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England and the Need for Nations
The nation state provides us with the surest model for peace, prosperity, and the defence of human rights. In spite of this, the idea of the nation state is under attack, derided as a cause of conflict, and destined to be replaced by more ‘enlightened’ forms of jurisdiction. This is in spite of the fact that all recent attempts to transcend the nation state into some kind of transnational political order have ended up either as totalitarian dictatorships like the former Soviet Union or as unaccountable bureaucracies like the European Union.
Attempts to change the nature of the European Union in ways that will expropriate our sovereignty and annihilate the boundaries between jurisdictions have brought us to a turning point in our history. Roger Scruton
“I believe that we are on the brink of decisions that could prove disastrous for Europe and for the world, and that we have only a few years in which to take stock of our inheritance and to reassume it. Now more than ever do those lines from Goethe’s Faust ring true for Was du ererbt von deinen Vätern hast, Erwirb es, um es zu besitzen. What you have inherited from your forefathers, earn it, that you might own it. We in the nation states of Europe need to earn again the sovereignty that previous generations so laboriously shaped from the inheritance of Christianity, imperial government and Roman law. Earning it, we will own it, and owning it, we will be at peace within our borders.”
Attempts to change the nature of the European Union in ways that will expropriate our sovereignty and annihilate the boundaries between jurisdictions have brought us to a turning point in our history. Roger Scruton
“I believe that we are on the brink of decisions that could prove disastrous for Europe and for the world, and that we have only a few years in which to take stock of our inheritance and to reassume it. Now more than ever do those lines from Goethe’s Faust ring true for Was du ererbt von deinen Vätern hast, Erwirb es, um es zu besitzen. What you have inherited from your forefathers, earn it, that you might own it. We in the nation states of Europe need to earn again the sovereignty that previous generations so laboriously shaped from the inheritance of Christianity, imperial government and Roman law. Earning it, we will own it, and owning it, we will be at peace within our borders.”
48 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2004
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About the author
Roger Scruton
140 books1,352 followersSir Roger Scruton was a writer and philosopher who has published more than forty books in philosophy, aesthetics and politics. He was a fellow of the British Academy and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. He taught in both England and America and was a Visiting Professor at Department of Philosophy and Fellow of Blackfriars Hall, Oxford, he was also a Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, Washington D.C.
In 2015 he published two books, The Disappeared and later in the autumn, Fools Frauds and Firebrands. Fools Frauds and Firebrands is an update of Thinkers of the New Left published, to widespread outrage, in 1986. It includes new chapters covering Lacan, Deleuze and Badiou and some timely thoughts about the historians and social thinkers who led British intellectuals up the garden path during the last decades, including Eric Hobsbawm and Ralph Miliband.
In 2016 he again published two books, Confessions of A Heretic (a collection of essays) and The Ring of Truth, about Wagner’s Ring cycle, which was widely and favourably reviewed. In 2017 he published On Human Nature (Princeton University Press), which was again widely reviewed, and contains a distillation of his philosophy. He also published a response to Brexit, Where We Are (Bloomsbury).
In 2015 he published two books, The Disappeared and later in the autumn, Fools Frauds and Firebrands. Fools Frauds and Firebrands is an update of Thinkers of the New Left published, to widespread outrage, in 1986. It includes new chapters covering Lacan, Deleuze and Badiou and some timely thoughts about the historians and social thinkers who led British intellectuals up the garden path during the last decades, including Eric Hobsbawm and Ralph Miliband.
In 2016 he again published two books, Confessions of A Heretic (a collection of essays) and The Ring of Truth, about Wagner’s Ring cycle, which was widely and favourably reviewed. In 2017 he published On Human Nature (Princeton University Press), which was again widely reviewed, and contains a distillation of his philosophy. He also published a response to Brexit, Where We Are (Bloomsbury).
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 21, 2021
Amazing book. Within the first three pages I had to check the publication year again, since it describes the current global situation more relevantly than ever. Even though short, Scruton manages to articulate his points effectively and verbalise thoughts many, If not most, people hold innately self-evident. Not many points one can disagree with.
February 17, 2020
Whilst short, Scruton does a fine job in this pamphlet of elucidating the need for a nation state with a citizenry who share together a territorial loyalty: institutions, customs and a sense of history. As he states of nationality: "It is the only form of membership that has so far shown itself able to sustain a democratic process and a liberal rule of law."
At the end of the book he stresses the need for the defense of the nation in the face of unaccountable transnational authorities (the EU, WTO, etc.) whose insidious reach and inherently unaccountable nature will inevitably lead to the path of despotism.
At the end of the book he stresses the need for the defense of the nation in the face of unaccountable transnational authorities (the EU, WTO, etc.) whose insidious reach and inherently unaccountable nature will inevitably lead to the path of despotism.
