What concepts does the word patriotism include. External will can replace your own will

federal agency of Education

State educational institution

higher vocational education

NIZHNY NOVGOROD STATE LINGUISTIC UNIVERSITY IM. ON THE. DOBROLUBOV

Department of Philosophy, Sociology and Theory of Social Communication

By philosophy

Patriotism: Essence, Structure, Functioning (Socio-Philosophical Analysis)

COMPLETED:

Tikhanovich K.V.

group 202team FAYA

CHECKED:

professor of the department

philosophy, sociology

and theory of social

communications

Dorozhkin A.M.

Nizhny Novgorod

Introduction

Chapter 1. Patriotism as a subject of scientific analysis

1.1 Definition of "patriotism"

1.2 Motherland and Fatherland: sensual and rational in the mind of a patriot

1.3 The structure of patriotism

Chapter 2. Patriotism as a spiritual phenomenon of modern society

1 Functions of patriotism

2 Types of patriotism

Conclusion

List of used literature

Introduction

The problem of patriotism is one of the most urgent in the field of spiritual and moral life of modern society. It was considered in the works of representatives of world and domestic philosophy - Plato, Hegel, M. Lomonosov, P. Chaadaev, F. Tyutchev, N. Chernyshevsky, V. Lenin and others. A significant contribution to the study of this problem was made by researchers Soviet period our science. N. Gubanov, V. Makarov, Yu. Deryugin, T. Belyaev, Yu. Petrosyan, G. Kochkalda conducted research on the nature of patriotism, the ratio of everyday and theoretical levels in it, and the relationship with various forms of social consciousness.

In the post-Soviet period, the consciousness of the majority of Russians was not able to adequately perceive the socio-economic, spiritual and political changes that had taken place in our country; the spiritual principles on which they grew up were not conducive to adaptation to new conditions. At the same time, interest in patriotic issues did not weaken: the attitude towards patriotism in different social groups ranged from complete rejection to unconditional support. Despite the fact that attention was paid to the preservation of everything valuable that Russian patriotism possessed, for recent decades concept motherland,traditionally significant for Russians, has lost its essential content.

Today Russia is rapidly being drawn into the process of globalization. The influence of this phenomenon extends to all spheres of the spiritual life of society, including patriotism. Preference is given to "universal values", behind which are often the interests of specific states and social strata, not only do not take into account the interests of other countries, peoples and community groups, but often going against them. The process of globalization is objective, but it must be carried out taking into account the interests of all participants in international relations. Moreover, only with a harmonious combination of interests and values ​​of all subjects of the world community will humanity be able to solve the complex tasks facing it. And genuine patriotism in this process is called upon to play the most active and constructive role.

In addition, nationalist and racist movements have become widespread in modern Russia. Most of them widely use patriotic terminology and thus attract an immature part of the citizens into their ranks. Nationalism is becoming the ideology not only of marginal groups, but also of the leadership of a number of Russian regions. Under these conditions, the problem of clarifying the general and the special in ideological directions, national self-identification in accordance with the state understanding of patriotism is becoming more and more acute.

So, significant changes in the public life of the post-Soviet period, the process of globalization, the activation of separatist and nationalist movements affect the essential characteristics of the phenomenon of patriotism as a philosophical concept and as a spiritual component of modern society, thereby determining relevance abstract topics.

As objectwork advocates patriotism.

Subjectis the content of patriotism as a socio-philosophical concept.

Targetthis essay - to conduct a socio-philosophical analysis of patriotism.

In accordance with the goal tasksabstract are:

analyze the concept of "patriotism";

study the structure of patriotism;

identify the features of the functioning of patriotism;

characterize the types of patriotism depending on the carriers.

Chapter 1. Patriotism as a subject of scientific analysis

.1 Definition of patriotism

The term "patriot" became widespread only in the 18th century, especially during the French Revolution. Nevertheless, the ideas of patriotism already occupied the thinkers of antiquity, who paid close attention to them. In particular, even Plato said: “Both in war, and in court, and everywhere, you must do what the Fatherland commands.”

