Nationalism
Geography: Edexcel A Level, topic 11.3.3
Nationalism - 19th Century
Nationalism has played a role in the development of the modern world. Nationalism is the belief held by people belonging to a particular nation that their own interests are much more important than those of people belonging to other nations. In the 19th Century:
Colonial empires
- In the 19th century, European states (UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy and Germany) all established colonies overseas to create empires.
- Spain and Portugal dominated Latin America, with a lot of the rest of the world divided up among other colonial powers.
France, Spain & Portugal
- France acquired huge areas across north Africa. Cameroon, Mali and Senegal all speak the French language today.
- Spain and Portugal acquired huge areas of territory in South America.
Britain
- Britain’s empire included southern Africa and the Indian subcontinent (the British Raj describes the rule of India by the British crown).
Conflict between colonial powers
- Nationalism was a contributory factor in the conflict between the European powers.
- World War One was partly caused by the conflict between these colonial powers. Germany and Britain were engaged in a naval arms race and economic gain increased the tension between the nations.
Nationalism - Post WW2
Nationalism is the belief held by people belonging to a particular nation that their own interests are much more important than those of people belonging to other nations. After World War 2:
Independence movement
- After 1945 most former colonies gained their freedom and became independent and empires gradually disintegrated.
- India gained independence from Britain in 1947 and Kenya became independent in 1963.
- Habib Bourguiba led a Tunisian independence movement against France from 1952 to 1956.
- Latin American nations generally gained independence in the 1800s.
'Wind of change'
- There was a ‘wind of change’ across Africa. This was a period of rapid independence for many African nations.
- The high cost of the two world wars, resistance to foreign rule and concern about the injustice of colonial rule among young European people helped the independence movements.
- Rapid population growth and improved education systems in colonised nations helped to accelerate the movement.
Raw materials
- It could be argued that the European countries (the colonialists) became less dependent on the raw materials from their colonies, making them less attached.
The Post-Colonial Era - Outcomes
In many cases, the rapid de-colonisation led to a 'power vacuum' and a lack of economic stability.
Army control
- In many countries, the army seized power after independence.
- This happened in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Indonesia.
Ethnic groups
- In other nations, ethnic groups seized control.
- The Tutsi people in Rwanda seized control after independence. They had worked alongside the Belgian colonialists.
- When Kenyatta came to power in Kenya in the 1960s, he expelled many Kenyans of Asian origin.
- Resentment among persecuted or non-represented minority social groups sowed the seeds for future conflict.
Western interference
- During the Cold War, the USA, Russia (USSR) and other nations sometimes exacerbated post-colonial instability.
- They participated in proxy wars in Korea, Vietnam, Sudan and Yemen.
- These conflicts were often costly economically, environmentally and in human terms.
Migration to imperial countries
- Patterns of migration between former colonies and the imperial country have been strong e.g. from Jamaica, India and Uganda to the UK, Maghreb countries to France.
- These migration patterns have changed the ethnic composition and cultural diversity of the host/imperial country.
- Often these migrants may share a language/culture.
- Often, migrants were encouraged to fill jobs in textiles, transport and healthcare.
Test yourself on Nationalism
What do we call it when people from one nation believe their own interests are more important than those of other nations?
Which of these are former French colonies that still speak French today?
What was the rule of India by Britain called?
What did the European countries become less dependent on their colonies for after World War 2?
Which of the following are true of the post-WW2 independence movement?