Nationalism

Nationalism has re-emerged as a potent force in world affairs-sometimes as a force of positive aspiration, sometimes as an inward-looking force of hatred and bigotry. But what is nationalism? Hasn't nationalism, in one form or another, always been an aspect of the human experience?Liah Greenfeld answers those and other questions in her new book as she explores what, in historical terms, is the relatively short history of nationalism. Beginning with Shakespeare's accounts of the bloody internecine wars in pre-modern England, Greenfeld traces the development of the idea that the people within a given geographical boundary constituted a sovereign community of fundamentally equal members, named a nation. Over time, Greenfeld explains, this novel idea gave rise to an inclusive political identity of all people regardless of economic or social standing (national identity) and an extensive system of modern values-what we now call nationalism.Since the sixteenth century, nationalism increasingly has been the consciousness motivating both rulers and the ruled to seek to secure their nation's place in the broader world and to compete for dignity. Greenfeld traces this history with fascinating accounts of how the concept of nationhood migrated from England to France, then to Russia and the United States, then eventually to much of the rest of the world, culminating most recently with the arrival of nationalism in China. This idea underwent numerous permutations as it traveled, but the central concept of a sovereign community of members sharing in common dignity remained.During the twentieth century, nationalism was associated with the extremism of fascism, Nazism, and communism. The idea of nationalism fell into widespread disrepute after World War II-especially in the West-where it remained for several decades. But today, as Greenfeld notes, nationalism still is the defining factor of the world in which we live, an idea that drives politics and even economies across the globe.Greenfeld recounts the history of nationalism with clarity, corrects misperceptions about that past, and suggests that nationalism is likely to stick around for a while-but refuses to predict just how long that while will be.