Nationalism's Emergence and Practices

Nationalism's Emergence

• Nationalism emerged prominently with the French Revolution in 1789.
• France was a well-established territorial state under absolute monarchy.
• The revolution shifted sovereignty from the monarchy to the French citizens.
• Revolutionaries declared popular sovereignty, the nation's constitution, and destiny shaped by the people.

Revolutionary Measures & Practices

• Early revolutionaries introduced practices fostering national unity:

  • Emphasized "la patrie" (fatherland) and "le citoyen" (citizen) to promote a sense of shared community and equal rights.
  • Introduced a new national flag (tricolour) to replace the royal standard.
  • Replaced the Estates General with the National Assembly, elected by active citizens.
  • Composed new national hymns, commemorated martyrs, and had citizens take oaths, all in the name of the nation.

• Centralized administration created uniform laws throughout the nation.

• Internal taxes and duties were abolished.

• Standardized weights and measures were put into effect.

• Regional dialects were discouraged and French, as spoken in Paris, became the national language.

Dissemination of Nationalism

• The French revolutionaries aimed to liberate European peoples from despotism and make them into sovereign nations.
• News of the revolution spread to Europe, inspiring the establishment of Jacobin clubs among educated middle-class members.
• Such activities paved the way for French military campaigns which expanded into, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, and much of Italy in the 1790s.
• Revolutionary wars spread the concept of nationalism beyond France's borders.