Could Nationalism have developed earlier than the 18th century? Like say, early 17th century? If so, what would be the effects of nationalism sweeping Europe before the 30 years war?
Could Nationalism have developed earlier than the 18th century? Like say, early 17th century? If so, what would be the effects of nationalism sweeping Europe before the 30 years war?
Modern nationalism, pre-modern nationalism was already around, but I don't see it happen, nationalism was both a effect of and countereffect to the Enlightenment, and was only possible because of the changes in socity, with growing cities, a growing middleclass, the destruction of feudal structures, growth in education. Modern nationalism would be as anarchonistic in the 17th century, as marxism or liberitarianism.
I'm still not entirely sure what nationalism is, and why we don't think the, say, Dutch or English had it.
The French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars is really what brought nationalism into being, in a modern sense at least.
France united under one banner to defeat the foreign enemies for their country, and didn't squabble too much over things like mass conscription and war taxes because it was for the country.
First war in which conscript troops were actually fairly effective.![]()