Common Political Identity

The fifth assumption is a more contested one. Many people feel that a shared political vision alone is not enough to bind individuals together as a nation — they look instead for a shared cultural identity, such as a common language or common descent. There is no doubt that speaking the same language makes communication easier, and sharing the same religion can give people a common set of beliefs and social practices; observing the same festivals, holidays and symbols can genuinely bring people closer together. But building national identity on this basis can also pose a real threat to the values a democracy is meant to cherish.

There are two reasons for this. First, all the major religions of the world are internally diverse — they have survived and evolved through centuries of internal dialogue, and every religion contains a number of sects that differ significantly in how they interpret its texts and norms. If these internal differences are ignored and a single religious identity is forced on everyone in the name of the nation, the likely result is a highly authoritarian and oppressive society, not an inclusive one.

Second, most societies are culturally diverse to begin with — they contain people belonging to different religions and languages, living together within the same territory. Making a single religious or linguistic identity a condition for belonging to the nation would necessarily exclude some groups: it might restrict the religious liberty of the excluded group, or disadvantage those who do not speak the chosen national language. Either way, the democratic ideal that matters most — equal treatment and liberty for all citizens — would be severely compromised. …