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The Virtue of Nationalism Hardcover – September 4, 2018

by Yoram Hazony (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 290 ratings
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A leading conservative thinker argues that a nationalist order is the only realistic safeguard of liberty in the world today

Nationalism is the issue of our age. From Donald Trump's "America First" politics to Brexit to the rise of the right in Europe, events have forced a crucial debate: Should we fight for international government? Or should the world's nations keep their independence and self-determination?

In The Virtue of Nationalism, Yoram Hazony contends that a world of sovereign nations is the only option for those who care about personal and collective freedom. He recounts how, beginning in the sixteenth century, English, Dutch, and American Protestants revived the Old Testament's love of national independence, and shows how their vision eventually brought freedom to peoples from Poland to India, Israel to Ethiopia. It is this tradition we must restore, he argues, if we want to limit conflict and hate -- and allow human difference and innovation to flourish.
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  1. Print length
    304 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Basic Books
  4. Publication date
    September 4, 2018
  5. Dimensions
    6.4 x 1 x 9.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1541645375
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1541645370
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

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"A new book that will become a classic.... Yoram Hazony has written a magnificent affirmation of democratic nationalism and sovereignty. The book is a tour de force that has the potential to significantly shape the debate between the supporters of supranational globalism and those of national-state democracy."―National Review

"One of the most important books on one of the most important controversies of our time."―New Criterion

"[Hazony] cogently argues in the book that anyone who values his freedom should reject universalism and fight for a future of nations... [an] excellent book."―City Journal

"Hazony is both erudite and well reasoned."―American Conservative

"The Virtue of Nationalism is a brilliant achievement, at once learned and sharp, philosophical and politically engaged."―Jewish Review of Books

"A concise, thoughtful, strongly put case that resurgent nationalism is reason not for concern but for relief."―New York Sun

"Hazony presents a vigorous case for nationalism and its virtues."―National Interest

"The catastrophic failure of the liberal program opens the way for a new kind of political thinking, and Hazony offers a timely contribution to the debate."―Tablet

"Important.... Hazony continues to do a service in reviving the theory of nationalism at a moment when its empirical manifestations have become impossible to ignore. He also presents a model of engaged political philosophy--learned yet accessible, spirited but not excessively hostile."―Modern Age

"A thought-provoking book."―Publishers Weekly

"In an era when the word 'nationalism' falls on many ears as an insult and condemnation, Yoram Hazony recalls the ancient, essential, and even noble origins of the nation. I expect and hope this provocative and deeply learned book will incite fierce debate, but the depth and persuasiveness of its defense of the virtue of nations will demand engagement by every reader concerned with serious political ideas. Hazony masterfully blends a deep grasp of history, political philosophy, theology, and common sense with originality and clarity in what will be one of the most-discussed books of this dawning new age of the nation."―Patrick Deneen, professor of political science, University of Notre Dame, and author of Why Liberalism Failed

"In this engaging and deeply learned book, Yoram Hazony explores the religious and historical roots of nationalism, illuminates its modern accomplishments, and thereby offers a uniquely insightful guide to the forces transforming the politics of the West."―Yuval Levin, editor of National Affairs and author of The Fractured Republic

"To cosmopolitans on the right and left, the division of the world into sovereign nation-states is a lamentable fact we must strive to overcome. In The Virtue of Nationalism, Yoram Hazony demonstrates that it is in fact essential to human flourishing."―Reihan Salam, executive editor, National Review

"Yoram Hazony's book is profound as well as accessible and well-crafted, reflecting years of inquiry and reflection into a subject of unparalleled importance. Political figures, scholars, and the broader public will have to think carefully about this remarkable book."―Natan Sharansky, author of The Case for Democracy and Defending Identity

"Yoram Hazony's The Virtue of Nationalism belongs among the great works of political theory. Hazony presents a radical, even dangerous thesis: what if nationalism is not the scourge that today's left views it as, but rather the best hope humanity has? The Virtue of Nationalism mounts a necessary challenge to the liberal order of the day."―Batya Ungar-Sargon, opinion editor of The Forward

About the Author

Yoram Hazony is president of the Herzl Institute in Jerusalem and director of the John Templeton Foundation's project in Jewish Philosophical Theology. His books include The Jewish State: The Struggle for Israel's Soul and The Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture. He lives in Jerusalem.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Basic Books; First Edition (September 4, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1541645375
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1541645370
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.4 x 1 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 290 ratings

