Synopsis of „Tagore and Nationality” (Berlin 1996) from

The Sense of RealityCameron M. Weber

New School for Social ResearchKrakow Program July 2007

cameroneconomics.com

Isaiah Berlin (1909-1997)

Isaiah Berlin (1996)

Problem Statement

In our world crisis is caused by the feeling that individual talent and success, economic power and ability, and sometimes even political influence, have fallen too far out of step with the all important factor of the craving for social status (p. 254).

[See re Adam Smith’s approbation from Theory of Moral Sentiments.]

Isaiah Berlin (1996)

Class consciousness is one of the most influential forms into which the demand for recognition pours itself (p. 261).

Man commonly knows who stands in the way of their advancement.

Dialectic of wanting to replace or reduce power of „doomed” class (Marx) yet wanting to emulate this class (Veblen).

Isaiah Berlin (1996)

Resolution

Equilibrium of system is disturbed by opportunities to upset the system by those who seek to change the status quo.

Nationalism springs from the desire for recognition and based on reaction to 1) subjegation or 2) isolation.

Isaiah Berlin (1996)

Corallaries

Strength must be sought rigoursly, even ruthlessly, but by peaceful means (p. 263).

So long as India is weak she will be bullied and ignored and humiliated.

International order cannot be possible until all links in the chain (nations) are strong.

Isaiah Berlin (1996)

Examples

French and Russian revolutions where industrialization created middleclass without increase in political power of middleclass.

Counter-culture reaction against staid „middle-America” in 1950s with Beatnicks, „angry young men” and the „hip”.

„Blind” Catholic authority and „individualist” Protestant atomization.

[Punk and skinhead reaction against welfare state in England in the 1970s.]

[Squat movement in Central Europe.]