He did indeed deliver his thesis from this vantage point, giving his claims added authenticity, if not veracity. In addition to freedom and happiness he identifies health and longevity; sustenance and abundance; peace and safety; literacy and knowledge; and environmental quality as critical outcomes all people should experience. Lest one think Yoram Hazony is simply a dyed-in-the-wool conservative, I would like to point out a fundamental point of his that popular liberalism can take comfort in. After the bellicose debacles of the twentieth century this is no small achievement. The Virtue of Nationalism covers a lot of theory and history in its 234 pages. . . N. Sutton, NH 03260. a profoundly universal social innovation, which emerged from the Enlightenment three centuries ago. The Virtue of Nationalism is a 2018 book by Israeli political theorist and biblical scholar Yoram Hazony. Other conditions conventionally thought of as forming the basis of the good life inspire contemporary political action as well. In Vogt's opinion, "The world could use a less moralistic, more nuanced defense of nationalism. Rather, he expounds on the virtues of mutual loyalty as the crucial missing component of current western political thought. Listen to The Virtue of Nationalism AUDIOBOOK from Yoram Hazony / Basic Books . Nationalism is a system that may need reform, but not revolution. Hazony argues that the nation state is the best form of government that humans have yet invented, contrasting both with historical empires and modern forms of global governance including United Nations affiliated institutions such as the International Court of Justice. [1], In November 1942, as word seeped out of Europe about mass killings of Jewish families, Israel's founding President Ben Gurion said that Jews were being “buried alive in graves dug by them,... because the Jews have no political standing, no Jewish army, no Jewish independence, and no homeland.”[1], The consensus view in Europe is that the Holocaust was caused by German nationalism. "[2], In a juxtaposition that book reviewer Ira Stoll describes as the book's "strongest case," for nationalism Hazony discusses the conflicting understanding held by Europeans and by Israelis. However, I suggest expanding the notion of what qualifies as ordering principles derived from the Enlightenment beyond just individual freedom, as noteworthy as it is. Be that as it may, Hazony singles out the European Union as a particularly flawed imperialistic gamble personifying the way nations should not be going. 99. The precious bond of mutual loyalty, progressively arising as it does from families and clans to tribes and nations, outweighs in importance personal gain, one’s survival instinct, and even the ability to live totally free and independent, according to Hazony. My key observations are that nationalism encourages pride, patriotism, and a rallying of collective spirit, leaving each citizen feeling as if they belong to something grand and historic. Members of any collective join for one of three reasons: they are coerced, paid off, or see the aims of the group as sharing in the same values as their own individual aspirations. He states that what the Jews lacked was a Jewish state in which they could have sought refuge. By investigating the way in which global exchange practices are developing in this increasingly hyper-connected world we can better determine whether nationalism, a profoundly universal social innovation, which emerged from the Enlightenment three centuries ago, continues to be a beneficial and relevant social organizing principle going forward. Hazony claims a collective freedom must precede individual freedom and to think any individual can be free when their family or fellow citizens are not is folly. What Hazony then actually does is to promote collectivism, community, and public cooperation as paramount while debasing an over-reliance on individualism. ", "How to Defend Nationalism, and How Not to", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Virtue_of_Nationalism&oldid=983629822, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 15 October 2020, at 09:38. Germany saw the nations of England, France, Spain, and Portugal forming colonial empires around the world and thought they should have one too. We rely on each other for our common welfare and bounty in ways that is increasingly difficult to do at just a national level alone. A review of The Virtue of Nationalism by Yoram Hazony. The first sentence presents the author’s thesis that the world is composed of two “antithetical” types of government: universalist empires and free nation-states. One element of credibility I expected from Hazony was his perspective on the topic as an Israeli citizen and self-admitted Zionist. To diminish or to be blind to this tenet is to follow a path toward enabling organizations with weak attachments and a fragile ability to meet threats, to benefit from opportunities, or to satisfy the individual needs of constituents. . The moral ideologies associated with patriotism are to be ascertained more than anything else. And whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”. Is nationalism, in Macron’s words, an ancient and modern cause of the ‘old demons’ of history? The default position is that members of a nation exclusively contain a limited and unique set