Is Blood Thicker Than Water? : Crises of Nationalism in the Modern World

Rating:
Summary: Concise, yet illuminating
Review: Perhaps my only criticism of this book would be that it is too short. Even though McPherson is a historian who specializes in the Civil War period of American history, this short essay is a very useful contribution to the study of nationalism. The main reason is that it focuses on nationalism where most of today's intellectual elite says it doesn't exist: in the United States and Canada. Although written as something of a "warning" for Canadians, i.e. that they may be facing the same problems today with Quebec that the U.S. did in the 19th century with the South, McPherson refrains from stating that the problems of Southern nationalism in the U.S. have been resolved. Also important is his analysis of civic and ethnic nationalism, meaning nationalism based on loyalty and pride in common legal, state and civil institutions as opposed to nationalism based on common language, culture and "blood ties." While McPherson sees the former as a more positive phenomenon, he correctly points out that even it can often engender the same type of fanaticism and inspire people to act violently, just like the latter. Finally, perhaps most fascinating aspect of the book is its exploration of early expressions of American nationalism, e.g. in the speeches and writings of Thaddeus Stephens among others, which could be the basis of a longer and more comprehensive study.