Por un nacionalismo republicano

SANTIAGO ARGÜELLO

Buenos Aires

Congreso; XXXV Semana Tomista ? Congreso Internacional: «Patria y bien común»; 2010

Sociedad Tomista Argentina

the most fitting starting point to understand any concept of political philosophy, political theology, or philosophy or theology of History, is European thought. In the European reflection, concepts such as fatherland, nation, liberty, etc., show a complexity and richness hard to equal. In order to elucidate the meaning of patriotism, nationalism, and other related notions, I consider the statements of two European thinkers: John Paul II and G.K. Chesterton. Globalization seems to be a threat to patriotic and national values. Its attack has as target culture and politics, the latter meaning the pursuit of common good. But globalization?s main enemy is the virtue of nationalism, since the vitality of culture and politics depends from the vitality of nationalism. Immersed in this delicate situation, Argentina?s bicentennial years (1810, May?s Revolution, and 1816, Independence) should lead us to ask ourselves which is the best way to face up to the threats that loom over the identity and liberty which we once achieved. It will be hard to move away from the difficulties that somehow lie beneath certain Western philosophical-political trends in vogue, unless a nationalism of a republican type is revived, or perhaps resuscitated.