ABSTRACT
The purpose of this paper is to determine whether a Welsh nationalist position can ever be described in liberal terms. The question that I ask myself is not whether a liberal nationalism is possible, but whether in the particular context of Wales, a nationalist position sensitised to liberal individualism can be forged. The liberal framework, in this instance, is provided by the work of Seyla Benhabib. The paper also considers the scope of a universal public goods argument as a corollary of liberalism. But why attempt to bring Welsh nationalism and liberalism together? Theoretical literature helps us find our way through the maze of conflicting and disparate ideas that exist on nationalism. The study of Welsh nationalism, however, is different. It remains in its infancy. My explicit intention in this paper is to explore and analyse some snapshots of the Welsh nationalist positions of Plaid Cymru.1 I will focus my attention on key texts and the thoughts of prominent individuals such as Saunders Lewis and Gwynfor Evans who have shaped the party’s ideologies.2
