Key Nationalist Thinkers

Johann Gottfried von Herder (1744-1803)

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• Developed the idea of organic/romantic nationalism
• This is a form of ethnic nationalism in which the state derives its political legitimacy from historic cultural or hereditary groups
• This means that every ethnic group should be politically distinct
• Promoted the theory of Volkgeist
• This theory maintained there was only one class in the state; the king and the peasant are the same
• Believed in the importance of patriotism: "he that has lost his patriotic spirit has lost himself and the whole worlds about himself"
• The nation is also individual and separate; distinguished by climate, education, foreign relations, tradition and heredity

Giuseppe Mazzini (1805-1872)

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• An Italian politician who spearheaded the Italian revolutionary movement and campaigned for reunification of Italy
• Deeply influenced by the French revolution, Mazzini was the first figure to give a cultural definition to nationalism
• This revolved around the central themes of sharing customs, historical tradition, hope and geographical community
• In politics, a unified country would lead to a better representative state
• In economy, abolish tariffs in order to promote mass production
• Mazzini was a huge proponent of republicanism - united, free and independent Italy
• Hugely opposed to ideologies of Marxism and communism
• Believed in class collaboration; the division of social classes into hierarchical structures is positive and essential
• Patriotism, he argued, should be regarded as a duty and the love of the homeland is a divine mission

Charles Makongoro Nyerere (Born 1958)

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• Part of a generation of African leaders that struggled for independence
• Nationalist ideas were rooted in Pan-Africanism (this concept is political and universal):
• Political: privileges the common experience of oppression of a people and their struggle for liberation instead of identity
• Universal: transcends narrow definitions of nationalism regarding identities of race, religion, tribe, ethnicity and country
• African states should be allowed to make their own decisions
• This called for African unity
• Previous neoliberal policies were a political and ideological onslaught of nationalism, including an attack upon the sovereignty of African states