Nationalism in Germany and Britain

Vinny Genovesi

3/1/16

Nationalism in Germany and Britain: A Comparative Analysis

Nationalism is the political principle that the cultural and political components of a country should be unified. There are two types of nationalism: cultural nationalism, in which the nation is defined by a shared culture; and civic nationalism, in which the cultural component is less emphasized and a shared belief in the civic value of a specific political or economic philosophy works to bind a people together.

Cultural nationalism relates to ethnicity, blood, and shared traditions and history. Cultural nationalism at its best promotes a kind of living history and cultural identity. At its worst it may devolve into xenophobia, authoritarianism, and expansionism. Civic nationalism is more liberal, allowing for the principles of tolerance and equality.

Through the lens of rudimentary comparative analysis, this paper will compare and contrast the civic nationalism of Britain with the cultural nationalism of Germany, discussing the causes and effects of the rise of nationalism in both countries as well as examining the current state of nationalism in each. An important discussion in European politics currently is whether nationalism is on the rise. Should Europeans be concerned about the resurgence of nationalism in countries like Germany and Britain?

The Rise of Two Nations

“There is, in political geography, no Germany proper to speak of. There are Kingdoms and Grand Duchies, and Duchies and Principalities, inhabited by Germans, and each separately ruled by an independent sovereign with all the machinery of State. Yet there is a natural undercurrent tending to a national feeling and toward a union of the Germans into one great nation, ruled by one common head as a national unit.” – New York Times, 1866

The history of the rise of nationalism in Germany is fraught with trouble. Prior to the Napoleonic Wars and The Holy Roman Empire, German identity was largely divided. Divisions between Catholics and Protestants, large language diversity, and an atomized state controlled by squabbling lords with no strong central authority all contributed to the looseness of German culture and identity.

The first hints of German nationalism came during the Napoleonic Wars. French nationalism was an indomitable force and many European countries came to realize that the only way to counter it was to adopt the ideals of national loyalty and identity. The hegemony of feudal empires was no match for the bottom-up popular impetus for national defense that embodied French nationalism. The idea of Pan-Germanism, centered around shared identity and national loyalty, arose in response. Liberal nationalism and Pan-Germanism found their champion in Johann Gottlieb Fichte and his Address to the German nation and for a time, liberal nationalism dominated.

The Revolutions of 1848 changed the circumstances. Liberal nationalists failed to create a nation-state and Prussians ultimately gained control of the German state. Prussian ideals were authoritarian and anti-liberal. German nationalism took on the character of racialism.

Much like the current German state, German nationalism came in response to war and occupation and found itself rooted in blood and cultural identity. British nationalism found its genesis in both evolution and revolution.

The nationalism of the British was a natural extension of the shared history and identity of the people who had lived, worked, and developed on their island for hundreds of years. Cultures evolving over time developed a shared identity through their interactions. There remains, in fact, some debate over when English nationalism arose.

Modern nationalism came to Britain after the Thirty Year’s War by way of the Puritan Revolution and Reformism. The British felt a new sense of purpose and enlightenment following these events. A national unity formed. “[English nationalism] filled the English people with an entirely new sense that they, the common people of England, were the bearers of history and the builders of destiny at a great turning point from which a new true Reformation was to start.” (Nationalism and Multiple Modernities: Europe and Beyond – Atsuko Ichijo)

English nationalism is an extension of English identity and evolved over time without much external influence. It came as a decision by the state and the nation to modernize and move toward the future. It could be described as optimistic. German nationalism came rapidly via the unification of many disparate states. Its origin was reactive and its character could be described as both insular and expansionist.

There are parallels to be drawn here between the evolutionary genesis of the British state and the similar origins of its national identity, and the hard and violent origins of the German state and the origins of its national identity.

Prussian ideals of authoritarianism alongside German cultural nationalism were instrumental to the rise of the Nazi Party and the devastation of WWII.

Nationalism on the Rise

Although nationalism in Germany has been somewhat taboo since WWII for obvious reasons, some Europeans worry that it is on the rise today. British nationalism is on the rise as well. In fact, nationalism and authoritarianism may be making a comeback worldwide currently.