In our country, the theme of love for the Motherland has always been topical. The term "patriot" was also used in Russia in the 18th century. P.P. Shafirov, in his work on the Northern War, uses it with the meaning "son of the Fatherland". He called himself a patriot in the same sense, "the chick of Petrov's nest" F.I. Soymonov. A.V. Suvorov used the term "patriot" in the same sense. They wrote about patriotism, argued and tried to understand this phenomenon N.M. Karamzin, A.S. Pushkin, V.G. Belinsky, A.S. Khomyakov, N.A. Dobrolyubov, F.M. Dostoevsky, V.S. Solovyov, G.V. Plekhanov, N.A. Berdyaev.

Modern understanding patriotism is given in the "Philosophical Encyclopedia": "Patriotism -(from Greek - compatriot, fatherland) - love for the fatherland, devotion to him, the desire to serve his interests with his actions. The “Philosophical Encyclopedic Dictionary” defines this phenomenon in almost the same way.

The main parameter of patriotism is the feeling love forhis Fatherland (Motherland),manifested in activities,aimed at realizing this feeling.

Most often, the feeling of love in philosophical understanding is defined as the acceptance of something as it is, the experience of its absolute value. The appearance of this feeling does not require any external causes. This feeling is not pragmatic, but it cannot be perceived as a “pure” emotion either. Love is a certain level of holistic perception of both the inner and outer being of a person.

Secondthe form of love finds its manifestation in the egoism of those members of society who put their personal, often overly mercantile interests at the head of the system of relations between the individual, society and the state. Unfortunately, the principle: "Let the Motherland give me something first, and only then we'll see if I should love her" is very common today.

Love for the Motherland in a certain way encroaches on the freedom of the individual. Patriotism presupposes greater concern for the welfare of one's country and one's people than for one's own; it requires labor, patience, and even self-sacrifice. Figuratively speaking, patriotism is a statement the existence of their Fatherland. On the other hand, the feeling of love combines the real perception of its object. A patriot is not obliged to love the shortcomings of his homeland. On the contrary, he must eradicate them by all means available to him. This must be done without criticism and hysteria, which, unfortunately, are observed in Russian society quite often today. Love for the Motherland is the desire to accept it as it is and try to help it become even better.

Therefore, it seems possible to state the presence of three main components of a feeling of love for the Motherland. The first one is defined as care,understood as contributing to the successful development of their Fatherland with all the means at the disposal of the patriot. The second component is responsibility,which means the ability of a patriot to correctly respond to the needs of his homeland, feel them as his own and, thereby, correctly coordinate public and personal interests. The third is respect,which is perceived as the ability to see one's Fatherland as it really is, with all the advantages and disadvantages.

1.2 Motherland and Fatherland: sensual and rational in the mind of a patriot

The feeling of love implies the presence of the object to which it is directed. It is clear that in this case, such an object is the Motherland (Fatherland).

Quite often the concepts motherlandAnd Fatherlandconsidered as a synonymous pair, but in socio-philosophical terms, there are quite significant differences between them.

Homeland, as a rule, is understood as a sensually perceived immediate environment or as a place of birth, that is, this concept is characterized by local ethnic characteristics. Presumably, the Motherland as an object is characteristic of the ordinary psychological level of patriotic consciousness. Apparently, it is precisely this that determines the fact that in the minds of many people the concept of the Motherland is, as it were, bifurcated. There is a phenomenon in the patriotic consciousness "small homeland"representing the local place of birth and especially the upbringing of the individual, as well as the perception "big motherland"understood as the territory of the ethnic and cultural prevalence of the social group with which the person identifies himself.