February 21, 2020
Well articulated, concise and a good (quick) read for those interested in contemporary politics - especially those who may want to understand an opposing (less aired) narrative.
July 11, 2016
CZ/ENG
Kniha argumentuje o potřebnosti národních států a poskytuje k tomu dost zajímavých pohledů a otázek, které je třeba brát v potaz. Jedná se tedy zaručeně o knihu (či rozsahem spíše brožuru) hodnou přečtení. Doufal jsem však, že se dozvím, proč jsou národy potřebné, očekával jsem rétoriku konzervativní a inteligentní. Místo toho byla kniha bohužel spíše na úrovni blogu a český překlad mě možná ochudil o jazykový um pana Scrutona. Mnohé uvedené argumenty pro národní státy či proti jeho oponentům jsou stejně uplatnitelné i na kritizované nadnárodní organizace nebo státy jiného druhu nebo naopak neplatí ani o státech národních (např. považuje národní státy za jasné ochranitele demokracie nebo považuje pouze nadnárodní organizace za byrokratické despocie). Pojem národa je zase dosti volný a interpretovaný podle potřeby autora (příhodně zahrnuje Brity s jejich multinárodním uspořádáním, ale odmítá jiné vícenárodní státy). Některé závěry zase nelze vůbec pochopit (např. považuje první invazi do Iráku za jasný neúspěch, zatímco druhou za úspěšnou). Celkově mi přijde, že argumenty, které se v textu objevují jsou hodné pozornosti, avšak autor je nedokáže nikdy dostatečně podepřít. Za jednoznačnou výhodu považuji reklamu na Kanta a jeho dílo, kterého si nyní budu chtít přečíst, jinak mi však přišlo, že je zde popisován nějaký idealizovaný národní stát v opozici k démonizovaným ostatním možnostem. V žádném případě se nejednalo o nějakou vědeckou práci, spíš osobní názor a náhled konzervativního filosofa.
A booklet that is certainly worth reading, at least it is a good publicity for Kant's work. However, I expected from a philosopher a deeper and better argumented defense of his thesis that national states are the best option we have for a free and democratic country. His arguments are sometimes missing the proposed thesis and sometimes they are applicable to all kinds of states. He seems to be idealizing some image of a national state, an almost utopian national state of bliss and cooperation, while demonizing anything that is not such a state and especially dramatic changes (I expected something along these lines from a conservative as Mr. Scruton is).
Kniha argumentuje o potřebnosti národních států a poskytuje k tomu dost zajímavých pohledů a otázek, které je třeba brát v potaz. Jedná se tedy zaručeně o knihu (či rozsahem spíše brožuru) hodnou přečtení. Doufal jsem však, že se dozvím, proč jsou národy potřebné, očekával jsem rétoriku konzervativní a inteligentní. Místo toho byla kniha bohužel spíše na úrovni blogu a český překlad mě možná ochudil o jazykový um pana Scrutona. Mnohé uvedené argumenty pro národní státy či proti jeho oponentům jsou stejně uplatnitelné i na kritizované nadnárodní organizace nebo státy jiného druhu nebo naopak neplatí ani o státech národních (např. považuje národní státy za jasné ochranitele demokracie nebo považuje pouze nadnárodní organizace za byrokratické despocie). Pojem národa je zase dosti volný a interpretovaný podle potřeby autora (příhodně zahrnuje Brity s jejich multinárodním uspořádáním, ale odmítá jiné vícenárodní státy). Některé závěry zase nelze vůbec pochopit (např. považuje první invazi do Iráku za jasný neúspěch, zatímco druhou za úspěšnou). Celkově mi přijde, že argumenty, které se v textu objevují jsou hodné pozornosti, avšak autor je nedokáže nikdy dostatečně podepřít. Za jednoznačnou výhodu považuji reklamu na Kanta a jeho dílo, kterého si nyní budu chtít přečíst, jinak mi však přišlo, že je zde popisován nějaký idealizovaný národní stát v opozici k démonizovaným ostatním možnostem. V žádném případě se nejednalo o nějakou vědeckou práci, spíš osobní názor a náhled konzervativního filosofa.
A booklet that is certainly worth reading, at least it is a good publicity for Kant's work. However, I expected from a philosopher a deeper and better argumented defense of his thesis that national states are the best option we have for a free and democratic country. His arguments are sometimes missing the proposed thesis and sometimes they are applicable to all kinds of states. He seems to be idealizing some image of a national state, an almost utopian national state of bliss and cooperation, while demonizing anything that is not such a state and especially dramatic changes (I expected something along these lines from a conservative as Mr. Scruton is).
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews