Citizens and patriots

Nation states are built on the ideal of a united ‘people’. A shared national culture. Such a culture can only exist in modern, industrial societies. Only modern education systems can replace local dialects with a single national language, for example. Diverse cultural groups are ‘nationalised’ thanks to the right examples and rituals.

The dream of national unity becomes especially appealing when old certainties crumble. It is no coincidence that nationalism’s definitive breakthrough came after 1792, when the French king Louis XVI was deposed. The dream of ‘liberty, equality, fraternity’ inspired revolutionaries from Ireland to Haiti, from Latin America to Sierra Leone.

Seven years later, the dictator Napoleon Bonaparte seized power in France. His conquests also provoked a backlash. Under French occupation, for example, German authors stressed the importance of the German language and culture. They urged their readers to ‘rediscover’ this national identity. In fact, they too were trying to forge the inhabitants of various German states into a single nation.

National costume

In the early modern period, a strong association developed between costume and nationality. Foreigners, it was said, could be told apart by their costume. In the late 18th century, both kings and patriots promoted military uniforms as a means to foster national unity. The Swedish king Gustav III, for example, introduced a national court dress as early as 1778. In the 19th century, the national costume acquired a new function. For romantic nationalists, the core of the nation lay in tradition and culture. Costumes based on traditional dress were intended to reinforce this tradition.

Cult of the heroes

Every national identity needs stereotypes. National heroes, for example. These are the face of the nation; a patriotic example for the people. Sometimes they represent the epic of national history, as ‘fathers of the fatherland’. The national hero owes his omnipresence and iconic status to modern means of communication. Think of history lessons, statues, and mass-produced images or souvenirs. Historical reality usually takes a back seat to the national image represented by the hero.

Shows of loyalty

The champions of the French Revolution considered a uniform language and education to be the cornerstone of national unity. This pursuit of a homogeneous ‘people’ has since been an important part of nationalism. Regional identities and dialects must merge into loyalty to the nation. The ideal patriot proves his loyalty through rituals, commemorations and flag-waving. Through these means, citizenship becomes a part of everyday life.