Nationalism is a potent force in the modern world, and it is not surprising that some libertarians have been attracted to it. Indeed, in some circles the slogan “Blood and Soil” has come into to use to denote a people’s attachment to the land. It should be noted that although this slogan was used by the Nazis, especially by Walter Darré, it did not originate with them but was common among German nationalists such as Oswald Spengler. It would be wrong, then, to think that libertarians who use it today are signaling a covert admiration for the Third Reich and its führer. That being said, the attitude it expresses was decidedly not that of Ludwig von Mises. Mises makes this clear in his discussion of German nationalism in Omnipotent Government. He points out that who counted as “German” to nationalists was determined by linguistic and cultural affinities, not by race. People who were descended from many different ethnic groups were found within Germany and considered by the nationalists to be members of the nation.
Click for Full Text!
