What to say to your progressive friends who dislike patriotism.

“Racist, colonial, anti-immigrant, xenophobic” — these are some of the things many of my progressives friends say about patriotism.

I have never seen patriotism as something problematic or right-wing. I’m proud to be British, and English, because we are a tolerant country which champions democratic rights, decency and the rule of law. Of course, many progressives do not see it that way, and my attempts at making the argument that patriotism can be progressive have tended to fall flat. That is why I was keen to speak to Professor John Denham for our podcast in April. Since leaving Parliament, John now leads The Centre for English Identity and Politics at Southampton University. He is somewhat of an expert on ‘optimistic patriotism’ as he puts it. So I asked him “what should I say to my progressive friends who dislike patriotism”?

John gave three answers which I think are pretty compelling. So if you, like me, think that we can be both proud of our country and progressive, you might find these talking points useful then next time you broach the subject.

Most people are patriotic.

Living in London you would be forgiven for thinking that only a small minority of Brits consider themselves patriotic. That is the wrong way round, most people are patriotic to some degree. Around 60% of people say they are patriotic, and almost 70% are ‘proud to be British’. In England, for four of five people say they are strongly English, and three out of five are proud of that identity. Of course, our devolved nations have strong identities too. John’s first response to the anti-patriotic would be as follows:

“So when you say you dislike these things will you at least start from an acceptance that most people don’t think like you”.

John goes on to say that people are entitled to have a negative view of patriotism, as of course, they are — yet pointing out that so many are patriotic might just give your audience pause for thought. Some might respond that this just shows the extent of antiquated views in the UK. (They would be conveniently skipping evidence that many more people are patriotic than seem to exhibit racist views). This brings us to the second point.

Patriotism is inclusive.

Much of the dislike for patriotism comes from the notion that it is exclusive; that it is a view that leaves out people who are not white British. Yet, only a small minority of people think you have to be white to be English or British. Indeed, the left should be careful about promoting stereotypes of exclusive identities when the general public moved on years ago. As Sunder Katwala, director of British Future, told the Guardian last year:

“An inclusive England may be symbolised by Raheem Sterling and Nikita Parris scoring goals for England, or Moeen Ali taking wickets in the World Cup, but it also reflects the lived reality of who most of us now think of as English”.

So John’s second response to sceptics is that far from being exclusive, shared stories of nationhood bring people together. There are countless examples of this, from the fervour of supporting the England football team, the spirit of the 2012 Olympics to the solidarity shown with the NHS and within communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.

There are also stories that address race in Britain more directly. John, for example, recounts an anecdote of discussing shared family histories of the Second World War with a young Sikh councillor. In a later podcast, we spoke to Sunder on the same topic. He made the point that many BAME Britians are patriotic and would like more, not less, recognition for their part in our history and the wider story of Britain. Indeed, such shared stories of British and English identity actually answer that old racist trope “where are you really from” with an emphatic here.

You need shared stories for progressive change.

The first two points lay the groundwork for a bigger one for progressives. It is all very well to moan about the state of the nation, but if you are ever going to bring about progressive change you need to bring people with you. As John puts it:

“Doesn’t the whole idea of any type of social democracy or socialism depend on a collective sense of common interest, a willingness to work together, a willingness to share things together, a willingness sometimes to sacrifice things together? If we are all individuals why should a metropolitan graduate in London give a toss for somebody living in Hartlepool?”

Without a shared sense of national identity, you are going to struggle to build the coalition you need for a progressive platform. Nationhood and patriotism, and the shared stories they give us, are a vital part of that answer.

So, next time you find yourself challenged on your patriotism on progressive grounds, I hope you might be able to challenge back, by saying:

• 1) Most people are patriotic.
• 2) Patriotism is inclusive.
• 3) You need shared stories for progressive change.

By Steve O’Neil, with thanks to John Denham.

Photo by Steve Harvey on Unsplash.