Sunday, August 16, 2009

Reflections on the hate mongers in North America (and Europe)

Top marks Tim Harford & co for their scrutiny of 'Muslim Immigration', and to Pankaj Mishra for taking to pieces Christopher Caldwell's recent book, 'Reflections on the Revolution in Europe.'

Mishra concludes:
Writing in 1937 about the minority then most despised in Europe, Joseph Roth predicted that "Jews will only attain complete equality, and the dignity of external freedom, once their 'host nations' have attained their own inner freedom, as well as the dignity conferred by sympathy for the plight of others". This proved to be too much to ask of Europe in 1937. But the moral challenge has not gone away - civilisation remains an ideal rather than an irreversible achievement - and the dangers of leaving it unmet are incalculable.

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