This essay deals with the confrontation between universalistic and particularistic principles withregard to collective identities and nationalities in the Third World. Universalistic principles are basedon the 18th century rationalism; its most important representative in the field of comparative worldhistory was the Marquis of Condorcet. This current makes no difference between natural and socialsciences and does not care for national singularities. Particularistic tendencies are based onrelativism. They seek to understand each case by reconstructing ist history. Two moderaterepresentatives of this tendency were G.B. Vico and J.G. Herder. Making a critique of bothtendencies the author attempts at a prolific synthesis of them, which are considered ascomplementary. For instance universal ethics and human rights could build the fundamentals foran effective right to difference.
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