of objectives necessary to sustain their people which are not shared with foreigners. Later significant expression of nationalism occurred during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. Available instantly. In general, I have to give Hazony credit for laying out a solid case for the continuance of nationalism. By taking away their status of nationhood peace and prosperity would instead reign over Europe. One of the book's many virtues is its clear and precise prose. Its introduction presents it as a reaction to the discussions on nationalism following Brexit and … As is obvious, the EU is modeled on federalism and is populated largely with nations and citizens who want to be a part of it, especially now that the UK is gone. Summary: The Virtue of Nationalism By Yoram Hazony - Kindle edition by Zink, Jason. A principal dichotomy Hazony relies on to gird his central argument is the fundamental choice countries must make between having governments rooted in self-determined independent sovereignty or authoritative and centrally planned multi-state aggregations. . SUMMARY : A leading conservative thinker argues that a nationalist order is the only realistic safeguard of liberty in the world today Nationalism is the issue of our age. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Such fidelity to a group’s ancestors and the culture they imparted over generations should be honored, refined, and respected. Nationalism is the issue of our age. It is the quest to understand and live a life of moral character. Many are welcoming this set of challenges as an excuse to reaffirm the benefits of nationalism and caution against any alternatives away from it. Surely, attempts to ensure individual freedom and results such as those noted by Pinker together serve as a more complete unifying principle agreeable to all nations supporting a theory of government. To be clear, the above criticism is not a rationale for empire building. Areas of contention include claims that a form of neo-nationalism in the west has arisen of late characterized by regressive and revisionist thinking; claims of racial superiority; intolerance of diversity; an embrace of outmoded social behaviors; denial or rejection of cultural and historical changes now underway; less respect for the rights of all citizens; a willingness to increase conflict with other countries such as allies; and less readiness to initiate and establish international alliances. The result of these traumas is that the true national state, as Hazony sees it, has given way to a neo-imperialism most glaringly expressed in the European Union, United Nations, and Pax Americana. Together these issues have called into question our rush to tightly connect the world technologically, economically, politically, and culturally. The Bible became the first document to present a political order alternative to imperialism as well as the tradition preceding it, tribalism. The claim is therefore made that a true lasting connection to one another in a nation is much closer to family than to business. By superseding loyalty and kinship to cultural, religious, and tribal origins with individual freedom and equality the nation state loses its moral fiber and tradition-bound purpose. Donald Trump, Brexit supporters, eastern European strongmen, white supremacists, and angry old white men (and some women) many of whom possess only a basic level of formal education. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Summary: The Virtue of Nationalism By Yoram Hazony. Nationalism is the sweet spot between the rule of clans and tribes, which leads to near constant warfare and anarchy, and empire with its inevitability of subjugation. Summary: The Virtue of Nationalism By Yoram Hazony. He makes clear that there are limits to mutual loyalty. Historically, loyalty followed a path from family to clan to tribe and over time to nation. Is it a belief countries should be free to pursue their interests, further their cultural traditions, and navigate their way through a world brimming with threats and opportunities? It is only in the national state where citizens of common heritage, language, religion, and history join to form and give allegiance to a political order that in turn provides national freedom to all. This book is a missed opportunity. Yoram Hazony is an Israeli philosopher, Bible scholar and political theorist. Advantages of the union include protection of basic political, social, and economic rights through implementation of a single market with no cross-border transaction fees; high uniform standards of food safety, consumer and employment rights, and environmental regulations; added global relations clout coming from a unified voice instead of 27 smaller voices; enhanced minority citizen rights; and more. [4][5][3], He argues that because, in contrast with systems like the European Union where member states are bound by measures taken by the Union, each nation state sets up unique systems, standards and administrative procedures, effectively producing a series of experiments that other nation states can freely copy as they strive for improvement. It is due to the latter empire with its authoritarian brutality and forced devotion to polytheism and pharaonic command, which gave rise to the reactive origins of nationalism found in the Old Testament. Hazony offers a useful analogy to make his point, by which he compares the two institutions of business and family. So in this regard, patriotism is not just about showing a strong support for one’s own nation; rather it lends support to one’s own ideals or felt perceptions, which may or may not tally with that of the nation. [1][2], John Fonte, writing in the National Review, described Virtue as a book "that will become a classic. Recent reading and podcast listening of mine in the areas of politics, economics, and philosophy has brought to my attention the latest work from Yoram Hazony, an Israeli political philosopher, entitled The Virtue of Nationalism. 