Jean-Jacques Rousseau & Gottfried von Herder

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Jean-Jacques Rousseau 1712 - 1778

Jean-Jacques Rousseau was the father of civic nationalism and the key thinker behind the French Revolution. His main contribution to nationalism was in 'The Social Contract' 1762.

Rousseau's key ideas

The overthrow of the monarchy in France was driven by Rousseau’s concept of the general will.
- This is the idea that the collective interests of the entire community should prevail over the power of a monarch.
- Sovereignty belongs to the nation and rests with the people through elected political institutions.
- Citizens, therefore, actively participate in the nation and are the main component of it.

Rousseau and the rule of law

Rousseau was also instrumental in formulating the rule of law.
- General will, according to Rousseau, must originate from the people and apply to all.
- Everyone in a nation-state must be bound by the law and agree to follow it. It is for this reason why some have argued that Rousseau’s strand of nationalism firmly links nationalism and statehood together.
- The universality of the rule of law led Rousseau to believe that citizens, in conforming to the law, would take account of both their private interests and the common interest of the community.

Johann Gottfried von Herder 1744 - 1803

Johann Gottfried von Herder was the main thinker behind cultural nationalism and the idea that every nation is distinct based on its cultural character.

Von Herder's key ideas

Von Herder developed the idea of volksgeist which translates into 'spirit of the people'.
As a political concept, volksgeist describes how each nation is motivated and held together by a collective national spirit.
The institutions of the state are the key facilitators of the nation’s volksgeist. For example, the monarchy in Britain has been integral in building and maintaining a collective national spirit.
Nations are not universally similar, as liberal nationalists would argue, but unique in their volksgeist.

Volksgeist

A nation formed, even pre-determined, on the basis of volksgeist is not a rational or artificial construction but organic formed over time by shared experiences and common traits.
The volksgeist of a nation is shaped by its unique context; for example, history, culture, language, religion. Therefore, no two nations can have the same volksgeist; each nation is unique.

Volksgeist and Nazism

For some, Volksgeist is a concept that invokes intense patriotism and loyalty to the nation.
It is in this vein that it has been linked to Nazism. The use of the term ‘volk’ by Adolf Hitler gave an implicit racial understanding to the term. Hitler used volk to refer to his objective of forming a master Aryan race.
Volksgeist has, therefore, been understood by some to mean an intense national spirit linked to race.

Johann Gottlieb Fichte

The rise of Nazism can be attributed to volksgeist in the tradition of Johann Gottlieb Fichte, who believed in the superiority of Germany and German culture.
This was in contrast to the liberal nationalist principles stemming from the French Revolution.
According to Fichte, the only true national spirit is German.