The many ways to see the nation. Liberals and Conservatives in Romania (1914-1918)

The outbreak of the Great War forced the Romanian leadership to take dramatic decisions with respect to a conflict that involved all great powers. This meant for a country such as Romania to consider a choice capable of guaranteeing present and future security, reopening the question of the completion of its national aspirations. The country’s ambitions were linked to regions inhabited by Romanian population, but controlled by members of both sides at war, and the mistrust of Austro-Hungarians and Russians made any decision extremely difficult. The different interpretation of the national interest and foreign policy priorities is the main theme of this contribution. Liberals, conservatives, patriots, all faced the conflict on the basis of their respective ways of perceiving the national interest, whose meaning, however, in a context often characterized by personal hatred and conflicting ambitions, ended up being heavily influenced by prejudices and personal interests as well.