When analyzing the phenomenon of the Fatherland, the emphasis is on socio-political characteristics. As a rule, the concept of "Fatherland" correlates with the concept of the state in the broadest sense of the word. Moreover, many citizens perceive these concepts as identical. It is precisely from this that the nature of making claims about the deterioration of economic and social conditions of life stems not from specific ruling circles, but to the Fatherland as a whole. The socio-political content of this concept is also evidenced by the fact that in Soviet times it was always said about socialist fatherlandand very rarely socialist homeland.

In addition, the concepts of Motherland and Fatherland are characterized by gender parameters. The Motherland has always correlated with the image of the mother, who gives birth and educates, and the Fatherland - with the father, who not only socializes the individual, but also requires her to fulfill her duty. In other words, the Motherland can be perceived as giving a start, and the Fatherland as taking.

If we talk about individual consciousness, then it seems natural to correlate the concept motherlandwith social quality "patriot",but the concept Fatherland - fromsocial quality "citizen".

Thus, the patriotic consciousness of an individual is characterized by the dominant sensual accents based on a rational principle.

In addition, it should be noted that the feeling of love for the Motherland acquires value only when it finds its practical, active, embodiment. And although social activity is very diverse, patriotic activity is quite universal in nature: any kind of human labor can be considered patriotic if it has a shade positive attitude to your Fatherland.

1.3 The structure of patriotism

Patriotism is a complex phenomenon. The vast majority of researchers distinguish three elements in the structure of patriotism: patriotic consciousness,patriotic activityand patriotic relationship.Y. Trifonov adds a fourth component to them - patriotic organization.

Patriotic consciousnessforms a special form of social consciousness, combining political, social, legal, religious, historical, moral components.

Political the system of society, through the influence of power structures, leaves a special significant imprint on the consciousness of citizens. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to distinguish State,represented by the power elite, and Fatherland,which is much broader than its political component. A true patriot does not blame his homeland for the fact that in an era of change to live in native land not easy. It is during such periods that the strength of patriotic feelings is tested. Just as one cannot blame one's mother for being tormented by illnesses, so one cannot blame the Motherland for being ruled by corrupt and greedy political elites. The disease must be treated, and traitors must be fought.

Social the element in the patriotic consciousness is determined by the class relations existing in society and the corresponding criteria for their evaluation.

Right influences the formation and functioning of patriotic consciousness through legal norms, enshrined primarily in the Constitution of the state.

The role of religions in the formation of patriotic consciousness. Its complexity is due to the presence in society of representatives of various faiths, as well as convinced atheists. Such spiritual heterogeneity, of course, implies a different understanding of patriotism.

Of great importance for the formation of patriotic consciousness is story Fatherland. The factual material reflecting the past of our country contains knowledge that contributes to the formation of patriotism. In this regard, it is appropriate to recall the words of A.S. Pushkin, addressed to P. Chaadaev: "... I swear on my honor that for nothing in the world I would not want to change the Fatherland or have a different history, except for the history of our ancestors, such as God gave it to us."

An important role in the formation of patriotic consciousness is played by the category morality. Time has shown the inconsistency of political emphasis in the education of patriotism, which was typical of the Soviet era. A real patriot can only be considered one who has managed to turn patriotic duty from a socially significant requirement into a deeply conscious inner spiritual need. patriotism motherland fatherland spiritual

Patriotic consciousness can be represented as a kind of "section" of public consciousness on everyday psychologicalAnd theoretical and ideologicallevels .

The ordinary psychological level of patriotic consciousness is a system with a fairly static, practically unchanged "core" in the form of traditions, customs, archetypes inherent in a given society. Apparently, the very formation of this core, which began as early as primitive era was a millennial process. Ordinary consciousness is also represented by a dynamic, constantly changing "shell", which includes feelings associated with patriotic experiences, empirical concepts and primary value judgments, as well as psychological condition masses in their perception of the nature of the situation, one way or another related to patriotism. It is in this sphere of consciousness that the direct motivational basis is formed, on which the patriotic behavior of people is formed. The ordinary psychological level is the sensual stage of patriotic consciousness.

