The Sacred Egoism of Sinn Féin

Sharp, provocative, and unapologetically polemical, The Sacred Egoism of Sinn Féin by Ernest Augustus Boyd dissects the rhetoric and contradictions of early 20th-century nationalism. Written amid the upheaval of World War I and published in 1918, Boyd’s political commentary confronts how appeals to altruism and the sudden sympathy for "small nations" often mask the self-interest of imperial powers and partisan agitators. Blending historical observation with trenchant analysis, Boyd examines Sinn Féin and the broader Irish struggle as part of a wider cultural trend he calls a "cult of altruism"—a public performance of concern that obscures real political motives. He situates Irish nationalism within the shifting attitudes of the Anglo-Saxon world after 1914, critiques official propaganda, and explores how national self-regard transforms into a political industry. The essay navigates themes of imperialism, hypocrisy, and the performative nature of international sympathy without resorting to jargon, making complex debates accessible. Essential listening for students of Irish history, World War I-era politics, and anyone intrigued by the mechanics of nationalism and propaganda, this political polemic offers a concise, historically grounded perspective that still resonates for readers and listeners trying to untangle motives behind modern national movements.