Is European Nationalism's Rise Inevitable? The Shocking Truth!

Is Europe on the brink of fading away? President Trump certainly seems to think so, his National Security Strategy warning of a potential "civilizational erasure" on the continent. While that might sound a bit dramatic, the underlying worry – that Europe is losing its ability to steer its own course – isn't entirely without merit.

Is European Nationalism's Rise Inevitable? The Sho...

However, Trump's proposed solution – a return to strong, independent nation-states – feels like a misguided attempt to fix the problem. The real issue, in my view, isn't that Europe is too integrated; it's that it isn't integrated enough. To truly hold its own in a world increasingly dominated by massive players like the US and China, Europe needs to finally embrace its common institutions.

And that's where the concept of a "European nationalism" comes in. Now, I know what you're thinking: "Nationalism? Isn't that a bit… outdated?" But hear me out. As the political scientist Benedict Anderson pointed out, nations are essentially "imagined communities." They're large enough that we can't possibly know everyone in them, but they're still tangible enough to foster a sense of shared responsibility. This feeling of belonging is crucial for any political project, no matter its ideology.

Think about it: the Industrial Revolution threw everything out of whack. Suddenly, governments were responsible for so much more – infrastructure, education, economic development. It became a constant process of collective decision-making. And modern nationalism emerged as a way to manage this tension, uniting disparate populations under a single banner.

Look at 19th-century Germany. Nationalists wanted to bring together all those separate states – Bavaria, Prussia, and so on – under a single, unified government. Early German nationalism was surprisingly liberal, aiming for a constitutional framework. But it quickly became apparent that legal consolidation wasn't enough. They needed to forge a new German identity, a broader sense of "us" that could support common institutions.

And that's the challenge Europe faces today. The EU has created a massive internal market and a complex regulatory system. But it hasn't managed to cultivate a corresponding political identity. The result is a system that's economically integrated but politically fragile – strong enough to regulate, but too weak to inspire genuine loyalty when things get tough. The key now is fostering that sense of shared identity, that feeling of "Europeanness," if the EU is ever to truly achieve its potential. It's a tall order, no doubt, but it's essential for Europe's future.