Question

Explain the reasons for the nationalist upsurge in 19th century Europe.

Answer 1

Dear student,

Following were the reasons responsible for the growth of nationalism in Europe:

• Ideas of national unity in early-nineteenth-century Europe were closely linked to the ideology of liberalism. The term ‘liberalism’ derives from the Latin root liber, meaning free. For the new middle classes, liberalism stood for freedom for the individual and equality of all before the law.
• Contribution of culture like Romanticism, a cultural movement sought to develop a particular form of nationalist sentiment. They generally criticised the glorification of reason and science and focused instead on emotions, intuition and mystical feelings. Their effort was to create a sense of a shared collective heritage, a common cultural past, as the basis of a nation.
• Greek war of independence

Regards,