About the author

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Yoram Hazony

Yoram Hazony

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Yoram Hazony is an Israeli philosopher, Bible scholar and political theorist. He is the award-winning author of The Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture (2012), The Virtue of Nationalism (2018), and Conservatism: A Rediscovery. He is President of the Herzl Institute in Jerusalem and a leading proponent of the National Conservatism movement. Visit his website: www.yoramhazony.org.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
290 global ratings
Nationalism v. Imperialism: Read This Book!
5 Stars
Nationalism v. Imperialism: Read This Book!
I do not ascribe 5 stars lightly. I would gladly give this book 10 stars. I would do so not only because it is well written and highly readable truth, but because it is vital to the well-being of nations.Yoram Hazony is the perfect author for this important work. He has the worldview necessary to understand the history of the modern nation-state and the gift of Deuteronomy to ancient and modern Israel and likewise to every nation so organized.I implore you to read and promote this book. Nations hang in the balance.
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Top reviews from the United States

Gilbert Reeser
5.0 out of 5 stars Nationalism or Imperialism?
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2018
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Nations and nationalism are concepts that we take for granted but liberal internationalism was a new concept for me as was the idea that it was imperialistic and so in opposition to nationalism. These complex political theories are carefully and thoughtfully examined in this remarkable book. No matter what your political persuasion, the realization that we have moved from communism/socialism vs. democracy/free enterprise to nationalism vs. liberal internationalism will raise attention levels with everyone.

After showing that no one can avoid choosing between these latter two positions, Hazony examines the human political process from family to clan to tribe to nation and empire. A new perspective on nations and nationalism is presented and then the connection from the liberal international position to globalism and imperialism is made.

He explains how European unification, free immigration, unfettered free trade, a strong U. N., multinational corporations, a global economy, etc. lead to "...the ideal of an international government or regime that imposes its will on subject nations..." This means the inevitable transformation of liberal internationalism into an imperial dictatorship.

Wow! That will not go down well in many quarters. Yet his logic is rational. Many arguments will be raised I am sure. He examines federalism as a solution and shows how it is unstable even in the most favorable circumstances - i.e. same language, religion and history. You are left with the choice of nationalism or else in the future an empire with your freedoms more restricted.

He does succeed, in my opinion, in showing that nationalism can be a virtue and perhaps is the most stable and free political structure available to us now. People will be talking about and referring to this book for a long time.
7 people found this helpful
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Ken Freed
5.0 out of 5 stars A challenge to the globalist utopia
Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2019
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There are basically three stages of political organization:
1) the tribe/clan,
2) the state/nation,
3) the empire.

While all of these stages have pros and cons, Yoram Hazony quite convincingly argues that the nation/state represents the best overall compromise. This is especially important in a world where the European Union show signs of becoming the follow on to the old Holy Roman Empire – and as such – will contain all the disadvantages of what we have associated with imperialism. Europe as an American military protectorate (if not America as the world’s policeman) and “open borders” (irrespective of the reality of incompatible cultural differences and numbers of people coming across those borders) also fall into this mold, as do international courts and international law. The planet is just too big, the cultures and world views in it too varied to make this anything but a utopian pipe dream. Given the realities of people, universal justice/courts would become rationalized and leveraged as instruments for political advantage. And although not mentioned in Hozany’s book: no one at Nuremburg was prosecuted for anything that had taken place purely in Germany. War crimes only occurred when the German Nation applied it’s norms outside of its borders in an imperialist manner. Other imperialist empires included both Catholicism and Communism. They were out to conquer the world with their own vision of the good society – and all for the very best of reasons. In my opinion, the American military presence in Muslim lands with Islamic cultures (under the guise of “fighting terrorism” – when all we have to do is not let them in, or “nation building”, or a weaponized SJW version of fighting unfairness/atrocities) also falls into this category.

While the book covers a lot of ground and this short review cannot do it justice, there are a few iconoclastic concepts which I had previously accepted (and now I don’t) – which Hazony tackles head on:

1) There has never been a “state of nature” of the kind imagined by Hobbes or Locke (or Social Darwinism), in which individuals were loyal only to themselves. As long as human beings were on earth, they have been loyal to the broader family, clan, and tribe.

2) In much the same way that one could argue “a chicken is just an egg’s way of making another egg” - contrary to the claims of other books on social genetics (e.g. “A Troublesome Inheritance” by Nicholas Wade and possibly “Behave” by Robert M. Sapolsy), cultural affinity/kinship has only an indirect effect on advancing one’s gene pool; i.e., people bond more over cultural affinity than they do over genetic ties (and yes, I realize that inheritance DOES influence behavior and therefore culture and therefore who you like to hang out with. But while important, the genetics aspects are only a second order effect).

Another set of profound insights has to do with Anglo-Saxon vs. continental (and especially German) culture. I have seen these ideas in other places:

1) English empirical science was fueled by empiricism over theory, while

2) On the continent, the only true way to pursue science was in terms of the “idea” or the “theoretical”, based on rational deduction (and all too often – ignoring the pragmatics of the situation).

