| Abstract |
Traditional liberal conceptions of the nation-state and nationalism are critiqued in reference to the possibility and need for liberal multinationalism and a co-nation in Hungary. Liberal nationalism advocates the equal rights of all citizens, but also claims that (1) the state is not culturally neutral, (2) it should support the dominant culture, and (3) assimilation is not mandatory, but a virtue from the standpoint of the political nation. Liberal multinationalism rejects assimilation under any circumstances and actively seeks to promote and maintain diversity. While liberal nationalism claims that equal rights amount to equal distribution, multinationalism advocates privileges for minorities to overcome structural disadvantages. It is argued that solidarity can be established in a society of cultural diversity, but demands a conception of the nation-state, or co-nation, as a territory of collective possession united through tolerance. |