Elites and popular nationalism

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Political Science
• Sociology

Background:

• Current theories often propose elites create popular nationalism.
• Research has overemphasized cases where nationalism emerged, neglecting instances where it did not.
• This focus may skew the understanding of elite-nationalism dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To challenge the prevailing theory that elites solely create popular nationalism.
• To explore historical instances where popular nationalism preceded or diverged from elite promotion.
• To examine the ways elites influence, rather than originate, nationalistic sentiments.

Main Methods:

• Historical case study analysis.
• Examination of diverse historical records and social movements.
• Comparative analysis of elite actions and popular reception of nationalism.

Main Results:

• Identified numerous historical cases where elites promoted nationalisms not adopted by the populace.
• Found instances where ordinary people adopted nationalisms independently of elite initiatives.
• Demonstrated that elites shape nationalisms through organization, information dissemination, and incentive provision.

Conclusions:

• The top-down model of nationalism creation by elites is not universally applicable.
• Popular nationalism can emerge organically and predate elite involvement.
• Elites play a significant role in shaping the expression and direction of existing nationalisms.