The Ethics of Political Membership: Cosmopolitanism vs. Nationalism

Abstract

Having shown in Chap. 6 that nations can be seen as key to promoting individual autonomy, I argue in this last chapter that this does not lead us to a tribal understanding of politics. Nationalism does not have to restrict our recognition of autonomy of others to our fellow nationals. In fact, the concept of organising political communities into nations has proven both practically and theoretically open, as I show by referring to the Scottish case. This is partly because national citizenship can be ‘tamed’ and made accessible (Kymlicka); but more importantly, the national self is ultimately an open one—and it is that openness that has been the vehicle of success of the modern nation.