The perils of tribalism

‘Why do the nations so furiously rage together: and why do the peoples devise a vain thing?’ (Psalm 2:1). The Psalmist’s question remains utterly relevant today, as does his perplexity at the irrational violence of peoples and our tendency to tribalistic idolatry. On the altar of nationalism and tribalism today hundreds of thousands of Syrians have been slaughtered, Ukrainians are also at loggerheads with each other to the point of violence, fear and loathing, and perplexity at why this is happening to their newly independent nation state. And very close to home we hear loud and unpleasant rhetoric about the future of Scotland in what could become a bitter battle. In all three of these examples we see ethnic tribalism, religion as a factor, and the whipping-up of emotion by demagogic politicians with scant regard to the consequences for ordinary people.

Religion is perhaps the primary driver of the mad violence now devastating Syria, religion and secularism, and the split of the Sunni and Shia within Islam. Any sense of proportion about means and ends has completely gone, mass killing on both sides is normal now, with civilians apparently legitimate collateral damage and bargaining chips. Ukraine, or what we used to call ‘The Ukraine’ as an area rather than a nation state, has a history of invasion and occupation, of cultural and religious rivalry and suspicion. It is said now to be the largest country entirely within Europe, 233,062 sq miles, and with a population of nearly 50 million. This is a huge nation, with a ‘warm water port’ on the Black Sea. The Crimea is the part of the Ukraine that we come across in our history books, but also the horrible handing over of Ukrainian Cossacks to the Soviets in 1945 by the British Army, to a fate worse than death, after they surrendered. Now Mother Russia claims the loyalty of the eastern Ukraine; the EU, Germany and western Europe its western half. Poland and Lithuania, Roman Catholics, ruled vast tracts of the Ukraine and they converted many Eastern Orthodox to the ways of Rome and in 1596 set up the ‘Greek Catholic’ or ‘Uniate’ Church, which dominates the western Ukraine to this day, underpinning division.

Scotland already has virtual autonomy in government, thanks to democratic processes. The SNP has managed to rise very quickly into power, then to control all aspects of the upcoming referendum on separation from the UK, manipulating the franchise for it, and crafting the question towards its own ends. As to religion, a common Protestant cultural glue with England, Wales and N Ireland has gone, and a ‘Brigadoon’ Scottish romantic emotionalism is in the air, ignoring the hard facts about currency and EU membership. An independent Scotland could be real by October. This would be a leap of faith, antagonizing the innocent divorced party, and raising tribalist feeling generally. We can only hope that the rational spirit of David Hume, not reckless Bonnie Prince Charlie, prevails.