Chris Chapman’s Reviews > Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism > Status Update

No Tagalog, born in this Tagalog archipelago, shall exalt any person above the rest because of his race or the colour of his skin; fair, dark, rich, poor, educated and ignorant – all are completely equal, and should be in one loób (inward spirit). There may be differences in education, wealth, or appearance, but never in essential nature and ability to serve a cause. (Constitution of the Republic of Katagalugan)

The dreams of racism actually have their origin in ideologies of class rather than in those of nation: above all in claims to divinity among rulers and to 'blue' or 'white' blood and 'breeding' among aristocracy.

Surely they also reflect the characteristic mindset of a well-known type of left-wing European intellectual, proud of his command of the civilised languages, his Enlightenment heritage, and his penetrating understanding of everyone else's problems. In this pride, internationalist and aristocratic ingredients are rather evenly mixed.

One can trace this lexicographic revolution as one might the ascending roar in an arsenal alight, as each small explosion ignites others, till the final blaze turns night into day.

Marco Rubio in Munich on Saturday: "Armies don't fight for abstractions; armies fight for a people, armies fight for a nation". Dude, you need to read Anderson....