Kjellén, nationalismen och världspolitiken

Abstract

Kjellén, nationalism and world politics

Rudolf Kjellén’s idea of nationalism could be characterized by a distaste for liberalism. He disliked the spirit of 1789 and 1848 revolutions because of their liberal ideals. But he liked the national ideals they also stood for. Kjellén applied Darwinism to the international system and considered warfare to be the natural state of nations. Struggle and suffering were essential to national survival and development.

Kjellén stood for an agrarian conservatism. He favoured the rural way of life based upon strong family bonds and religion. Here we find the ideals of ”Blut und Boden” as well as a ”Kinder, Küche, Kirche” mentality. Kjellén did not approve of women´s emancipation. And he strongly believed that decreasing birthrates meant national regression.

Kjellén foresaw a clash between ”Germanism” and ”Panslavism”. In his opinion Germany and Austria-Hungary formed a barrier against Russian Slavic ”barbarism”. While Kjellén admired Germany he distrusted Great Britain. The latter represented cosmopolitical culture and international capitalism. The Wilhelmian Germany, on the other hand, fascinated him for its national strength.

According to Kjellén’s geopolitical thinking he meant that the British Empire was predestined to collapse. Germany, he believed and hoped, would emerge as a new world power. He and ”the men of 1914” took a strong position for Germany during the World War. They contrasted favourly the nationalistic spirit of 1914 to the liberal thinking of 1789.

Liberal and social democratic newspapaers violently attacked Kjellén and his supporters of ”1914” national sentiment.