On The Formation And Characteristics Of Nationalism In Modern Europe

Nationalism is a type of political thoughts appeared since modern times. It first originated from the 17th century Britain, then spread to Europe and America, and covers every state in 20th century. Nationalism is the companion of nation-states. The modern nationalism appeared during the process of building nation-states. Every state has its own nationalism and its own history of nationalism. Different states form different nationalisms during the process of building.In the forming process of the modern western nation-states, Britain, France and Germany are the most typical. Britain is the first origin of the modern nationalism, as well as the earliest state to start the bourgeois revolution and take the road of industrialization and modernization. Britain completed primarily the national unionism under the circumstance of the alignment of citizen class and kingship, set up autocratic monarchy state. In this process, kingship became a crucial factor, which became the symbol of building up the unionism of nation-state. And the bourgeois revolution ended in 17th century drove Britain to change gradually from feudal absolute monarchy state to modern nation-state. Since then, Britain has become a bourgeois state of constitutional convention, and British nationalism thus appeared. Its features is its typical display of the inspiration to the national consciousness of the consolidate market formed by the capitalist commodity economy and the common advantages. Its political thought displayed brilliant liberalism feature, emphasizing inborn human rights with the core of the property right, inquiring freedom and rule of law.In France, nationalism works as democracy. France established autocratic monarchy centralization country in 15th century. However, the state under the rule of autocratic kingship was not yet modern nation-state. As the development of the capitalism, feudal autocratic monarchy showed deep crisis, leading the birth of the Enlightenment. French enlightenment thinkers combined opposing feudal autocratic kingship with fighting for"democracy","republicanism"and the thoughts of patriotism and nation-loving, which becomes the outstanding feature of the nationalism theory. And Rousseau laid the theory foundation of the France democratic nationalism. French Revolution established modern nation-state by demolishing feudal autocratic monarchy, thus promoted the final establishment of modern west Europe nationalism.In Germany, the division in middle age and autocracy made the Germany nationalism. Cultural nationalism realized the unification of Germany culture, while politically division continued. Unification became the main task of the 19th century, and opposing feudalism had to stay back subordinately. Not until the period of Napoleon War did the cultural nationalism change into political nationalism. In nearly half a century's exploration, Germany formed mature political nationalism, with the guidance of which realized unification by force of military state Prussia. It makes Germany nationalism be with thick color of feudalism and militarism, which makes nation-state be featured with strong foreign aggrandizement.As the establishment of nation-state, Britain, France, Germany realized nationalism, and stepped into modernization society. They are all with their own features. Modern nationalism appeared and started to influence the process of the world's history.