Crusaders, sceptics and the nation

Hostility to nationalism is one of the few areas of common ground shared by the crusading liberalism of universal human rights (which is in Oakeshott's terms a variety of 'the politics of faith') and the sceptical liberalism that concentrates on limited government. Nevertheless, Crusaders and Sceptics alike are more indebted to nationhood than they like to admit. Neither of these versions of liberalism pays explicit attention to the problem of generating the consensual political power it needs, and each tacitly smuggles in nationhood to fill the gap. Sceptical liberals draw on national solidarity to make possible the rule of equal law, while in calling for international humanitarian intervention Crusaders fall back on nation-states that have a proprietary interest in liberal principles. However, these contingent political connections do not support the liberal nationalist view that liberalism and nationalism can be easily reconciled.