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Gideon Shimoni -- The Zionist Ideology
THIS IS A VERY WELCOME publication. At a time when Zionism is being misrepresented in various quarters, its nature distorted by the school of "new historians" it is refreshing to read a book that is motivated by genuine scholarship. Indeed, it is a model of scholarship, based on massive research (primarily of published material) and presented in a dispassionate and analytical manner. Though Shimoni's vocabulary is exceedingly rich and interspersed with stylistic embellishments, the narrative is lucid and comprehensible.
Heretofore, with the exception of Arthur Herzberg's anthology, The Zionist Idea, most studies have dealt with the history of the Movement. Shimoni's is the first systematic and comprehensive study of the ideological aspect in all of its ramifications, nuances, and transformations. As such, it will long remain the standard work on this subject.
On the face of it, it looks as though the book is mistitled, since there was no uniform Zionist ideology, but a plethora of ideologies: General Zionism, National-Religious Zionism, Labor Zionism, Revisionist Zionism, etc. -- all of which Shimoni deals with competently and comprehensively. The justification for the title The Zionist Idea is that, in spite of the variety of strands, prognostications, and prescriptions, there existed among the parties a common denominator: the claim to Eretz Israel as the national homeland of the Jews and as the legitimate focus for the national self-determination of the Jews.
There is no limit to perfection, and in a book of such scope, there are bound to be some flaws and misconceptions that creep in. It is only because I value this work so much that I venture to point out some errors in the hope that the author will take my comments into his consideration when, hopefully, he prepares a second edition of this outstanding volume.
In his chapter dealing with the origins of Zionist ideology, Shimoni relies heavily on the theory of Anthony D. Smith. Smith argues that the matrix of nationalism is traceable to the ethnic (he uses the French term ethnie) composition of a given society. Nationalism matured in the modern period, and its standard bearer was the intelligentsia. In Smith's own words: "Nationalism is born among the intelligentsia, when the `messianic' assimilationists try to realize their...