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The Instrumental Value Arguments for National Self-Determination

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 December 2017

HSIN-WEN LEE Open the ORCID record for HSIN-WEN LEE [Opens in a new window]
HSIN-WEN LEE*
Affiliation:
University of Delaware
*
*<hwl@udel.edu>
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Abstract

David Miller argues that national identity is indispensable for the successful functioning of a liberal democracy. National identity makes important contributions to liberal democratic institutions, including creating incentives for the fulfilment of civic duties, facilitating deliberative democracy, and consolidating representative democracy. Thus, a shared identity is indispensable for liberal democracy and grounds a good claim for self-determination. Because Miller’s arguments appeal to the instrumental values of a national culture, I call his argument ‘instrumental value’ arguments. In this paper, I examine the instrumental value arguments and show that they fail to justify a group’s right to self-determination.

David Miller soutient que l’identité nationale est indispensable au bon fonctionnement d’une démocratie libérale. L’identité nationale apporte une contribution importante aux institutions démocratiques libérales, notamment en créant des incitatifs pour l’accomplissement des devoirs civiques, en facilitant la démocratie délibérative et en consolidant la démocratie représentative. Ainsi, une identité partagée est indispensable à la démocratie libérale et justifie adéquatement la prétention à l’autodétermination. Parce que les arguments de Miller font appel aux valeurs instrumentales d’une culture nationale, j’appelle ses arguments des arguments de «valeur instrumentale». Dans cet article, j’examine ces arguments de valeur instrumentale et je montre qu’ils ne justifient pas le droit d’un groupe à l’autodétermination.

Keywords

National identityself-determinationself-governmentcivic dutydeliberative democracyrepresentative democracyinstrumental value argument for rights
Type
Original Article/Article original
Information
Dialogue: Canadian Philosophical Review / Revue canadienne de philosophie , Volume 58 , Issue 1 , March 2019 , pp. 65 - 89
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Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Philosophical Association 2017 

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