George William Russell, also known by the pseudonym Æ, was a prominent Irish polymath who wrote on many topics related to Irish independence. In The National Being, Russell outlines a vision of how an independent Ireland could create a unifying national spirit-one that would respect the rural roots of Ireland and draw heavily on ideas from the cooperative movement. He is keenly aware of the pitfalls that could occur, from a centralized democracy failing to respect individual rights to a press that stirs resentment rather than informing the public.
This thoughtful and still-relevant work of political philosophy captures one of the great minds of the Irish Literary Revival grappling with the practical question of how a nation builds its own soul.
Readers interested in Irish history, cooperative economics, and the philosophy of nationhood will find much to consider in this compact, prescient work.
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