In the comments to a recent post, Armed Liberal below cites an old piece of his on American exceptionalism, which this piece on "tribal patriotism."
The author of the second, Mr. Rob Lyman, begins:
"I'd like to make the case that this sensitivity to the murder of one's countrymen - I've been trying to think of a word, and all I can come up with is 'tribal patriotism' - isn't just acceptable, or desirable, but rather is morally mandatory."
There is a word for this, but we don't use it regularly -- it's archaic except in Old English and early Middle English. The word is frith*. It's interesting for two reasons:
1) It neatly captures the concept the fellow is looking for, and,
2) It is linguistically linked to several modern English words, including "friend," "free," and "freedom."
When the term was in common use, the idea was that free men remained free only as long as they remained friends -- devoted to each other's common defense. These frith bonds were what allowed the tribe to create a space out of the chaos of the world, in which they could establish the order they prefer.
That's a concept we could usefully recover.
- I note that Wikipedia translates frith as "peace," though it notes that the direct translation is 'overly simplistic.' "Frith has a great deal to do not only with the state of peace but also with the nature of social relationships conducive to peace." It doesn't, however, explain what social relationships were thought to be necessary to be conducive to peace.
So now you know.
That seems like an important word all right. Since you don't like the Wikipedia article, what would you point to as good writing on it?
This is certainly the foundation for the survival of any democracy or republic in a dangerous world, and history has no shortage of examples where failure of frith = failure of the polity entire.
On a less serious note, if we're really serious about promoting Frith, how about El-ahrairah for President in 2008! Guaranteed 15 hours of silflay per week, and turning him loose of the global Left and their Islamist allies would be a joy to watch.
Isn't Frith the god of rabbits?
The patriotism of Rome was tribal in origin, and it associated disloyalty to country with disloyalty to one's family. Treason and parricide were the highest of capital crimes, and were closely related. It is traditional in many cultures for a traitor's family to perish along with him, as a sort of retribution in kind.
Today we reward traitors with endowed chairs at our most famous universities, which is not much of a deterrent. Christian culture associated empathy towards others with duty to God, and held betrayal to be among the highest of sins (Judas). Now that that's out, I frankly don't trust anybody.
Glen, you hit the nail on the head.
Joe K (#2)
This is certainly the foundation for the survival of any democracy or republic in a dangerous world, and history has no shortage of examples where failure of frith = failure of the polity entire.
I am afraid you will see another example soon.
The OED defines Frith as:
From OE...ON
1. Peace; freedom from molestation, protection; safety, security
First citation is from AElfred's Oros. in 893 (can't reproduce here due to charset limitations); next is from Lindisfarne Gospel Matthew in 950 "Nu cuom ic frith sende ah suord..."
2. a. A game preserve, deer-park b. Water Frith: A place where the fishing is preserved
and so on...
...and 3. Frith-Guild comb., A guild established for the maintenance of peace; with a citation from 1861 Pearson Early and middle ages England (128): "The Frank-pledge or frith-guild had been vigorously enforced under Edward..."
...and Frith-Slver, Frith-Gate, Frithburgher, Frith-stool (A seat, usually of stone, formerly placed near the altar of some churches, which provided inviolable protection to those who sought privilige of sanctuary) (1610) Holland Camden's Britain "This seat of stone is called Freedstool, that is, The chaire of Peace"
Frith, as you speak it, Grim, reminds me of the concept of 'Shalom'.
this is 'the Gospel of Peace' referred to at the end of Ephesians by Paul.
It means:
Peace with the world
Peace with God (or the higher order if you wish.)
Peace with yourself
Peace with others.
Shalom is most often explicitly displayed through hospitality.
But the problem is, like 'Frith' the use of the word 'peace' -- the most abused word ever, aside from poor old 'gay', and 'discriminate' and 'diversity' (I mourn for our old, beaten fellow-travellers, these words so lightly misused)
Peace means, like 'Freedom' to the 60's generation-- what you want it to mean. Which is precisely the problem. The peace that this PEACE means is closer to Ataraxia. Which means- stillness, tranquillity, harmony.
Harmony implies friendship; friendship implies giving, giving: indebtedness; indebtedness: oath, and oath: sacrifice.
