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Indeed, so why are you a British nationalist Graham, and an English nationalist in the Duchy to boot?

Anyway, what did Einstein mean by 'nationalism' exactly? The highly aggressive fascist and Nazi forms of imperialistic nationalism that plagued Europe in the 20th century, and which he had to flee (One could add to this category the imperialistic state-nationalisms that lead to the creation of such 19th century products as the UK, France and other European states), or the movements of small minority groups fighting for their rights and greater self-determination? I'd be curious to ask him.

"It is a well-known fact that we always recognize our homeland when we are about to lose it."

Albert Camus

I think you have to view Albert Camus's views in the context of when he was writing.

May I refer you to the post I made earlier, (a quote from Orrwell)?

"Every nationalist is haunted by the belief that the past can be altered."

Again we have a Cornish nationalist who is rooted in the "truth" of Athelstan, the "truth" of Domesday, the "truth" of the Submarine Act etc.
Who questions a quote from Einstein about nationalism?
From a group who celebrate their national "purity" with D.N.A. "evidence"

Slimslad wrote:-
"I think you have to view Albert Camus's views in the context of when he was writing."

Oh, you mean just like Orwell?

"Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first."

(Charles De Gaulle)

"Nationalism ... is like cheap alcohol. First it makes you drunk, then it makes you blind, then it kills you."

(Dan Fried)

'A nation is a society united by a delusion about its ancestry and by common hatred of its neighbours.'

(William Ralph Inge)

The irony to all this being that those above attcking the Cornish rights and self-determination movement are all, without exception, either English or British nationalists.

Anybody interested in Orwells social and federal Europe then??? No, I didn't think so, and why is that then?

Did you mean "attacking"? Then I would wish you to show me where I "attacked" anyone?

Nationalism is a fact of life in the 21st Century. The moment you go abroad and someone asks you "Are you English?" and you say "Yes", that's nationalism. If you cheer on the English football team, and none of the others, that's nationalism. The dividing up of the world's population into groups is nationalism. It never went away. This metropolitan, liberal, self-righteous scorn towards nationalism from some quarters is unwarranted.

There is good nationalism and bad nationalism. Good nationalism is when a group is trying to get onto an equal level with other groups - e.g. Cornish, Breton, Catalan. There is no hate, just a campaign for equality and recognition. Bad nationalism is when a group is trying to elevate itself to a higher level than other groups - that's your Nazis, your BNP and your Front National. They see themselves as superior and others as inferior.

Nationalism is such a broad subject you cannot go making sweeping generalisations about it. You cannot also assume it is a thing of the past. It permeates every aspect of nationality, identity, politics and society in the 21st century.

I notice the "good nationlism" mentions Cornish, Breton and Catalan with "no hate"? Carefully avoiding mention of acts of violence, criminal damage, even terrorism, perpetrated by some of these "good nationalists. Also, no mention of the Basques in your very selective slant on nationalism. "They see themselves as superior and others as inferior"? Back to Orwell, I think.

"But Celtic nationalism is not the same thing as anglophobia. Its motive force is a belief in the past and future greatness of the Celtic peoples, and it has a strong tinge of racialism. The Celt is supposed to be spiritually superior to the Saxon -- simpler, more creative, less vulgar, less snobbish, etc. -- but the usual power hunger is there under the surface."

The love of one's country is a splendid thing. But why should love stop at the border?

~Pablo Casals


Heroism on command, senseless violence, and all the loathsome nonsense that goes by the name of patriotism - how passionately I hate them!

~Albert Einstein


A nation is a society united by a delusion about its ancestry and by common hatred of its neighbours.

~William R. Inge

To him in whom love dwells, the whole world is but one family.

~Buddha


It is not easy to see how the more extreme forms of nationalism can long survive when men have seen the Earth in its true perspective as a single small globe against the stars.

~Arthur C. Clarke


Nationalism is a silly cock crowing on his own dunghill.

~Richard Aldington


Patriotism, the virtue of the vicious.

~Oscar Wilde


I have no country to fight for; my country is the earth, and I am a citizen of the world.

~Eugene V. Debs


Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.

~Charles de Gaulle


It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.

~Baha'u'llah


To me, it seems a dreadful indignity to have a soul controlled by geography.

~George Santayana

So, "Slimslad", you choose to generalise about an entire section of nationalists based on the actions of one group (the Basques), and you also base your entire opinion of Celtic nationalism based on that single anonymous quote? Sorry, but who's being "selective"?

"and you also base your entire opinion of Celtic nationalism based on that single anonymous quote?"

Not "anonymous".

"Back to Orwell, I think."

Please, don't get me started, (as they say.)

One group, (the Basques), who were provided with weapons and explosives by other groups, I.R.A. I.N.L.A. Real I.R.A, Continuity I.R.A. etc, etc.