The book's three downfalls are:

1) The inferences Hazony makes for the Old Testament recommending the Nation-State as the best form of government. While I’m not a bible expert – this seems a reach on the author’s part. When I read the bible, the concept of “nation” never struck me as God’s timeless prescription as the best form of political organization for all of mankind. It just happened to be the way it was at that place and time.

2) Hazony claims that one of the main drives of a culture is to pass on its cultural legacy. I don’t buy this. Pure sexual lust has a great deal to do with who breeds with whom, and no one (especially males) thinks much about cultural transmission in that process (and yes, I do realize that having some cultural things in common help that choice of mate along – but once again, this is a second order effect. When it comes down to the nitty-gritty, lust is the primary driver.).

3) Hazony (using other words) starts repeating his points about 2/3 of the way through the book.

Overall, both in quantity and quality, this book’s virtues far outweigh its shortfalls. It is well worth reading to get a grip on the “globalism” (in various guises) utopia which portrays “nationalism” in its worst extreme post WWI European terms, and advances a war-free world of cooperation among supranational peoples of the earth – if only we were enlightened enough to ignore our differences and join together under one set of (you-name-it) high level codes/laws/morals/whatever.
17 people found this helpful
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Walter Snell
4.0 out of 5 stars Well written--worth reading
Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2019
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The book arrived on-time and in perfect condition. The author presented his case very well for the justification of nationalism--indeed why it is the only system that will provide maximum freedom and agrees with Biblical principles for nations. He also did an excellent job in defending nationalism against the accusations that it fosters hatred, either racial or sectarian. Truly, imperialism is the greatest fountain of hatred and he does prove this well enough. It is a pity that he categorized Christianity as an empire building religion. Only Jesus can do that. We for now must remain as nation-states. Until Christ comes and reviews the sheep and goat nations, (Matthew 25) Christianity is not here to build an empire--only to serve to build God's heavenly kingdom.
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Top reviews from other countries

Johel
5.0 out of 5 stars Really Important Book
Reviewed in Brazil on February 19, 2019
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If I had to pick one book to give to a nation leader, this would be the one. Really important reading.
3 people found this helpful
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Angie Henle
5.0 out of 5 stars We need to understand the pros and cons of nationalism at time of globalism
Reviewed in Germany on September 11, 2019
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Being a German, my mother-in-law shivered at the mere word "nationalism". The memory is simply to painful. However, looking away is no option, particularly in face of the mounting environmental, cultural, economical and political challenges we face today.

Nation states as they exist today are both young -- in comparison with human history -- and vulnerable -- a political composition based upon shared cultural heritage over shared territory is in time of cultural changes and military IT proliferation vulnerable. National health, education, transportation, etc, systems are all based on consensus among the citizens within a nation. The alternatives to a nation, be it families, tribes, clans on one end or empires on the other can be more detrimental in organizing human societies, as history has proven to us.

In this book, Yoram Hazony presented a historical analysis of nation states. I find it informative and thought-provoking. We should continue to condemn over emphasis on nationalism, the "X first" type of thinking, but we also need to be clear about the merits of a national unity -- why and how X should exist in the first place and what are the benefits it brings to the people.

(You are welcome to exchange X with USA, China, Europe, Germany, our sports team, my company, my family, etc.)
2 people found this helpful
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Martin Land
5.0 out of 5 stars This book needs to be read and digested by all in the west.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 28, 2018
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This book is so important i can hardly express. It really goes profoundly to the ideological roots of the creeping totalitarianism in the vestigial nations of the west. Hazony clearly shows the true nature and uncovers the euphemised roots of the present imperialism of , primarily, the 4th Reich misnamed as the EU.
This should be seriously studied discussed and debated by all those arguing for classical liberalism or conservative centrism or even fact-based social liberalism (you know, those demonised as far-right by the absolutist imperialists,be they far left or bureaucratic corporatist globalists).
So many of the points and arguments he elucidates i have been struggling to formulate and express over the last couple of years. He addresses clearly and lays out the battleground that will see the west either battered but free and restored , or a despised memory in the imperial demonology of an increasingly barbarous and absolutist imperial regime.
Only developing these ideas and defending them to the hilt, and applying them with vigour will allow free societies to survive the current threats.
25 people found this helpful
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Tzveeble
5.0 out of 5 stars Great product, great service
Reviewed in Australia on December 9, 2019
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Besides the fact that the book is an absolute sensation, I was very pleased with the quality and speed of the delivery service, wherefore I deem a 5-star rating well justified.
One person found this helpful
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Gabriel Stein
5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting and thought-provoking
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 6, 2018
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This is an extremely interesting and thought-provoking book. The author does not hesitate to challenge what, frankly, are some very sacred cows. His defence of nationalism is well reasoned, will articulated and, in fact, extremely convincing.
7 people found this helpful
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