On Nationalism

This paper is intended to examine as a preparatory work the concept of nationalism, preceding the study on "The Modernization of Japan and Nationalism". Firstly, we have analyzed the meaning of "nationalism". We therefore had to begin by defining "nation", which is the origin of the term "nationalism". We have also given a general definition to "nationalism": it "aims at unification, independence and development of a nation, and it is the ideology and movement which push them forward." Furthermore, we have mentioned the diffirence between "nationalism" and 'patriotism." Secondly, we have examined the formation and development of modern European Nationalism. It is important to note that it's rise is unnoticeable until the Absolutism of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, which has led us to consider the period from Absolutism to the French Revolution to be the first period of modern European Nationalism, which may be charactarized as "nationalism for a monarch". Then, we have called the period from the French Revolution until about 1870 the second period of modern European Nationalism, and characarized it as "nationalism that is the protector of freedom" or "nationalism that keeps the balance of internationalism," since the relationship between nationalism and democracy is known as that of a "honeymoon". Furthermore, we have called the period from about 1870 to World War II the third period of modern European Nationalism, and charactarized it as "nationalism which serves as the enemy of freedom", because of its function as a cat's paw of Imperialism. Thirdly, we have carefully examined the formation and development of modern Japanese Nationalism, in relation to those of modern European Nationalism. In sum, we have called the period from the beginning of the Meiji era to the middle of it the first period of modern Japanese Nationalism, and charactarized it as "nationalism which keeps the balance of internationalism", as in the second period of modern European Nationalism. Next, we have regarded the period from the latter half of Meiji to World War I the second period of modern Japanese Nationalism, and charactarized it as sharing such features: 1) National rights taking precedence over people's rights, and 2) the State being an absolute power. Furtheremore, we have designated the period from World War I to World War II the third period of modern Japanese Nationalism, and charactarized it as a sort of fascism that is identified as ultra-nationalism