Ernest Gellner's Theory Of National Identity And Nationalism

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Nation is a large aggregate of people united by common descent, history, culture, language, customs, ethnicity, or tradition, inhabiting a particular country or territory. It may have a claim to self-rule. However, it does not necessarily enjoy a state of its own. There are many nations around the world in which they have different national identities. National identity make a person feel that he is belonged to some groups. In addition, it provides the sense of security which gives an opportunity to build a strong relationship within the nation. However, excessive national identity and nationalism would affect the relationship of one nation with another nation negatively. “Nationalism is a modern movement. Throughout history people have been …show more content…

The most famous theorist in the study of nation based on situational approach is Ernest Gellner. “For Gellner, nationalism is the imposition of a high culture on society replacing local, low cultures and most multiculturalism. His most prominent theory on the origin of nationalism starts by regarding the transformation of society from an agrarian based economy and social structure to one centered around industrialism. For Gellner, society before industrialism was vertically bound with over 80 percent of the population being peasant farmers. There was a strict boundary between communities (fiefdoms) as well as between classes” (Matthew Cuff 2013). Industrialization, according to him led to the creation of nation because people started being selfish and competitive in the process of production due to the improvement in education. “These separate communities while bound under the ‘state’ do not necessarily share common language, memories, myths, religion or ancestry. Peasants were born as farmers and died as farmers with no possibilities of economic mobility or social advancement due to lack of a standardized education. Therefore, these communities did not wish to impose their language or culture on neighboring communities. There was also no imposition of a high culture due to a lack of standardized education” (Matthew Cuff

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