Freemasonry as a Patriotic Society? The 1830 Belgian Revolution

When questioning freemasonry and patriotism, we have to conceptualize the analysis of the evolution of patriotic identities. The case of the Belgian Revolution of 1830 is extremely clarifying in this regard. The reactions of freemasons demonstrate that patriotism and nationalism were not synonymous in 1830, the former being the love for one’s country, the latter being connected to a specific doctrine of the state. A process of nationalization of patriotism was clearly on the way but did not inspire all patriots. The definition of concepts such as nation, state, and nationalism differed strongl... Mehr ...