The Dawn of Nationalism in Europe

THAT nationalism cannot exist without nations is self-evident. Historically, it means that the conditions of nationalism in Europe were present only with the establishment of separate nations after the dissolution of the Roman Empire. In seeking, however, for the first signs of nationalism within the nations so established, we should not feel bound by the modern conceptions of what nationalism means. Like other ideological political terms, nationalism has gone through many changes in the course of historical development, perhaps even more than others because it is just as much a psychological as a political term. In fact, primitive nationalism contains elements which have disappeared or are disappearing from the character of modern nationalism. Within the first kingdoms founded on the ruins of the Roman Empire, Roman traditions were too strong to allow national separatism to dominate the ideas of the new leaders. Christianity, too, counteracted such a development. In this regard, historical analysis tends to confirm the view of Henri Pirenne according to which a definite breach between ancient and medieval civilization did not occur until Carolingian times. Indeed, only with the collapse of the Carolingian Empire were lasting conditions favorable to the growth of nationalistic ideas finally created. From the ninth century onward, Europe organized itself into the kingdoms that were later to form the bases of modern political life. Natural, though surprising at so early a date, was the conclusion drawn about 830, by a Frankish historian, Frechulf, bishop of Lisieux. Abandoning the almoMst sacred conception of the continuous existence of the Roman Empire, the bishop boldly asserted that the establishment of new kingdoms on Roman territory constituted the beginning of a new era in history.' The ecclesiastical author perhaps recalled the hope of St. Augustine that the Roman Empire might be replaced by the establishment of a world of small states only,2 and now he thought the dream realized.