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Difficulty: MediumRise of Modern Nationalism and Nation-State Unification

Source: Namık Kemal, Ottoman journalist and intellectual, essay in the newspaper *Hürriyet* (*Freedom*), 1868.

"The fatherland (*vatan*) is not consisting of some imaginary lines drawn on a map. It is a sacred idea resulting from the combination of noble feelings... Are we not children of the same soil? Do we not breathe the same air? The diversity of religions and languages among the subjects of the Sublime Porte should not prevent us from forming a single body. We must strive to preserve this union, for the progress of our nation depends on our mutual love and shared devotion to the state."

Which of the following nineteenth-century political developments is best illustrated by the passage?

  1. A
    The adoption of Social Darwinism to justify the conquest of neighboring territories.
  2. B
    The attempt to reinforce mercantilist economic controls over maritime trade routes.
  3. The attempt by multiethnic empires to foster a collective civic identity to counter separatist nationalist movements.Answer
  4. D
    The spread of revolutionary Marxist goals aiming to establish a stateless, classless society.

Answer

The attempt by multiethnic empires to foster a collective civic identity to counter separatist nationalist movements.
The correct answer is correct because the passage reflects the concept of Ottomanism, an ideology developed by nineteenth-century reformers to counter the rise of separatist nationalism among Balkan minorities. By advocating for a shared civic identity ('devotion to the state') that transcended religious and linguistic differences, Ottoman reformers hoped to preserve the integrity of their multiethnic empire.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source text to identify the author's primary argument and context.
The author (Namık Kemal, 1868) argues that religious and linguistic diversity should not prevent the subjects of the Ottoman Empire (the Sublime Porte) from forming a unified nation based on shared devotion to the state.
This establishes that the text is addressing the challenge of holding a multiethnic, multireligious empire together.
2
Connect the source's argument to broader nineteenth-century political trends.
During the nineteenth century, multiethnic empires (like the Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, and Russian empires) faced severe threats from separatist nationalist movements, leading them to construct state-sponsored forms of collective civic identity (like Ottomanism) to preserve their territorial integrity.
This links the specific text to the target historical concept of modern nationalism and empire-state responses.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the one that matches this historical context and dismiss distractors.
The option describing the attempt of multiethnic empires to foster a collective civic identity directly matches this context, while others confuse this with Social Darwinism, Marxism, or mercantilism.
This isolates the correct answer and eliminates incorrect options.

Key Concept

Rise of Modern Nationalism and Nation-State Unification
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Topics

Rise of Modern Nationalism and Nation-State Unification

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