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shows itself also in the treatment of the question of nationality: the Allies declare for the rights of nations and self-determination, the state thus being made subordinate to nationality; the Central Powers are non-national and even anti-national.[1]
7. The Right of Nations to Self-Determination.
15. Nationality might have become political power merely as a historical fact, but the Allies recognise the right to self-determination of nations. President Wilson declared that no nation shall be forced to have a government which is not its own nor for its own interests. The so-called “Real”-politicians, whenever it suits them, are ready to accept things as they are, substituting facts for what is right; but what has been or what exists is not thereby made right—history and social life is the constant struggle of those who defend right and justice against those who adhere to convenient facts.
Although nationality is a strong political power, the right of nationality has been so far formulated but very imperfectly in modern constitutions and laws; in countries nationally mixed some language rights are codified, but so far there does not exist an exact definition of nationality, and the subject of language and national rights has not been adequately determined by any code.
The justification of nationality is found for the first time in the previously quoted formula of Herder. This enthusiastic herald of humanity based the right of nations upon the principle of humanity; the nation, not the state, is the natural organ of mankind. Humanitism, beginning in modern times with Humanism and the Reformation, in both its extensive meaning (mankind) and its intensive meaning (to be human) found general acceptance and became the recognised foundation of all modern morals; the 18th century is the century of humanity and enlightenment; in the name of humanity (philanthropy, sympathy, etc.) reforms are demanded in all spheres of social institutions and activities.
From the humanitarian principle is also derived the justification of and necessity for democracy, socialism and nationality: leaders and theorists of democracy and socialism, equally with the leaders of the national movement, based the justification and righteousness of democracy, socialism and nationality on the Christian commandment to love one another. This might be considered rather a tactical argument, but in reality there is no other foundation for morality, and therefore for politics, than respect and love for one another, whether it be called humanity, philanthropy, altruism, sympathy, equality, or solidarity. The humanitarian principle was adopted by the French Revolution in the famous motto: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity;
- ↑ The word nation is also used to designate the body of citizens of a mixed state; for instance, the Swiss nation. The term Austrian nation is not used, because there are in Austria too many nations (nine) and its nationalistic struggles are known, although the term might be used with as much justification as it is used in the case of Switzerland, or Belgium. In the scientific German literature the term political nation is used to designate the whole body of citizens in a mixed state or the ruling nation only. It is of course evident that different nations who have lived together for a long time in one state have to some extent identical views, identical institutions, identical and common traditions; that is why one speaks, for instance, of the Belgian nation, etc. In the case of the Scotch or Irish nations, we must remember that Ireland and Scotland, parts of the present Britain, up to recent times have had political independence, and the people of each used and partly even uses now its own tongue. In another sense again the word nation is applied to Bavaria, Saxony and the various German states, or to Serbia and Montenegro, and to Canada, Australia, and to the people of the United States; but the federation plan for a closer union of English-speaking nations has proved that the national sentiment is stronger than geography and overcomes separation by distances. I see in the attachment of America to England in this war the manifestation of the feeling of nationality.Attention must be called to the distinction between nation and people (natio-populus, nation—peuple, Nation-Volk). The word “nation” is employed generally more in the political sense—the word “people” designates the masses of the nation in a democratic sense. The use of these two terms, especially in the important declarations made during this war, is unsettled and not very exact.
