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Why did German nationalism become imperialistic in World War I and World War 2?
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Suggested Reading:
Gordon A. Craig Germany 1866-1945 chs. IX, X, XIX, XX.
Hans Ulrich Wehler The German Empire 1871-1918
Eberhard Jackel Hitler's Weltanschauung
K. D. Bracher The German Dictatorship chs. VI and VIII
Ian Kershaw The Nazi Dictatorship ch. VI
The description or part on nationalism should touch on theories presented by :
- Ernest Gellner : Nationalism
- John Plamenatz : Two Types of Nationalism
- Benedict Anderson: Imagined Communities: Reflections on the origins and spread of nationalism, London
- Anthony D Smith : “Nations and History” in Understanding Nationalism, M Guibernau and J Hutchinson (eds), Cambridge: Cambridge Polity, pp9-31
- Eric Hobsbawn: (1983) “ Introduction: Inventing Tradition”in The Invention of Tradition, Hobsbawn E. and Ranger T (eds), Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1-15
If there are any other questions, i should be contacted
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A research on why did German nationalism become imperialistic in World War I and World War II?
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History of nationalism
Reasons for the growth of nationalism in Germany
Introduction Imperialism in Germany
Why Germany nationalism became imperialist?
Imperialism in the First World War and Second World War
Preface
The research focuses on the reasons of why Germany decided to become imperialistic in the First World War and Second World War. The research is divided into five part mainly the history of nationalism, reasons for the growth of nationalism in Germany, the introduction of imperialism in Germany, the reason why Germany nationalist became imperialist an lastly imperialism in the first and second world war, the history of nationalism will look at the years and stages Germany went to became nationalist. Reason will look at factors that made the citizens of Germany to adopt nationalism, introduction to imperialism will look at how it started and its impact lastly the last two headings will generally try to explain reason behind Germany changing from nationalism in favour of imperialism.
History of nationalism
There is no definite definition of nationalism, in the 18th centaury industrial revolution in the west made it possible for the change in culture, and this intern created nationalism. In the agrarian society there was no need for a peasant to and elite to communicate de to the high culture that existed between them. Hence produce nationalism there should be a cultural homogenization; in which a society that is urban and predominantly modern industrial should have a high degree of social mobility had an accumulation of literature. In order to be successful there was the need to conduct this in vernacular so that it could be accessible to the entire population. In addition to this nationalism can be grouped as a homogenous cultural unit that is educated.[Wehler, H. the German Empire, 1871-1918 (Oxford. berg publishers, 1997), 57.]
In Germany nationalism was seen as a progressive and it supported the development of free democracy, also it was a source of social cohesiveness and political stability. In those days nations were made by changing culture of the peasants in to literate and cultivated ones.[Craig, g. Germany, 1866-1945(oxford, Oxford university press, 1999), 69]
By 1815 Germany was divided into 39 different states. The largest state was the Austrian Empire, but also other nationalities such as Hungarians and Slavs. Faction of German nationalism was learned people in line of work such as education and the law. Students of German origin created Burschenschaften, a unions to support German nationalism. In 1830 many demonstrations by these liberals took place across Germany in sustaining German nationalism. In that time there was no leadership or harmony among nationalists. Some states in the north wanted their rights reinstated and those in southern states wanted a constitution. However, the liberals reached their moment in the 1848 revolutions. In the spring of 1848, revolutions by the liberals occurred in Austria, Prussia and transversely in the other German states. The liberals then met in Frankfurt, in a parliament, to decide on the creation of a German state which was ruled by a chosen government. Support for German nationalism then turned to the side of Prussia. In the 1860s, Prussia was led by Bismarck.[Fitzpatrick, M. Liberal imperialism in Germany: expansionism and nationalism, 1848-1884. (Germany, Berghahn book, 2008), 35] [Smith, A. Nationalism: Theory, Ideology, History. (Cambridge, Polity Press, 2010), 12]
