Wednesday 20 May 2009

Clearing up the terminology

"There are various ideological forms of nationalism, but it is useful to separate 'liberal' from 'holistic'. Liberalism is modern - it is rationalistic, individualistic, pluralistic and concerned with tolerance and rights. Holistic nationalism is not. It is often based on an ethnic conception of the nation, although it can encompass a statist form in which assimilation into the 'home' culture is acceptable. Holistic nationalism thus stresses conversion, expulsion or worse of the 'Other', and the defence of a traditional conception of community. Whilst it cannot be 'liberal democratic', it can be 'democratic' in the sense that freedom is held to be possible precisely because society is so homogenous. Dissent is likely to be within limited bounds - a key proposition in 'direct democratic' thought. 'Democratic racism' is thus not a contradiction in terms.
This emphasis on nationalism also helps explain why parties with apparently dissimilar economic policies can be grouped in the same party family. The main distinctive feature of the socio-economic policy of such parties is the belief that the fruits of the national economy should first and foremost benefit their own people."

Roger Eatwell: The Rebirth of the 'Extreme Right' in Western Europe, in Parliamentary Affairs 53/2000.

1 comment:

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