1541645375, Toronto Public Library Steven Pinker highlighted such requirements in his book Enlightenment Now (2018). It is impressively researched and its citations provide a treasure trove of sources for further study on its topic. Mailing Address: International trade and cultural exchanges benefit a nation beyond what domestic practices, policies, and programs alone can do in the modern era. This continued to serve as the building model of most nations reaching into the 20th century. In Hazony’s nationalistic world citizens begin forming the bonds of loyalty first to their families and from there to their local communities and to country. The Hebrew nation was intentionally forged from centuries of enmity, bigotry, conflict, and genocide, providing Hazony and perhaps all Israelis, with a profound reverence for a system codifying independence, self-reliance, and empowerment for the Jewish people. National freedom as expressed in free institutions and domestic power centers strengthens domestic peace and common well-being. The impression initially given to me from the above sources is that this work is popular among conservative intellectuals as a serious promotion of nationalism’s positive effects and praiseworthy underpinnings going well beyond mere political theater and hyperbole to instead a revealing and scholarly justification of the concept’s current embrace among many on the political right. As is obvious to him, this doctrine can best be achieved via international alliances and other state integration schemes, which smack of imperialism and a drift away from sovereignty. The family, on the other hand, is comprised of members to whom one is devoted well beyond what comforts they provide. Any philosophy of government must take into account this fundamental truth — group cohesion resulting from reciprocal fidelity creates the highest quality and sustainable associations and institutions. Therefore, in Hazony's words, “It is not Israel that is the answer to the Holocaust, but the European Union.”[1], Hazony describes the Nazism of the Third Reich as both a distinctive form both of imperialism and of racial supremacism. Anyone who feels pride in their heritage, which is most individuals, knows how significant fealty and homage to one’s people is. Conclusion: As a summary, remember that the virtue of capitalism is that it relies on consent. [Yoram Hazony] -- A leading conservative thinker argues that a world of sovereign nations is the only option for those who care about personal and collective freedom. From Donald Trump's America First politics to Brexit to the rise of the right in Europe.. It is fertile with ideas and is rightly considered an important contribution to the debate on the good life and the just order, one that people of all political perspective would benefit by reading. This latter motive, the most influential of the three, leads to an all powerful mutual loyalty, which is foundational to the formation of families, clans, tribes, successful institutions, and nations themselves. Hazony seems to have a limited view regarding the foundational thinking pertaining to political order, which emerged from the 18th century’s age of reason known as the Enlightenment. “The nationalism I grew up with is a principled standpoint that regards the world as governed best when nations are able to chart their own independent course, cultivating their own traditions and pursuing their own interests without interference. His claim is that without the ties of tradition loyalty toward others dissolves. He accuses the current liberal construction of the West as falling into this trap by relying solely on individual consent and freedom as the keystone of government. It’s reasonable to ask, can there be anything redeemable of an idea endorsed enthusiastically by this lot? To say this is to draw attention to the fact that patriotism is one of a class of loyalty-exhibiting virtues (that is, if it is a virtue at all), other mem hers of which are marital fidelity, the love of one's own family and kin, friendship, and loyalty to such institutions as schools and cricket or … To be a nationalist, according to Hazony, means not only to defend the legitimacy of tribal nation-states but also to advocate a world order in which they can "chart their own independent course, cultivating their own traditions and pursuing their own interests without interference." Written by Vladimir Moss. I ask myself, are the world’s inhabitants really that separate and different from each another? All told, this seemed like a good time to try understanding my political opposition more by peering into an erudite attempt to explain nationalism’s measure, worth, and modern