Nationalism In The 18th Century

The historical context of nationalism dates back to the late eighteenth century as the French Revolution and time of enlightenment, helped society realize the importance of the ideal nation of arms and the emphasis on discipline within its military. The interest in one’s nation was now a derived concept of bound independent ideas of its people driven by the aspirations to the whole of a nation and the loyalty and patriotism for one’s count. The foundation of nationalism, shaped by social, political and economic reforms that occurred years before, deeply affected how society waged war on other national states. This new ideology reformed the balance of power between nations and citizens and used the shared beliefs in a nation’s societal pride …show more content…
The dynastic rights affected strategic decisions as rulers and the soldiers below them believed that they were not only defeating the enemies of God, but doing his will. Louis XIVs protestant polices in 1685 to the unseating of James II by William III are clear examples of how the brutality of war was fought to feed the ideological beliefs by the monarchy. This ideology was the framework from the early 15th century through the late 17th century decisions for a nation to select war and justified such acts for the principle of protection a nation’s religion. Conflicts that arose during these centuries continued to be an ideological justified political stance by monarchs and culminated during the thirty-year war as the quest for uniformity in religion by the Holy Roman Empire and the strong defense of the protestant faith over their lands . A shift in ruler’s interest started to shape in the early 17th century as rulers continued to equate their own interest, but strategic and economic benefit started to evolve and the shift in tactics and controlling of adjunct territory began to overrule the ideology framework for