Nationalism: A Short Story

Nationalism has re-emerged as a potent force in world affairs— sometimes as a positive aspiration, sometimes as hatred and bigotry. But what is nationalism? Hasn’t nationalism always been an aspect of the human experience? These are among the questions Liah Greenfeld answers in her new book. Greenfeld traces the development of the idea that the people within a given geographical boundary constituted a sovereign community of fundamentally equal members—a nation. She explains how this novel idea gave rise to an inclusive political identity of all people regardless of economic or social standing and an extensive system of modern values—what we now call nationalism. Greenfeld traces the history of nationalism with fascinating accounts of how the concept of nationhood migrated from England to France, then to Russia and the United States, and eventually to much of the rest of the world, culminating most recently with the arrival of nationalism in China. 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, as Greenfeld notes, nationalism still “is the defining factor of the world in which we live.” Greenfeld recounts with clarity the history of nationalism, 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. LIAH