Industrial Revolution: The Role Of Nationalism In The 18th Century

990 Words2 Pages

The industrial revolution brought about many changes and allowed for the horizon to be broadened in regards to nationalism. Before the 1880s, it was a geopolitical ideology that every nation had to have its own nation state, meaning that nationalism was chosen not given. Through specific time and place, nationalism was socially constructed thanks to the introduction of integrated, countrywide economy in 18th century. Before nationalism even existed, people were known to be loyal to religion or particular leader rather than their nations. In the early 20th century, Britain and several other European powers sat proudly at the centre of a series of empires that spanned the world.
Due to the powerful empires, communities began to identify with …show more content…

Ethnic nationalism refers to language and traditions whereas civic are the values of the nation regardless of the social identity. National cultures today, create imagined communities where culture is a map through which the world is made intelligible. Many nations draw upon both culture and common shared consciousness. Nationalism can be represented in different ways, from national curriculum, national anthem to food products and outlets. According to IMF, globalization is the process where economies and societies are able to integrate as there is increased movement of ideas, people, goods, services and capital. The biggest impact is from multinational corporations and other entities of international commence which have forced nation-states to examine their economic policies. The challenge states it determine how much international influence they allow in their …show more content…

By technology, we are talking about communications, mass media and language. The introduction of modern mass communications such as newspapers, TV and the Internet has greatly enhanced nationalism. It allows for millions of people to be able to experience the same things and as a result creating a common cultural discourse. It allows for consolidation, strengthening and definition of collective identity especially in the absence of a firm territorial or institutional base. Nationalism is also becoming under threat by Islamic fundamentalists. The growth of these non-state actors is causing fear within nations and a lot of doubt and trust issues. Their actions don’t play a specific interest for any single country but greatly transcends nation states.
The role of a nation-state in a global world is largely regulated as a chief factor for global interdependence. We can say that nation-states are becoming less relevant in a globalised world due to technology and new movements for independence. While the domestic role of the nation-state remains largely unchanged, states that were previously isolated are now forced to engage with one another to set international commerce policies due to increased transport and rise of TNCs. Through various economic imbalanced, these interactions may lead to diminished roles of some states and exalted roles of

More about Industrial Revolution: The Role Of Nationalism In The 18th Century

Open Document