The Cult of the Nation in France: Inventing Nationalism, 1680-1800

Using eighteenth-century France as a case study, David Bell offers an important new argument about the origins of nationalism. Before the eighteenth century, the very idea of nation-building-a central component of nationalism-did not exist. During this period, leading French intellectual and political figures came to see perfect national unity as a critical priority, and so sought ways to endow all French people with the same language, laws, customs, and values. The period thus gave rise to the first large-scale nationalist program in history.

Authors: David A. Bell

Format: Paperback

Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 9780674012370

Publication date: 20030901