8.5A Nationalism & the Development of Empires

• Nationalism = a political ideology that emphasises the loyalty and devotion of a group of people to their nation, often defined by a common culture, language, history, or territory
• • The development of empires is the process of expanding the political, economic, military, and cultural influence of a state or a civilisation over other regions or peoples
  • 19th-century nationalism was important in the development of empires, as well as a source of conflict in Europe and beyond, as other nations became part of larger empires such as the British Raj in India
• • Nationalism can motivate imperial expansion of a nation by creating a sense of pride, superiority, and destiny among its citizens, as well as a desire to spread their values and civilisation to other parts of the world
  • Although, expansion of the British Empire was initially through trade rather than nationalism, over time, many British people became to believe their large empire was a result of Britain being superior. This led to a national unity of pride in British achievements overseas
• • Nationalism can also challenge the imperial domination of a nation by inspiring resistance movements and independence struggles among the colonised or oppressed peoples, who seek to assert their own identity and sovereignty
  • Many countries in Africa sought independence during the mid 20th century as a resistance to colonial rule
• • Nationalism and the development of empires have had significant impacts on world history, culture, politics, and economy, as well as on the issues of human rights, diversity, and globalisation

  
• • Various wars and revolutions in Europe, changed dynastic rule and formed many of today's nations 
  • War with France in 1871 united the small states of German speaking people to form Germany
• Industrialisation allowed European nations to expand their empires:

  • Spain and Portugal acquired huge areas across South America
  • France expanded its empire to include:
  • Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos in Asia
  • French Polynesia in the South Pacific
  • Much of north west and central Africa and Madagascar
• • The competition by European nations to take over as many colonies as possible led to the 'Scramble for Africa'
  • A term used to refer to the expansion of European empires into Africa during the Age of Imperialism
  • Called a 'scramble' because of the way European nations raced to capture as much territory as possible, in order to expand to their empires
• This competition also created tension and conflict between the nations, adding to a sense of nationalism

  • On October 11 1899, following a Boer ultimatum that the British should stop building their forces in the region, the South African War, sometimes called the Boer War or Anglo-Boer War, began
• Boer ultimatum:

  • It raged between Britain and the self-governing Afrikaner (Boer) colonies of the South African Republic (the Transvaal) and the Orange Free State for 2 years (1901), a final agreement was reached in May 1902
  • At the outbreak of war, Britain ruled the South African colonies of the Cape and Natal
  • The Boers (Dutch origin) had refused political rights to non-Boer settlers, known as Uitlanders (outlanders), most of whom were British, or to give civil rights to Africans
  • However, gold had been discovered in the Transvaal
• Empires and their colonies:

  • Indigenous people of the colonies often resented being controlled by another nation
  • This helped to push a sense of nationalism within the colony, that perhaps wasn't there before colonial rule
  • Before India became part of the British Empire, it was divided into several kingdoms
  • Opposition to rule of the British Raj in India led to uniting many Indians together despite cultural and ethnic differences
• Empires and their colonies:

  • Independence movements rose, as people felt they had a common goal and were based on:
  • The recognition and promotion of a shared history 
  • Identification of particular qualities of a people
  • Promotion of an independent nation state for people to build together, once free of colonial rule
  • This was known as the 'wind of change', as many colonies began to seek independence 
• British raj = period of direct British rule over the Indian subcontinent from 1858 until the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947

  -> emerged from the Europe-Asia trade that the East India Company engaged in

  -> From 1858 onwards, the British government directly ruled India, and it became known as the British Raj