Questions of nationalism

Nationalism comes in different forms. An old distinction between ethnic and civic nationalism remains useful. Ethnic nationalism stresses unity of culture, ethnicity and language and was responsible from many of the conflicts of the 20th Century. Civic nationalism signifies a community based on shared laws and institutions existing within a defined territory.

For Doug Gay, a Church of Scotland theologian who supports independence, nationalism is ‘work in progress’. In a new book Honey From the Lion (SCM) he argues that people who see themselves as a community with their own laws and traditions have a right to govern themselves, although he is keen to stress that ‘nations’ are ‘approximate, relative and provisional communities, which resist both entrie denial and exact definition of their existence’.

In common with many contemporary theologians Gay avoids clarity and spends a good deal of time discussing the work of others so it is difficult to pin him down but the Scottish independence campaign raises issues that all Christians need to consider. For many politicians it boils down to an argument about economics. Will Scotland be better off outside the union? Can Scots keep the pound? Will an independent nation be able to afford all the bribes Alex Salmond is offering?

Important those these questions are, there are other issues at stake. Gay never really addresses the matter of multiple identities, which is the Achilles heel of all forms of nationalism. In my case, I would say I am a Cumbrian who now feels a loyalty to London where I live, an Englishman who is also proud to be a British citizen, a European who also feels ties to the Commonwealth, and a Christian who belongs to a universal church. It is when people start to feel loyalty to one overwhelming identity that violence can occur.

One of the advantages of living in a country that was formed out of a number of nations united under one crown should be that we all grow up accepting plural identities. Unfortunately, as Gordon Brown realised, the case for Britain stopped being made once it ceased to be an imperial power. His solution was to stress British values. These values, which we share with others, are important but so, too, are our shared history and institutions and the nature of the British state as one that encompasses a number of nations.

Critics will say that this ideal picture of Britain has never been a reality. Protestantism united England, Wales and Scotland and divided them from Ireland. Irish nationalism, which was of the linguistic and cultural variety, was a response to misrule from London. As Gay points out, even the Scots have felt justifiable resentment at unthinking English arrogance and the assumption even Barack Obama makes that the whole country can be described as ‘England’.

But Britain is still evolving. Mistakes can be corrected and devolution and the N. Irish peace accord have been important steps in the right direction. Separation would mean less of the mutual exchange that enriches all the nations of the UK.

Gay sees a problem in the fact that for the past 50 years the Scots have voted for parties of the left and do not like being governed by English Conservatives. The loss of Scottish support by the Tories is certainly significant but opinion polls show that on issues such as welfare popular views in England and Scotland are not far apart.

Salmond likes to talk of following Scandinavian social democracy but the SNP really seems to want to make Scotland one large tax haven. It unrealistically promises more in social care and pensions while insisting there will be no tax rises. The power of the Scottish Parliament to raise income tax has never been used. Salmond was wedded to ‘Lafer curve’ economics, believing in tax cuts and endless growth, long after the crash of 2008. Look behind the rhetoric and it is hard to see the SNP as a party of the left.

Quite rightly David Cameron is accused of taking a contradictory stand in trying to defend the union with Scotland while undermining Britian’s place in the EU, but Salmond is also guilty of a contradiction. He often talks about Scotland as ‘independent in Europe’ but probe a little deeper and it is apparent that the SNP wants to cherry pick the parts of Europe it likes. The logic of the SNP position is that Scotland would be better out of the EU as well as the UK.

Although only one poll (commissioned by the SNP) has shown support for separation, fears are growing that Salmond will pull off another electoral victory. All will depend on the turnout. In 2011 he won the Scottish election on a 50 per cent turnout with support from 22.5 per cent of the electorate. It is a scandal that the 800,000 Scots living in England do not have a vote.

Cameron is right. Those of us who live in the rest of the UK should speak up for the union and we should challenge the views of nationalism that lie behind the SNP campaign.

As Danny Alexander put it: “I’m a highlander, I’m a Scot, I’m a Brit, I’m a European and all those identities sit comfortably in one UK.”