Historical Examination Of Bellamy’s Thought And Practice Of Nationalism(1888-1898)

In the late 19 th century,with the great momentum of the industrial revolution,the United States ushered in the high-speed economic development,accordingly,the social wealth increased dramatically.However,as the capitalist economy became large-scale,centralized and monopolized day by day,the United States suffered from a severe industrial civilization syndrome: such as the economic disorder,a growing gulf between rich and poor,the acute class contradiction,the serious political corruption,the distorted democratic system and the prevalence of extreme individualism.To solve these problems and drawbacks,Edward Bellamy spun a more rational,just and harmonious industrial society in his best-known novel—Looking Backward: 2000-1887(1888),and he called the core principle of the ideal society“Nationalism”,which pursued the principles such as the brotherhood of humanity,cooperation,the nationalization of industry and commerce and a universal economic equality hit the hearts of millions of Americans,and quickly triggered a nationwide campaign—the Nationalist Movement.The Nationalist and the New Nation were the battle field of this movement.In the beginning,the Nationalists were committed to publicity and education;then they joined political reform movement,and once cooperated with the populists in order to realize the ideal society which described by Bellamy.Unfortunately,it turned out to be a failure because of financial troubles.However,Bellamy’s Nationalism and the influential Nationalist Movement are significant.They provided the intellectual supports for the social and political reform movement in the United States of that period,and promoted the the Populist Movement,the Progressive Movement,and the American edition of the Socialist Movement to be nationwide.On the other hand,it also left a precious ideological and cultural heritage to the world.