relevance. Nationalism today has been altered substantially by two penetrating developments—the philosophical emergence of what Hazony calls the “liberal construction of the West” and Germany’s 20th century attempts to forcefully apply nationalism as a springboard for empire building. "[2], According to Hazony, national identity is based not on race or biological homogeneity, but on "bonds of mutual loyalty" to a shared culture and a shared history that bind diverse groups into a national unit. For critics of  nationalism as it has become to be understood today, in particular as a reactionary political movement, it is worth reading this sober and reasoned rationale advocating a means of governing and ordering of societies that is still quite recent in the annals of history. by Jason Zink | Feb 3, 2019. [2] In Hazony's words, "liberal internationalism is not merely a positive agenda. Above all, the greatest benefit to date is the degree of relative peace throughout the European continent. This plays right into the popular liberalism of American Democrats and European Social Democrats and says to popular conservatism in the West that its ideology is left wanting. However, it is on this overarching topic of mutual loyalty where I begin to question Hazony’s premise. The current wave of nationalism in Europe. [3] Hazony argues that the social cohesion enabled by a nation-state where a common language and history are shared by the majority of the population can produce a level of trust that enables the production of social and moral goods, such as civil and political liberties. The question is which system is worthy of development that best advances freedom, prosperity, peace, and moral integrity. I find it difficult to share Hazony’s glum assessment of the EU’s impact on governance and on the lives of European citizens. The virtue of nationalism, Yoram Hazony. The national state model allows people to join in a synergistic manner to establish and protect their independent means of continuing prosperity and cultural longevity while safeguarding themselves against external threats. In short, a debate now exists about whether or not nationalism contributes to universal welfare, peace, and prosperity around the planet or if it is instead an outdated relic of a more pugnacious and bellicose past. If one nation can’t defend its interests alone, then it joins in alliances with others whom they share concerns. "[7] In that vein, critics of the book largely faulted Hazony's use of terms and categorizations. Secondly, beyond the American experience, I’ve observed nationalism as the glue that has held the world’s people together in an appropriate order of self-governing societies bound by common histories, languages, cultural traits, and religions. Overall, nationalism has felt natural and fitting — until this time. A world of national states sets the stage for such interaction. In summary, Yoram Hazony has prepared a sagacious defense of nationalism that I recommend to anyone drawn to a consideration of political theory, governing principles, and what is motivating the political right these days. A book called The Virtue of Nationalism is bound to be controversial. Hazony defines nationalism as: “The nationalism I grew up with is a principled standpoint that regards the world as governed best when nations are able to chart their own independent course, cultivating their own traditions and pursuing their own interests without interference. The consensus view among Israelis is that Israel is the most effective response to the Holocaust. Hazony concludes his book by trying to address one persistent criticism of nationalism — the charge it promotes intolerance and hatred. Following the atrocities of Nazi Germany, a conclusion widely accepted was to believe nationalism could be inherently extreme and the cause of such horrendous crimes. [1][2] In particular, Hazony argues that nationalism uniquely provides, "the collective right of a free people to rule themselves. Nationalism has become a political hot potato and as with many topics of late with which there should not be widespread disagreement, such as environmental protection, universal access to healthcare, and shared prosperity, nationalism is now the cause célèbre, pitting those on the right, who seek a return to an allegedly diminished sovereignty, with liberals who view cooperative global connectivity among peoples as inevitable and positive. The sense of belonging is integral to personal mental and therefore collective health. This book appeared in mid 2018. In particular, Hazony argues that nationalism uniquely provides, "the collective right of a free people to rule themselves." Primarily, his placement of nationalism between tribalism and imperialism and his critique of these extremes is credible. Hence, World Wars I and II. Beginning with an endorsement of the idea that political order needs to precede philosophies of government he goes on to recognize politics as a means of persuasion uniting like interests of a community toward achieving common goals. The faith buttressing these entities assumes the western world has identified liberalism, by which is included the rule of law, market economies, and individual rights as the true all-encompassing way to achieve peace and prosperity. This lack of engagement, Shindler claims, is "conspicuous" since that