In music, dissonance in harmony exists to strengthen the harmony as a whole. Songs which use too little dissonance lack depth; those who use too much lose meaning.
However, I like the idea of rejuvinating Frith. and its just the kind of job for the 910 group.
Keep it up, Grim!
The Japanese have a concept, I can't find the anglicization of it, but it is the idea of the debt they have to society. You have kids and raise a family and work partly because of that debt to society. (Society protected you and enabled you to grow to adulthood.)
I think it is 'No' but no is such a common word I'll never find it on Google.
Anyway, my only problem with this is that it is contractual-- whereas Frith is covenantial-- by which I mean, 'No' implies that I owe society something. 'Frith' implies that I have something I want to give to society.
Of course, I don't know if I'm 100% on the mark about the Japanese concept; its interpretation may vary, and it might have a heavy convenantial component that I'm not aware of.
River, I think you're looking for the Japanese word that anglicizes as 'On' (long o). (Just try searching that on Google.) I've seen it translated as 'duty'.
'Frith' certainly does not correspond to any postmodern warm fuzzy notion of peace. For instance, there's the perfectly good Saxon name Ecgfrith, which would literally translate 'peace of the sword'. Or more likely 'security of the sword' as per secondary OED translation above. One is also tempted to read a ur-variant on "Peace through superior firepower".
(Thanks for the chance to deploy my suitably ancient college Old English skills, Grim.)
Think we need to delve futher into "republican history". Say, Roman Empire.
Besides below link, all should enjoy Robert Harris's "Imperium"
Mike
http://www.crystalinks.com/romelaw.html
TRIBAL ASSEMBLY: originally for election of tribunes and deliberation of plebeians; units of organization: the urban and 31 rural tribes, based on place of residence until 241 B.C., thereafter local significance largely lost; elected lower magistrates (tribunes, aediles, quaestors); since simpler to convene and register 35 tribes than 193 centuries, more frequently used to pass legislation (plebiscites). Voting in favor of 31 less densely populated rural tribes; presence in Rome require to cast ballot: assembly controlled by landed aristocracy (villa owners). Eventually became chief law-making body. Civil litigation: chief official-Praetor. The praetor did not try cases but presided only in preliminary stages; determined nature of suit and issued a "formula" precisely defining the legal point(s) at issue, then assigned case to be tried before a delegated judge (iudex) or board of arbiters (3-5 recuperatores for minor cases, one of the four panels of "The one hundred men" (centumviri) for causes célèbres (inheritances and financial affairs of the rich)). Judge or arbiters heard case, rendered judgment, and imposed fine.
Criminal prosecution: originally major crimes against the state tried before centuriate assembly, but by late Republic (after Sulla) most cases prosecuted before one of the quaestiones perpetuae ("standing jury courts"), each with a specific jurisdiction, e.g., treason (maiestas), electoral corruption (ambitus), extortion in the provinces (repetundae), embezzlement of public funds, murder and poisoning, forgery, violence (vis), etc. Juries were large (c. 50-75 members), composed of senators and (after the turbinate of C. Gracchus in 122) knights, and were empanelled from an annual list of eligible jurors (briefly restricted to the senate again by Sulla).
David,
"Since you don't like the Wikipedia article, what would you point to as good writing on it?"
An excellent question. I wish I were better prepared to answer it off the top of my head. Before 9/11, I spent my days among epic poetry and ancient Greeks, Vikings, Celts and Anglo-Saxons. These last several years have caused me to pack away a lot of my library, and to forget references that should spring easily to mind.
The word has been archaic for long enough that there aren't a lot of popular books (to say nothing of scholarly internet writing) on the subject. I'm going to cite something a bit unusual, as a consequence.
This is an excellent piece of writing in spite of the fact that the notes are not in a scholarly form. Though the source is apparently a neopagan website, the author has a very clear understanding of the concept and provides references that will be useful (except the Anglo-Saxon chronicle, which is useful but too long to be of use to anyone not a specialist; and 'Our Troth,' which is another neopagan text).
I realize neopagan websites may be an odd source, but this one appears to be solid and correct on the topic of frith. It's a very good piece of writing.
Thanks Grim. That was a great link, and it helps me to understand the concept better.