In a sequence of wars, he overpowered Denmark, Austria and France and united Germany. He received support from nationalists, of whom only a marginal was liberals. Most nationalists were paying attention to seeing their country empowered through economic and military means and this purpose had the support of entrepreneurs and politicians. Efforts to win over peasants and workers to the nationalists` ideas rested on following social policies and in this high opinion Bismarck had some achievement until he suddenly was removed from power in 1890.[Gellner, E. Nations and Nationalism. (Oxford, Blackwell publishing, 2006), 45]
Reasons for the growth of nationalism in Germany
The reason for the growth of nationalism between 1800 and 1862 can be attributed to various factors including, new ideas that are, liberalism and nationalism, the war against France and France invasion, changing balance of power in the German confederation, social and economic changes, reaction against the confederation and the 1848 revolution and lastly writers and activities of the nationalist groups.[Greenfield, L. Nationalism: five roads to modernity. (New York, Harvard university, 1992), 102]
New ideas can be shown in two stages the first one being the ideological reason which is the spread of liberal and nationalistic ideas. In nationalism there is the conviction that people of the similar language, history and custom should have the same government. The liberalism is set of belief that stresses the rights of individual, and they involve the ideas of freedom of speech, of religion and no government interference in the live of its citizens. The other reason for the spread of nationalism is due to the Romantic Movement, where in Germany the revival of interest in its history particularly in the form of folklore and myth.[John,E, &, Terence O. The inventions of traditions. (Cambridge, Cambridge University press, 2003), 65]
Nationalistic ideologies were spread by historians, poet and philosophers, and to an extent the literate middle class contributed to its influence. The ideas of a national culture, national army and institutions to stand for the interest of the people were proposed by German writers and politicians.[John Plamenatz. Two Types of Nationalism. (Oxford, Oxford University press, 1976),45]
The social and economic changes have also led to the growth of nationalism. The population of Europe was increasing rapidly, from 130 million in the 1750 to 187 million in the 1800. Due to the new city dwellers, many problems arise and to readdress this problems a new form of national Reich was sort to solve this problem.[Â Chilcote, R.The political economy of imperialism: critical appraisals. (Boston, Rowman and little field publishers 1999), 34]
The revolution of the 1848 was as a result of high unemployment, high food prices and trade depression. This created a loophole for the Germans nationalist and liberal to create a revolution, resulting to the fleeing of rulers of small states. Elections were held and a national convention was made to create a united Germany, these attempts failed but due to this failure the nationalist were convinced that the unity of the Germans was possible through the armed forces of the Prussia. Thus in 1859 German national association was created.[Kershaw, I. The Nazi dictatorship. (London, Arnold`s publication, 2000), 56]
The war against France and France invasion also led to nationalistic growth .The French Revolution had a lot impact at first on German culture. It only affected large part of the country, and peasants tried to create attention for reforms and this was ignored largely by the central government. Napoleon had occupied much of Europe and overpowers both Austrian and Prussian armies; this in turn helped the nationalist change to people`s perspective. Nevertheless, the Napoleon System had helped the German nationalists to expand their cause: it had shattered the old order. Though small number of Germans was ready to clinch to nationalism in 1815, the seeds had been scattered by eighteenth-century intellectuals, and their heritage, coupled with the reaction of change brought about by Napoleon conquest.[Craig, g. Germany, 1866-1945.( Oxford, Oxford university press, 1999), 12-45]
Introduction Imperialism in Germany
This can be viewed as both formal and informal law that is practice by the more developed nations to the underdeveloped nations. This form can be by virtues of military superiority or by socio economic superiority. The reason for western countries to become more imperialistic was due to various factors and they were the economic factor like industrialization, the social change that brought about the problems of national class structure and lastly political factor for the quest in the acquisition and expansion of chance to wield power.[Â Chilcote, R.The political economy of imperialism...
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