Any work that takes a thorough look at the problem of nationality requires a kind of common ground in the form of a consensus about such basic terms as people and nation. In the Austro-Hungarian Empire the main problem was the complexity of factors and the lack of unity, which also affected Austria’s special matter of nationality. Specifically, Austria witnessed the mutual opposition of three elements. Amidst the conflict of different ethnic groups and the historical kingdoms and provinces with the central power, ethnic groups made increasingly significant and radical demands as opposed to the other two groups. While this work also seeks to use consistent terms, it shifts the focus from the creation of unambiguous definitions to generally recognised historical development processes, such as the role of the slogans of popular sovereignty and equal rights in the definition of nation, and to trends in the scholarly interpretation of people and nation in the 19th century.