Nationalism And Nationalism

The emergence of nations marked the beginning of radical socio-econonomic changes in the life of the Europeans. New economic relations culminated in the Industrial Revolution which introduced mass production of goods, and the overflow of productive forces facilitated the expansion of the bourgeoisie as well as the formation of a new social class – the proleteriat. Changes in the ideological, political, and psychological sphere led to serious destabilization, disorientation, and uncertainty in the society. As a result, new concepts had to be forged to replace the old ones. I believe one of the most important is that of a nation 's culture: a culture that connects and permeates all members of the same nation. It is obvious that this concept is very similar to that based on linguistic unity because a common language is the most authentic feature of social identity and, undoubtedly, a major prerequisite for the existence of a unique culture.

It is an attempt to "correct" all the wrongdoings inflicted upon a nation by different historical circumstances. Indeed, defining nationalism proves to be a daunting task since it "is not a single doctrine (…) and its manifestations are moulded by circumstance" (Murphy, White, 2001: 2). The concepts of nationalism and patriotism are often used synonymously and, especially in music, the distinction between the two is blurred. The reason for this is the fact that nationalists almost always try to identify or present themselves as