Transcript for interview with Maurizio Viroli on Patriotism

An interview with Princeton's Maurizio Viroli on patriotism

0. Introduction

Johnathan Bi: Elites today are often internationalists, globalists, cosmopolitans. These are people who want to accelerate immigration, who see little reason to preserve race, language, culture, or even the nation state itself, who want you instead to be a citizen of the world. My guest today, Princeton’s Maurizio Viroli, argues that this is extremely dangerous, if only for the fact that it gives rise to a counter-populist movement, nationalism. People who would elevate their race, religion, and culture above all others. As an alternative to both extremes, Viroli argues for patriotism, and we will spend this entire interview explaining what it is, how it is different from nationalism, and why it is the only solution for a rapidly globalizing world. Professor Viroli isn’t just theorizing. I strongly encourage you to listen to the end of this interview where he shares how as a consultant for the President of Italy, Viroli himself helped win an election and implement the p…