Democracy Talk #13: Do we need left patriotism to defeat the far right?

The far right has emerged as the most dynamic political force in many countries around the world, partly because right-wing populists are adept at presenting themselves as protectors of a beleaguered national identity and sovereignty. Progressive elites, having long rejected nationalism, tend to regard such rhetoric as retrograde. In the West, especially, nationalism was discredited in the aftermath of World War II, and appeals to national identity were largely abandoned in favor of an emphasis on individual autonomy. 

Yet surveys consistently show that national belonging, a sense of community and a shared destiny are highly important to many people. To counter the far right’s exclusionary nationalism and relentless fearmongering, must progressives craft a unifying political and cultural narrative? And what ideals should form the basis of such narrative? 

We will discuss these and other questions on the role of nationalism in democratic decline and resistance with our guest Maya Tudor, Professor of Politics and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government and Fellow at St. Hilda’s College at the University of Oxford. We will also discuss the insights from the upcoming book by our senior researcher Filip Milacic, Abandoning Democracy for the Nation (Cambridge University Press).