In Britain, English and Scottish nationalisms threaten to tear the UK apart. Identity has leaned toward the cultural in recent years. Public mistrust in the government is high in Britain today and resistance to EU membership is growing. Some states are peeling off as well. A recent referendum would have given Scotland independence, but failed.

Meanwhile in England, the UK Independence Party, a far right anti-European party, has made strides. Ukip, whose slogan states “The EU isn’t working” ostensibly seeks to retain Britain’s sovereignty and self-governance. Recently, Ukip has managed to find enough support to be a legitimate threat to establishment politics in the UK, even attempting to force a referendum on the UK’s EU membership. Reasons for the rise of a nationalist party in the UK are myriad: stagnant wages, immigration, gay marriage, and so-called “unpatriotic” liberals are all being resisted by working class voters. Views on national identity seem to be polarizing voters around the world.

In Germany, after many years of feeling guilt about their past, Germans are again beginning to take pride in their history and cultural heritage. A new generation of Germans is getting older and the mistakes of Germany’s past are gradually receding from Germany’s collective conscious. A new and stabler Germany has formed, and young Germans, who were born a generation or more after the atrocities of WWII, are anxious to move forward.

Many Europeans wonder if German identity has changed enough to bear the weight of pride without cracking. Even many Germans are nervous to see where this new nationalism will lead.

Today, overt demonstrations of German nationalism can be found mostly at civic events like the 60^th anniversary of the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany, or the 20^th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. It can also be found at sporting events like 2010 World Cup. Nationalism has not yet embedded itself into the political sphere completely. After a trio of devastations brought onto Germany by herself, and given Germany’s currently strong economy and position as leader of the EU, it’s unlikely that this nationalism will lead to another round of expansionism any time soon.

Immigration

With regard to nationalism, the greatest quarrels in Germany and in Britain today are over immigration.

Currently, Germany has 2 million Muslims under 30 years of age. As of December 2015, Germany was on track to accept one million refugees by the end of the year. Many Germans are fine with immigration, believing that it will strengthen their culture and economy. However, according to a survey by the Frederich Ebert Foundation, fully one-third of Germans believe that Germany is “in serious danger of being overrun by foreigners.” More than one half want the practice of Islam seriously restricted.

Tensions over immigration have escalated recently due to a belief by many that many immigrants, but Muslims in particular, refuse to integrate. Many Germans believe that this will dilute their culture and lead to a “dumbing-down” of society and a slowing of economic and social progress. Is this rising German nationalism? Is it dangerous?

The largest majority of Muslims in the UK live in England. All totaled, approximately 3 million Muslims live in the UK, 4.4% of the population. Many in the UK, England especially, believe that the country is being overrun by Muslims; in fact, one particularly hyperbolic article speisa.com states that Britain may be a Muslim nation within 20 years.

Anti-Muslim groups, like Britain First, have been attracting followers recently. The group has been winning enormous support on social media. Just this month, Britain First demonstrated in a largely Muslim neighborhood. Carrying crosses and wearing hoods, they marched down the streets of Luton, a town just 30 miles north of London. Luton is known for attracting both Islamists and Islamophobic extremists.

In an article by the Gatestone Institute even claims that Islam will be the dominant religion in the UK in just 20 years. A new survey by the same Institute found that Britons see immigration as the number one problem facing their country. The report also shows that Britons see respect for the law, freedom of speech, and the ability to speak English as the most essential traits to being British.

Conclusion

Though German nationalism and British nationalism have highly disparate origins, over the years they have had to deal with many of the same issues.

In recent years, the UK has struggled with their identity as it relates to the larger picture of the EU. Immigration and a stagnating economy  in the face of nationalistic ideals have even caused problems with their internal identity, threatening to rip the UK apart. Conversely, Germany, despite some internal quarrels, has had its nationalism as an almost unifying force, both internally and on the global stage. The German identity of honor, respect, and hard work has made them an economic powerhouse and the seat of the EU, much different from Britain, which remains insular and not fully unified.

The question of whether or not the nationalism of these two states is a danger can only be born out through time. Germany and England do not wish to lose their cultural identity, and that’s understandable. The world is changing, and clinging to a familiar identity provides both comfort and strength to an insecure people.