The theoretical and ideological level of patriotic consciousness includes rationally systematized scientifically organized knowledge and ideas about patriotism, expressed in political programs, statements, legislative acts relating to issues related to patriotism, expressing the fundamental interests of individual social groups, as well as society as a whole. In a concentrated form, this level of consciousness is expressed in ideology, which is a reflection of the social interests and goals of society. However, society is not a homogeneous entity, all members of which would have the same goals and interests. Mismatched or conflicting interests of social groups, of course, leave an imprint on patriotic consciousness, but it is love for the motherland that can be the ideological basis that can unite various social strata around itself.

Analyzing patriotic consciousness, I would like to focus on the fact that patriotism is not ordinary feelings, and even more so it is not a rationalization of sensory perception. Here there is an exit of human consciousness to the level of unity of emotional, intellectual and volitional perceptions and manifestations, which just creates patriotic heroes who are ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the Motherland.

Patriotic consciousness acquires value only when it is realized in practice in the form of specific actions and deeds, representing in the aggregate patriotic activity.Human behavior can only be considered patriotic when it has positive value for the Fatherland and does not harm other ethnic groups and states. For the Motherland, it is important to work to preserve its potential in all areas, but primarily in the spiritual. As in any kind of activity, static and dynamic aspects can be distinguished in the structure of patriotic activity.

From point of view staticaspect in patriotic activity, one can single out the subject, object and means. Subjectpatriotic activities are people who are members of a particular society. An objectPatriotic activity represents the Fatherland (Motherland). FacilitiesPatriotic activity can be represented by the whole spectrum of means of human activity. But it makes sense to divide them into two groups: the first group is the means of peaceful labor or creative activity, the second - the means of armed struggle or destructive activity. A feature of the second group is that, despite their destructive nature, the means of armed struggle play a leading role in the defense of their Fatherland.

From point of view dynamic aspect in the structure of patriotic activity, one can single out the goal, process and result. aimpatriotic activity is the achievement (upholding) of the interests of one's Fatherland, both with the help of peaceful labor and armed violence. Processpatriotic activity is the activity of the subject of patriotic activity in the interests of achieving the goal. This activity can take place both in peacetime and in wartime. resultpatriotic activity is one or another degree of achievement of the goal. The results achieved in peacetime are seriously different from the results of the war. The main difference parameter is concentrated in the price paid for the result. If in peacetime this is, as a rule, selfless labor, then in conditions of armed struggle, the cost of achieving the result of patriotic activity can be not only the loss of health, but also the loss of the life of the subject.

Thus, within the framework of patriotic activity, the subject not only seeks to change or preserve the objective reality, personified for him in the concept of the Motherland (Fatherland), but also significantly changes his inner world bringing it into line with the main patriotic interests and goals.

The third structural element of patriotism is patriotic relationship.They represent a system of connections and dependencies of human activity and life. social individuals and groups in society about defending their needs, interests, desires and attitudes related to their homeland. The subjects of patriotic relations can be both individuals and various communities of people who enter into active interaction with each other, on the basis of which a certain way of their communication is formed. joint activities. Patriotic relations are the relationships of people with each other, capable of taking on the character of a friendly cooperationor conflict(based on match or collision intereststhese groups). Such relationships may take the form of direct contacts or an indirect form, for example, through relations with the state.

A certain place in the system of patriotism is occupied by patriotic organizations.These include institutions directly involved in patriotic education - patriotic clubs and circles. Great work on patriotic propaganda and patriotic education is carried out by veteran, creative, sports, and scientific organizations.

Chapter 2. Patriotism as a spiritual phenomenon of modern society

.1 Functions of patriotism

The social significance of patriotism is realized through a number of functions: identification, organizational-mobilizing and integration functions.

