serbia, Rumania and Greek gained independence and left Turkey when nationalism took the form of a desire to govern their own people. This was again change in the European map, emergence of new nations and cutting up of the Turkish empire.
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Changes in Europe up to 1870 must included the rise and decline of the Great powers. In 1815, Britain was the strongest in naval power, while Russia had the strongest army. France, defeated recently in the Napoleon Wars, was one of the weaker powers. Austria and Prussia were weak powers and the leading five, in 1856, France recovered from her defeated and became trusted by other nations, equally strong as Britain in terms of military means. Russia, defeated in the Crimean war fell to the bottom of the top power chart. It was this time when the unification process took place. In 1870, German emerged after the unification as a power strong enough to challenge Britain, while France, being defeated in the Franco-Prussia War suffered a blow in her status. There have also been changes in the international relationships. The powers had maintain an atmosphere of cooperation called Concert of Europe and it was strong till 1856. the concert then ceased to exist as
powers either isolated themselves (Britain) or turned aggressive. These changes were not really caused by nationalism.
The above focused mainly on changes on the map of Europe, emergence of new nations and decline of some powers. However, changes can also be on the conceptual change, for example change on the attitude of the powers towards colonies. Before 1870, there was this “anti-imperialism” age when the powers extended their political of economic influence over non-European states or societies and there was this growing disillusionment with colonies. Before this, the powers had a concept that the more colonies, the greater the power of the nation, and better their trading. As the desire for colonies dies, there is less things to distract their citizens from their grievances towards the government. As a result, the great powers attempted to put the international affairs into the attention of their people, hence a change in government diplomacy.
Liberalism, which is a political ideology that rejects authoritarian government and defends freedom of speech, association, religion, and the right to own property, is growing and making changes to people’s attitude towards repressive governments, and cause more changes within nations for example France, who turned from monarchical rule into constitutional government and back to monarchical under Napoleon III. Industrial development was another force of change. Industrial development in Western and central Europe in the 1830s and 1840s created a larger middle class. This is social change. These middle class people demanded more liberal concessions from the autocratic rulers. They also demanded social reforms and political rights. The improvements in communication for example the railways and the invention of telegraphs helped to spread liberal and nationalism ideas. These were also changes in the way the people stand up to the government. They were no longer who they used to be, enduring everything the government did in the past as they have no knowledge that they can change how they were governed.
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There are also alternatives to the “products” of nationalism. The Italian unification and the Germany unification may have very well been carried out for the sake of the leading states Piedmont – Sardinia and Prussia, and expansion of the two states, rather than a genuine desire to form a nation with the people of the same race culture and religion.
Nationalism was indeed one of the most important forces of change in Europe when referring to changes made to the map. If we define change as anything that becomes something different, then nationalism is almost as important as liberalism and imperialism in influencing what the people of Europe did before 1870. The changes in the people’s minds are unavoidable as human evolvement includes new attitudes and new approaches to tasks, and what changes inside the men’s mind affect what they do as mind and behavior cannot be separated. Marking their own territory in Europe is human works. Therefore changes on map are actually result of change in human mind. The change in mind is a combined effect of nationalism, imperialism, and liberalism.
Nationalism, compared to the other two, is a more forceful emotion that drives people to make changes. Therefore, nationalism was indeed the biggest reason for the changes in Europe up o 1870. We cannot determine whether if it is the most important force because nationalism really grew with liberalism. Perhaps it would have developed into a force as strong as it was without the growth of liberalism, but determining the relationship between nationalism and liberalism is not the focus of this essay. In conclusion, nationalism was largely the most important force of change in Europe up to 1870; only largely because the effect of liberalism, industrial development and imperialism cannot be ignored.
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