Polnat11 mh.abb

POLITICS OF NATIONALISM

11. THE POLITICS OF
NATIONALISM
11. THE POLITICS OF NATIONALISM

OUTLINE
Main topics:
• Explaining Nationalisms (2)
• State options
• Elimination
• Exclusion
• Assimilation
• Incorporation

GROWTH OF NATIONALISM
ETHNIC v. CIVIC NATIONS?
• Commonly referred to as the “Kohn
dichotomy” after Hans Kohn (1944)
• In fact, nineteenth-century roots
• Has strong normative connotations (not just
German v. French, “eastern” v. “western”,
exclusive v. inclusive, but “bad” v. “good”)
• Better seen as referring to ideal types

ETHNIC v. CIVIC NATIONS?
• “Ethnic” nation: Herder, Fichte; nation an
entity in which membership is inherited, e.g.
blood, language
• “Civic” nation: Rousseau, Renan; nation an
entity in which membership is voluntary,
“daily plebiscite”
• Can we separate the two that clearly? Could
we have elements of each type in all national
ideologies? Are there regional variations?

CIVIC VS ETHNIC NATIONALISM


NATIONALIST MOBILISATION
• Phase A: Local elite control is firm; rest of
population quiescent (ancien régime)
• Phase B: Counter-elites emerge; propose
political programme favouring masses;
separate party, or parties; possible cultural
revival movement (transitional systems)
• Phase C: Emergence of mass parties /
movements (modern state structures)

VICTORY OF NATIONALISM
DETERMINANTS OF POLITICAL OUTCOME
• Commitment and resources of nationalists
(e.g. regional activists)
• Commitment and resources of opponents (e.g.
imperial state; normally much greater)
• International context (e.g.:
(1) international power balance
(2) ideological “viruses”)

Nationalism Demands and Statehood


VICTORY OF NATIONALISM
CONTINUING CHALLENGES?
• Sometimes, continuing conflict with (new)
minorities
• Common drive for cultural integration,
sometimes leading to authoritarian
nationalism, e.g. in fascist form
• To be explained by theories of communal
insecurity, elite manipulation?

Nationalism and the State
How does the modern nation state
respond to challenges from
minority nations?
1.How much are a state’s minority
management strategies based on
individual rights?
2.How open are a state’s minority
management strategies for the
recognition of group rights?

STATE OPTIONS
TYPOLOGY OF STRATEGIES
INSTITUTIONAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF GROUPS
low
high
PROTECTION
low

1. ELIMINATION

2. EXCLUSION

high

OF INDI-

3.ASSIMILATION

4.INCORPORATION

VIDUAL
RIGHTS


ELIMINATION OF MINORITIES
Approaches:
• Genocide
–systematic murder of some or all of
population
–undermining of capacity for life
• Removal of population
–expulsion
–“repatriation”
–“exchange”

Genocide: examples
•Indigenous peoples in Americas
–killing of native peoples (N & S
America, etc.)
•Armenians in Turkey
–killing of more than 1m., 1915-16
•Jews in Germany
–killing of c. 6m, 1941-45
•Others (many examples)

Population removal: expulsion
•Direct or indirect pressure to leave


POLAND, 1945

c. 3 m. Germans expelled, 1945-46

Population removal: other strategies
•“Repatriation” (removal on initiative of
external power)
–Baltic Germans, 1939
•“Exchange” (removal by agreement
between powers)
–c. 1m. Greeks to Turkey, ½ m. Turks to
Greece, 1923

EXCLUSION OF MINORITIES
DIMENSION
CULTURE
POLITICS
(AT CENTRE)

APPROACH
One culture privileged over
others
Ethnic hegemony (one group
rules; possible minority rule)

GROUP
AUTONOMY

High, but uneven (separate devt.;
groups have different rights)

TERRITORIAL
MANAGEMENT

Extensive territorial devolution
on an unequal basis (bantustans)


Example: traditional states
(e.g. British colonies—USA, Canada,
Australia in past)
•English language and christianity given
precedence
•Political rights confined to white settlers
•Indigenous peoples allowed some selfadministration, e.g. in reservations

Example: South Africa under apartheid:
•Conflict between Dutch and English
languages; christianity given precedence
•Political rights confined to European
settlers; “apartheid” system
•Separate parliamentary bodies for
Indians and Coloureds
•Planned removal of Africans to
“homelands” (“bantustans”)

Exclusion of ‘minorities’: South Africa


ASSIMILATION OF MINORITIES
DIMENSION

APPROACH

CULTURE

Only one culture is recognised;
others marginalised

POLITICS
(AT CENTRE)

De facto rule by majority ethnic
group or coalition

GROUP
AUTONOMY

No group autonomy; all
individuals equal before the law

TERRITORIAL
MANAGEMENT

Centralised state administered on
a prefectoral basis


Example: Post-revolutionary France
• French as only acceptable language in
public sphere, education etc.
• Emphasis on popular sovereignty based
on equality; majoritarian democracy
• Refusal to offer institutional recognition
to culturally distinct groups
• Administrative system based on
centrally managed districts of equal size
Other examples: Poland, Romania, Turkey

Example: USA
• English as sole official language
• Majoritarian democracy as basis of
political system
• Low level of autonomy for culturally
distinct groups
• Symmetrical federal system based on
culturally homogeneous units
Other examples: other “melting pot”
societies

Polnat11 mh.abb

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (15)

Similar to Polnat11 mh.abb

Similar to Polnat11 mh.abb (20)

More from 'Mariviel Leyva

More from 'Mariviel Leyva (6)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Polnat11 mh.abb