The rise of nationalism across nations shattered the chains which held together the empires of modern Europe. Discuss.

Answer:

Nationalism was among the most powerful forces of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. By awakening peoples to a sense of common identity, it undermined the multi-national empires of Europe and reshaped its map.

The Force of Nationalism

• Rooted in the French Revolution's ideas of popular sovereignty and the "nation".
• Fostered by common language, history, culture and the demand for self-determination.

Building New Nation-States

• Unification of Italy (Cavour, Garibaldi) and Germany (Bismarck) created powerful new states.

Shattering the Old Empires

Disintegration of multi-national empires:

• The Ottoman Empire lost its Balkan territories to Greek, Serbian and other national movements ("the Eastern Question").
• The Austro-Hungarian Empire, home to many nationalities, was strained by their demands and broke up after World War I.
• The Russian empire too faced nationalist pressures.

World War I as catalyst:

• The war and the principle of self-determination (Wilson) led to new states — Poland, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and others.

Critical Note

• Nationalism also bred rivalry and conflict, contributing to the wars that destroyed these empires.

Therefore, the rise of nationalism indeed shattered the chains of Europe's dynastic empires, replacing them with nation-states, though at the cost of intense conflict.