body of literature, though it is "quite cogent...admits that nationalism is culpable of precisely what it is accused of by its liberal critics. In business, employees and customers engage with the organization to greater and lesser degrees depending primarily on an expectation of what benefits are to be derived which will enhance one’s lifestyle and material well being. The Virtue of Nationalism, by the Israeli theologian and political philosopher Yoram Hazony, is being hailed by some as an important statement of the underpinning political ideology in the age of Brexit, Trump, Modi, Xi, Abe, Erdogan, Putin and of independence proclamations around the world, from Scotland to Catalonia, that is the rise of populist nationalism. Yoram Hazony’s The Virtue of Nationalism has the great virtue of an easy summary… well, a reasonably easy one. In Summary. Or is it one ingrained with the notion global integration is a requirement for reducing racism and belligerence, while promoting tolerance, fellowship, and fairness? Yoram Hazony constructs a thoughtful, well researched, ardent, and academic defense of nationalism, placing the practice in a long-term historical context. The bond folk experience from common backgrounds, values, and interests is profound and motivating. Indeed, this is the crux of his problem with the historic liberal construction of the West. GERMAN NATIONALISM AND THE WAR OF LIBERATION. Making a Virtue of Nationalism "European political debate at present centres around the rising popular resistance to Brussels, to its growing centralisation of power, and to particular policies it has pursued (such as relocating migrants), often with little or no consultation, across the continent. He is President of the Herzl Institute in Jerusalem. I agree the loss of national sovereignty can lead to a weakening of culture and a reduction of local decision making, both of which fly in the face of self-determination. Box 422 The usual answer to this question is to dodge it, by declaring that nationalism is bad but patriotism is good. It is an imperialist ideology that incites against . Gary Gutting reflects this Fourth of July on the morality of patriotism, which is grounded in a kind of in-group loyalty at odds with moral theories that require that we treat all human beings equally, regardless of whether we are part of the same family, tribe, or nation.. But that is as far as collaborative devotion can apparently reach. particular nation. Our very survival no matter where we live is largely subservient to how global decision makers react to the scientific data beckoning us to act in a coordinated manner. I have always thought this arrangement was a marked improvement over the primitive feudalism of previous eras with its near constant bloodshed and tyrannical rule. This character-based approach to morality assumes that we acquire virtue through practice. Empire has a long track record in the western world stretching back to Assyria, Persia, Babylonia, and Egypt. Related Tags. nationalists, seeking their delegitimization wherever they appear. In summary, The Virtue of Nationalism is a very readable book, with a laudable premise and an attractive proposition – at least to anti-globalists and believers in the nation-state. For instance, one review by Park MacDougald for New York magazine's the Intelligencer commented: “The book’s major flaw is that Hazony tends to define his terms as ideal types and then argue from those definitions.”[8] Likewise, another review by George Washington University professor Samuel Goldman in Modern Age stated that Hazony's argument “rests on a confusing and counterproductive use of terms.”[9], Some reviewers commented that Hazony's theory and defense of nationalism does not appear to take into account the historical body of nationalist thought, possibly to make his position more palatable to his readership. He goes to some lengths criticizing individual consent or freedom as inadequate on its own for basing a political theory. And thanks to Hazony, I can now better separate nationalism’s true value from the lunatic rhetoric delivered by the cast of nationalistic characters on today’s political stage. Basic Books (September 2017) 304 pages. Mr. Hazony attempts a reasoned case for his preference of nationalism over the other major political order alternatives, those being clans/tribes and imperialism. Brazil, the U.S. and elsewhere is a rejection of the liberal construction of the West and the neocolonialism it implies. Sadly, America has started to shift away from capitalism. . Kindle Edition $0.99 $ 0. . We could say it is a consensual relationship. By practicing being honest, brave, just, generous, and so on, a person develops an honorable and moral character. The Political Economy of Virtue: Luxury, Patriotism, and the Origins of the French Revolution. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Virtue of Nationalism by Yoram Hazony (2018, Hardcover) at the best online prices at eBay! Also, nationalism now has a novel and disturbing face to it. Do we not jointly participate in a world marked more by what unites us than what divides us? In The Virtue of Nationalism , Israeli philosopher Yoram Hazony makes the positive case for nationalism in an honest, reasoned, morally unflinching way. Moreover, national freedom is founded on a empirical belief that the truths which hold a people together must result from a plurality of viewpoints over time rather than from a single universal precept delivered on high. "[2] In February 2019, the book won the Paolucci Book Award from the Intercollegiate Studies Institute. In other words, Hazony views the essential preference as one between nationalism and imperialism. The counter argument boils down basically to: ‘Well, imperialist movements do so too.’ Finally, much time is spent defending Israel’s nationalism, which frankly to me appears as an open and shut case given the history Jews have faced, despite their inability thus far to temper or mitigate the aggressiveness imposed by them onto their neighbors. Hazony argues that the nation state is the best form of government that humans have yet invented, contrasting both with historical empires and modern forms of global governance including United Nations affiliated institutions such as the International Court of Justice. The Virtue of Nationalism (Book) : Hazony, Yoram : A leading conservative thinker argues that a world of sovereign nations is the only option for those who care about personal and collective freedom. I will summarize " The Virtue of Nationalism ", by conservative Israeli philosopher Yoram Hazony (the link includes video lectures related to the book). Free shipping for many products! Not only that, but global climate change places everyone in the same existential boat. In The Virtue of Nationalism, Yoram Hazony contends that a world of sovereign nations is the only option for those who care about personal and collective freedom. The commitment to one another within families is a much stronger bond than is found elsewhere, particularly more so than within commercial relations. . [2] Hazony writes that globalists promulgate “anti-nationalist hate,” and are aggressively intolerant of cultural particularism. Or, as Hazony argues in his latest book, The Virtue of Nationalism, is the nation state the best way to preserve law and liberty? A political order whereby individuals are able to benefit from established cultural teachings, uphold the future of their civilization, and further an idiosyncratic but legitimate expression of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is clearly acceptable. P.O. In the first case, western political thought has been dominated since John Locke (1689) by a sanctified belief in individual rights and consent. Rather, Hazony’s nationalism is a principled standpoint that seeks to maximize national self-determination and independence, which means of course that it must be vigilant against the efforts of individual powerful nations to aggrandize themselves at the … Is not our common need to live fruitful lives in the here and now, while fashioning a plentiful future for our children, the elusive universal principle Hazony claims does not exist? Of note, Mosaic law prohibited Israelites from launching incursions into nearby kingdoms and stipulated internal governing standards, which together formed the early parameters of the national state. And consent is what is behind the virtue of capitalism. I went into this reading with a view of nationalism shaped largely by two influences, one my study of conventional American history, which by and large speaks of American nationalism as a blessed and hard fought gift to the world, created out of righteous revolution and gallantly sustained throughout numerous external threats and invasions. The Virtue of Nationalism by Yoram Hazony. Paperback $26.04 $ 26. [10][11] For instance, an essay by Michael Shindler in Jacobite, notes that Hazony's theory is heavily derived from recent scholarship from Israel and the anglosphere (particularly Fania Oz-Salzberger’s 'The Jewish Roots of Western Freedom,' and Philip Gorski’s The Mosaic Moment), which depicts "nationalism as a descendant of the biblical Israeli model," as opposed to the "robust body of nationalist theory that’s been developing since the 19th century." Hazony complains that defense of old-styled nationalism is not even given the time of day among the multiparty educated elites who are all in with the Lockean paradigm. What we are left with at best is a grasping of like interests from which to form political alliances with those outside of our cultural and national sphere. Because of consent, capitalism has meant freedom and liberty for everyone that lives under a free market, capitalist society. [6], Reviewing the book for The New York Times, Justin Vogt called Hazony's narrative a, "reductive approach (that) poses a false choice between an idealized order of noble sovereign nations and a totalitarian global government." This book offers an eye-opening rethinking of the modern political experience. A common attribute of these nations was a self-proclaimed right of self-determination and adoption of moral requirements determining the legitimacy of governments, often codified in constitutions. I agree with much of his rationale. He basis his claim not on mere emotional devotion or an infatuation with institutional tradition alone, but through a carefully constructed logic centered on the ultimate eminence of people’s mutual loyalty to one another. The term Nationalism, as a descriptor of political philosophy, cultural identity, and governance methodology has been undergoing a reexamination in recent years. Yet, other