Identification the function of patriotism is the most significant. The need of the individual to relate himself to a certain social group, society as a whole is one of the most ancient needs of mankind, which arose at the earliest stages of its development. It follows from the biological instinct of self-preservation. Man, being surrounded by a hostile external environment, was constantly in search of satisfaction of this need. In the most natural way, he could find protection as part of a primitive team, since he was a herd creature. The natural development of man led him to the fact that the biological need for self-preservation acquired social and spiritual facets and began to manifest itself in the function of identification.

Representatives of social Darwinism discussed the relationship between the biological and the social in man. In particular, K. Kautsky associated the need for self-preservation with the constant struggle of organisms with the external environment. P.A. Kropotkin, in contrast to traditional social Darwinism, put forward the idea of ​​the importance in evolution not of the struggle for survival, but of mutual assistance.

In traditional societies, the identification process had a rigid framework associated with the ethnic origin of individuals and their belonging to certain social groups. Therefore, there were practically no problems with self-identification.

A modern person in the information society, under the influence of the globalization process, faces certain difficulties in the process of socialization. This is primarily due to the fact that a person has many options for "identities" and is not always able to determine the most optimal of them.

The patriotism of the individual is formed as a result of achieving a balance between the personal level of identification, which consists in the message of the individual unique properties, And social level which is the result of the assimilation of social norms and values.

The basis for identification of a person may be an ethnic or professional group, region, political movement. In modern society, there is such a phenomenon as re-identification, that is, the rejection of ethnic background.

The process of ethnic identification is influenced not so much by the phenotypic characteristics of the individual, but by the religious, cultural and behavioral characteristics of the individual's activity, which have preserved the effectiveness of traditions and customs, and joint expectations for the future.

Apparently, ethnic self-identification and national identity cannot be confused. The object of the first is the concept of "Motherland", and often the "small Motherland". Since national identification has a significant state-political component, the “Fatherland” is its subject.

Meaning organizational and mobilizing The function of patriotism is determined by the fact that through it there is an incentive to patriotic activity. This happens in the process of correlating the actions of the subject with the interests of his Fatherland.

Information about the Fatherland is transformed into beliefs and norms of behavior as a result of an individual's awareness of the value of the reality surrounding him. The process of transforming knowledge into interest ends with the initiation of the motive of patriotic activity.

An important feature This function is that not only the understanding of the Motherland, but also the person himself, his behavior and life position as a whole are exposed to axeological influence. Moreover, such self-esteem has not only separate person, but also a social group and even an entire ethnic group.

The society is especially interested in the most effective operation of this function. In order to form the regulatory impact on people's consciousness that society needs, role models, the so-called "heroic symbols", are created. Moreover, they have a certain mythologized character. If earlier they were created by society itself, such as images epic heroes, then the state is currently engaged in the creation of heroic symbols. Suffice it to recall the period of the Great Patriotic War, when the exploits of Alexander Matrosov, Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya, Nikolai Gastello acquired some "epic", mythologized features with the help of official propaganda. Unfortunately, our time has shown the reverse process of the demythologization of "heroic symbols", when in life, personalities, even in the feat itself, diligent "researchers" looked for everything that could cast a shadow on the heroes of the Patriotic War. The consequences of such "conscientiousness" were the most negative both in terms of historical knowledge and in terms of public well-being.

In the first chapter, it was noted that any kind of human activity can bear the imprint of love for one's Fatherland. But the most striking imprint of patriotism is military labor. The Defender of the Fatherland not only daily brings his strength, knowledge, abilities to the altar of patriotism, but is also ready to sacrifice his health and even life for the sake of the Motherland.

Integrationfunction manifests itself in the fact that no other idea is able to unite whole nation like a patriotic impulse. People belonging to different ideological directions, religious denominations, ethnic groups, social classes are able to forget about their differences if their homeland is in danger.

The incident that occurred during the First World War and was described by General P. Krasnov is indicative: “Emperor Wilhelm gathered all our Muslim prisoners in a separate camp and, currying favor with them, built a beautiful stone mosque for them ... They wanted to demonstrate the dislike of Muslims for the Russian“ yoke ". But things ended very badly for the Germans ...

