The Limits of American Nationalism

In the revival of interest in nationalism, it’s important to learn of its limits, and in particular the American nationalist must reject chauvinism, imprudence, and injustice.

Against Chauvinism

The American nationalist is proud of his country. But he should guard against the vulgar shows of national pride that disfigured the chauvinists of the past. The East Ender in Kipling’s day might think that, poor as he was, at least he had part ownership over the pink bits on the map. In America, missteps in foreign policy can be blamed on the chauvinist’s pursuit of national glory.

But after the Second Iraq War, this belief has been discredited by virtually all sides, save for a dwindling band of Never-Trumpers. True, they have the donors and the think tanks, but politically they’re a big fat zero, and the chauvinism that disfigured past foreign policy excesses is much less to be feared today. That debate is good and over. You can’t even find much disagreement over foreign policy between Democrats and Trump Republicans.

Against Imprudence

Today’s conservative nationalist tells us we’ve paid undue attention to the economists and that libertarians have an inadequate understanding of the common good. He’s right about that. But if we want to see a strong America, we have to pay attention to the economists and the libertarians. Do you have problems with crony capitalism, burdensome licensing requirements, a regulatory state on steroids, overcriminalization, the American litigation lottery? In these and so many other areas, the free market libertarian was there first.