rightists, in particular nationalists, Polish and others, ought to familiarize themselves with Hazony. And because there is not a universal commonly accepted principle that applies to everyone around the planet, or so he says, there is a natural constraint as to how far mutual loyalty can go. by John Shovlin | Oct 4, 2007. [2][1], And he asserts that it is a matter of historical fact that the rights and freedoms of individuals have been protected best by nation-states, especially in England and in the United States. Yet, I’m still left with the feeling that to promote nationalism without explicitly condemning its obvious shortcomings in the areas of racism and intolerance, not to mention the impracticality of isolation in a commercially globalized world, is leaving me somewhat unconvinced of Hazony’s brand of nationalism’s purity. The virtue of nationalism. The claim is therefore made that a true lasting connection to one another in a nation is much closer to family than to business. in which a single standard of right is held to be in force everywhere, tolerance for diverse political and religious standpoints must necessarily decline.”[2] Hazony argues that globalizing politically progressive elites have promoted a “global rule of law” that is intolerant of cultural differences, of patriotism, and of religious faith. Rejection of the imperialistic Roman Church, following the invention of the printing press, occurred in England, Scotland, the Netherlands, France, and Sweden, leading eventually to the Thirty Years’ War, which broke the Roman church’s hold over much of Europe, resulting in the formation of national states throughout the continent. The difference with the Germans was in their belief that instead of colonizing far-flung parts of the world they could establish their empire in Europe. Technology and a global economy join people in interdependent ways. To be fair, there have undoubtedly been tensions leading to a reassessment of how international relations are deployed and of globalization’s value more broadly. This, in Hazony's view, contrasts sharply with attempts at “universal political order . The significant emergence of populist right-wing movements in a number of western countries during the 2010s is forcing us to review the advantages and disadvantages wrought upon societies and economies concerning the manner in which globalization’s interactions and integrations have been playing out over the past thirty or forty years. He restricts it to Locke’s reasoned claim of “perfect freedom” and “perfect equality” or in short, individual freedom, as the one grand unifying principle driving the theory of government that now dominates the West. Hazony lays out quite well the pitfalls of a single multinational governmental structure. GERMAN NATIONALISM AND THE WAR OF LIBERATION In its early stages Kant, Hegel and Goethe had all praised the French Revolution; and Kant’s disciple, Johann Gottlieb Fichte, had even declared that “henceforth the French Republic alone can be the country of the Just”. But even with these foibles I cannot support a removal of nationalism in favor of a one-world government. Nationalism is the issue of our age. In summary, The Virtue of Nationalism is a challenging and timely proposition. Also, I don’t get that if in an empire one member’s national views are disregarded by the empire’s leaders it is despotism, but within the nation state if a minority’s views are ignored by a nation’s leaders it is an accepted price to be paid for the larger good of nationalism, then I see an inconsistency. Growing numbers of Americans and Europeans see unsustainable and uncontrollable levels of immigration occurring; trade agreements that seem to favor cheap labor abroad at the expense of domestic workers; technological and business shifts overly favoring the highly educated; greater corporate empowerment leading to increased wealth inequality; terrorism targeted at the wealthy nations; and a sense that multi-state federations and alliances, such as the European Union, United Nations, and NATO, are weakening nations’ ability to determine their own policy initiatives and address adequately their own unique national interests. "[12], "Israel Emerges As an Avatar Of Nationalism (book review)", "Author Says Nationalism Can Be A Force For Good", https://home.isi.org/conservative-book-year-award, "Are You a Nationalist or an Imperialist? He contends this comes at the expense of a conviction in nationalism based on self-determination and moral allegiance principles as the correct and proper way to govern. On November 14, 2019, the Matthew J. Ryan Center at Villanova University will host Yoram Hazony and Aurelian Craiutu for a debate on the virtue of nationalism. Nationalism is the sweet spot between the rule of clans and tribes, which leads to near constant warfare and anarchy, and empire with its inevitability of subjugation. It’s also hard to quarrel with the value of mutual loyalty among like people, a fundamental dogma of his pro-nationalism argument. Nationalism used to have a positive connotation with me, but since the Trump phenomenon its reputation now seems personally tarnished by its associations with xenophobia, jingoism, racism, and extremism. Hazony reaches into history to provide guidance and justification for the crucial ruling decision nations must make today.