Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The Teachings of Humanity: A Treatise Throwing Some Light on Certain Movements of the Day
At present the civilised World stands in danger of Leing infected with the same spirit of perversion under the noble and more novel name of nationalism. It is true that nationalism is a very fruitful idea, since Society is based on the family, which gradually widens to the patriotism of a tribe, city or country, (and just asit is only natural for a father to care for his own child more than for strangers and thus the existence of man kind is made possible so it is easier for a given town or country to take care of their own poor as I have explained in the preface), whereas the socialistic idea of abolishing all local and social differences in an all-absorbing state is an impracticable chimera But good as this idea is in its legitimate proportions, it becomes a source of danger when abused, just as fire and water, indi spenable as they are when regulated, cause havock when let loose. Evidence of this is afforded to us by cultured Germany, where an exaggerated idea of nationalism has led them to acts worthy of the Middle Ages, as the wholesale expulsion of stran gers. The noble emperor Frederick of imperishable memory wanted to put a st0p to this pernicious kind of nationalism: but untimely death prevented him from giving effect to his enlightened views Nationalism of that sort is so far from improving the situation, but, on the contrary, leads to egotism and atrocities, and is more baneful in its effects than the in quisition, which had at last an excuse in religious fanaticism and might be condoned as a species of madness, whilst intolerant nationalism has no other basis but egotism, in spite of all choice.
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