Tho Bishop wrote not so much an attack on nationalism, Christian or otherwise, as a call for paleolibertarianism as a better alternative to modern globalism masquerading as leftism. He’s right – it would be better.
Written in 1994, one of the last journal articles he ever published, Rothbard’s analysis has tremendous relevance to revived discussions on nationalism both in America and abroad. The breakup of globalist institutions, such as the European Union, should be the top political aim of any “conservative” movement wanting to restore traditional social bonds and civil society—even if the underlying motivations for the secessionist cause are not purely “libertarian.”
The greatest flaw with the uniquely American nationalist crowd—a natural extension from those who still idolize Abraham Lincoln—is the failure to appreciate that there is no singular American nation. The most exciting aspect of the modern political stage is a growing acknowledgment of this issue.
In conclusion, history is not shaped merely by great men but is instead molded by the prevailing ideology of a time. Ultimately, however, the strength and lasting power of a movement depend upon the rigor and strength of its intellectual inspiration. The modern American right has succeeded in acknowledging many of the institutional causes that have given rise to the rule of the “evangelical left,” but the aim of replacing them with simply another variety of progressive statism is unlikely to result in their desired ends.
To truly threaten the modern progressive state, America needs a Rothbardian right.
Much of what Rothbard believed would be immeasurably better than the liberal-conservative charade today. It’s good to see people open to the idea of necessary secession and separation. However, there’s still a lingering confusion about the state versus the nation and, more importantly, about the preeminence of identity before culture and politics. There certainly was an American nation, an American People in the United States, years ago, before it was subsumed by malicious policies – some of which modern, or post-modern libertarians champion.
But, the hour is very late. The old America is subsumed even though a Remnant survives. That Remnant deserves a nation-state of their own. And they, we are currently under attack – this is a war, civil and external – on all fronts by multiple parties. Plainly put, an ideology that foremost promotes non-aggression is not particularly useful in a war. Rothbard’s ideas, many of them, would be ideal for future rebuilding. But the future isn’t now. Today, we need strong, utterly strong, and relentless nationalists. For the Christian American Remnant, it would be best if these strongmen were also strong in the faith. While it would benefit from dispensing with the lies of the globo Uniparty, and benefit even more from some well-placed Rothbardian Natural Law-based ethics and ideals, what America needs most is hardcore, uncompromising Christian Nationalism.
