Rationalism And Nationalism Essay

There are two themes that seem to have dominated history: rationalism and nationalism. Rationalism was a popular idea during the Enlightenment, as was nationalism, even though it was not a rational idea. Although it is hard to correctly define just exactly what nationalism is, we can see bits and pieces of the ideals and effects of nationalism in the works of John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Baron de Montesquieu, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Nietzsche.
Nationalism is self identification with one’s country. Nationalism is similar to religion in that it gives a person their self worth and sense of community. One source describe nationalism as as a bond and “awareness shared by a group” who feel “attached to not only the land, but also the culture, language, and history the people share (Brown). Nationalism is accompanied by loyalty and devotion of the people to a nation. Nationalist find great gratification in their history and traditions. With this sometimes comes the feeling that their nation is special and set apart from other nations, creating an atmosphere of superiority. Furthermore, through out history, the idea of nationalism has been the driving force behind those wanting to overthrow governments that are thought to be oppressive
So how does nationalism relate to the Enlightenment? The Enlightenment was a period in which important thinkers like Jean Jacques Rousseau, John Locke, and Baron de Montesquieu, questioned the absolute control of monarchs. These philosophers taught of human rights, and as the people became more aware of how they should be treated, they began to look at democratic principals to uphold human rights. In countries where the rights of the people were being oppressed by the government, revolutions took...

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...n to Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche did not support nationalism. In his work, Nietzsche talks about how humans are always going to be doing what we want, and that no matter what, they we are always going to get personal gain from what they are doing. Furthermore, he thought that those who impose what is going to be right and wrong in a society are those who are louder and more aggressive. This goes completely against nationalism, because nationalism involves the individual sacrificing him or herself to people of superior status in order to support the people of the country.
When looking at different themes throughout history, it seems as though nationalism has been brought to the center stage. While some philosophers have supported nationalism, and other criticized it, the ideals of nationalism have been the driving force of many pivotal events through out history.