The rise of European nationalism in the 19th century brought with it an overabundance of changes that would permanently alter the course of history. The rise of nationalism in one country would spark greater nationalism in another, which would in turn motivate even greater nationalism in the first, progressively escalating the cycle that ultimately ended in a world war. Nationalism as an ideology produced an international competition that inspired an absolute loyalty to an individual's national state. The ideology was fueled by industrial trade and imperialistic developments that led to the quest by nation states to surpass rival nations. The powerful and intense impact of nationalism on individuals is demonstrated in the Two Letters of Rudolf von Ihering (1866). By giving individuals a group to be a part of, it became something that seemed to have limitless potential for prosperity and gave individuals a sense of empowerment. Initially, Von Ihering had rigorously opposed the policy of Realpolitik adopted by Otto von Bismarck, declaring that “all [in Ger...