On Jun 29, 2006, at 9:34 PM, Michael J. Smith wrote:
> On Thursday 29 June 2006 18:34, Doug Henwood wrote:
>> Is the state of war too much a part of Israeli identity
>> to stop?
>
> Do we need to wonder about "identity" -- isn't it just
> a matter of political purpose?
Identity in the sense of national political coherence, and avoiding some kind of civil war. As i recall, Joel Schalit made that argument on my radio show.
[WS:] True, but I do not think there is anything unique about it. Many countries develop their identity *against* their enemies inasmuch if not more than by embracing common interest. The US is a good example - exceptionalism i.e. identity by seeing themselves to be unlike everyone else - which implies at the very least a kulturkampf, if not the actual kampf - has always been one of the key ingredients of the "American identity." The same can be said about Poland - another country that I know rather well - which always identified itself *against* someone (usually the Teutonic "iron fist" or "barbaric Eastern hordes") - and seldom *for* common interests or benefits. In fact, domestic politics in that country almost always took the form "us vs. them."
I am pretty sure the same can be said about many other countries, albeit I'd rather hear that from those more knowledgeable about these countries.
Wojtek