The concept of patriotism and
its role in fostering shared identity and values, has permeated the
British political scene of late. From the rise of Nationalism in
Scotland, to euro scepticism in England, to even the Labour Party’s
tentative Blue Labour turn, manifested most clearly by David Lammy’s
recent comments regarding the death of “god and flag” as a key cause of
the London riots. Patriotism in schools, a returning concept
demonstrated by the Government’s schools agenda, should be seen as
inextricably linked with the increasing realisation that the Nation
state is here to stay.
What is clear from the Royal wedding
earlier this year, and the way that it galvanised the country, is that
there is still a role for patriotism in binding together British
society. It is likely that a new, integrative, inclusive form of
patriotism can form a key ingredient in allowing us to ascertain a new
set of shared values within our society. The relative lack of
disturbances this August within some of the most impoverished
communities within Scotland and Wales, also gave an indication of the
role that national identity, and patriotism can play in promoting a
greater sense of civic responsibility. The recent report, “Reading the
riots”, published by the Guardian and the LSE, discovered that
51% of protestors feeling like they were part of British society,
compared to a national average of 92%. The return of debates regarding
the positive role that patriotism can play in providing a greater degree
of integration between diverse groups within society should be
welcomed.
I see the Conservative Party, at is best, as being
well placed to make a significant contribution towards the current
debates concerning the role of patriotism within our modern, diverse
society. However, for the current Conservatives to make sense of, and to
lead the existing debates concerning patriotism and national identity,
they need to acquire a firm grasp of Edmund Burke’s work. What is clear
is that when debating patriotism and Nationalism, the Conservative Party
really needs to get its house in order, at least in an ideological
sense. At this point in time, the common perception seems to be that the
Conservative Party is the mainstream party most closely associated with
patriotism, and representing the interests and passions of the Nation.
Originally a ResPublica blog post.
See article
here