Liberalism · Theme
Nationalism and International Peace
How Liberalism develops Nationalism and International Peace.
Addresses the struggle for national self-determination against alien rule, while also opposing militarism and the use of force, advocating for a world order where liberty and cooperation replace aggression and domination.
Where it surfaces
- Local, Racial, and National Liberty
The chapter explores the tension between national self-determination and the complexity of group identities, advocating for autonomy while recognizing the need for historical and practical judgment.
- VIII: International Liberty
The chapter argues that as the world becomes free, the use of force becomes meaningless, linking the spread of liberty to the possibility of international peace.
- V: Gladstone and Mill
Gladstone's international principles—rejecting reasons of state in favor of human conscience, championing justice for oppressed nations (e.g., Greece, Armenia, Ireland), and opposing the Opium War—illustrate this theme.
- The Future of Liberalism
Explores the tension between national self-government and internationalism, proposing a model of democratic alliance and the International State.