This volume examines one of the central political questions of the modern world, the uneasy and often violent relationship between the forces of nationalism and democracy.  This subject was one of lifelong interest to the late Professor Harry Hearder of University of Wales, Cardiff, to whom the book is dedicated. The focus is on the nation-states of western Europe during the period 1985-1970.  Much of the content explores varieties of conflict and compromise between these two 'cultures,' which had in many aspects a contradictory dynamic, but which nevertheless shared some basic aspirations, and often contrived to coexist, both on the national and international level.