The mullahs came forward and whispered with the soldiers. The masses of soldiers roused, equalized, and a thousand-voiced choir, under the German sky, near the walls of the newly rebuilt mosque, thundered out in unison: God save the Tsar ... There was no other prayer for the Motherland in the hearts of these wonderful Russian soldiers.

A striking example of the consolidation of society on the basis of patriotism is the Great Patriotic War. Even many representatives of the white emigration, having rejected their hatred for the Bolsheviks, not only did not cooperate with the Nazis, but also fought against them. Suffice it to recall the Russian officers who stood at the origins of the resistance movement in France.

Thus, having identified the features of the functioning of patriotism, we came to the conclusion that patriotism? it is always the result of the influence of the surrounding social environment, the education of society, and at the same time it is moral choice man, evidence of his social maturity. Therefore, the extinction of patriotism is the surest sign of the crisis of society, and its artificial destruction is the way to destroy the people.

2.2 Types of patriotism

Patriotism as a phenomenon social reality, does not exist outside the subject. The subject of patriotism is all social formations: personality, social group, stratum, class, nation and other communities. Based on this, we can talk about the patriotism of an individual, a social group, society as a whole.

The meaning of patriotism personalities extremely large. Each person begins to realize the surrounding world precisely from himself and all his life correlates his thoughts, feelings and actions primarily with himself. A feature of this type of patriotism is that the person is not only its subject, but also experiences the strongest reverse influence of patriotic motives. It is very important for full-fledged patriotism how a person feels himself in society and the state. The combination of such spiritual values ​​as a sense of honor and self-esteem "... acts, on the one hand, as a form of manifestation of moral self-awareness and self-control of the individual ..., and on the other hand, one of the channels of influence of society and the state on the moral character and behavior ... » person in society.

Self-respect is the basis on which love for one's Fatherland is based. “The honor and dignity of a citizen correlate with the dignity of the Fatherland as communicating vessels: the citizen forms the honor of the Fatherland, the honor of the Fatherland elevates the honor of the citizen.” This dependence is especially acute between the warrior and the Fatherland: “... at any turn, such a condition for the possible preservation of the reliability of the army as a sense of national dignity and responsibility for the Fatherland, which in principle should not be deformed under any circumstances, remains unshakable. National dignity is a spiritual and enduring phenomenon. If a person constantly feels the influence of the state and public structures, which negatively affects his internal state, then this not only does not contribute to strengthening personal honor and dignity, but, ultimately, it negatively affects the state of patriotism of a particular person and society as a whole.

Absolutization of the individual to the detriment of society and the state is no less harmful than ignoring this factor. Individualism, cultivated in today's conditions by certain forces in our country, destroys the patriotic consciousness from within.

It is very important to maintain the balance in which the individual will feel protected and respected in the state and society, but, in turn, adequately fulfilling his duties.

IN social group Patriotism can be carried by a family, a labor or military collective, a social group, a class, a nation.

The primary bearer of group patriotism is family. She has always played a leading role in the formation of patriotic consciousness. The affirmation of patriotism must begin first of all with the strengthening of the family. "It is impossible to love the people without loving the parents...". The importance of the family for patriotic education is determined primarily by the fact that moral, military-patriotic education in the family is carried out primarily on the basis of the experience of adult family members. The state and society should in every possible way contribute to the strengthening of this social phenomenon, since the safety of these institutions ultimately depends on a healthy family.

A relatively new phenomenon is the so-called "corporate patriotism".There is nothing wrong with employees of a firm or even an industry caring about professional prestige. But it is unacceptable when this activity is opposed to the national interests. Unfortunately, in our country this model is quite common. The interests of certain financial and industrial groups are lobbied in the highest legislative body of the country, which directly contradict the interests of the country. Suffice it to recall the decision to import radioactive waste from abroad.

Special mention should be made of the patriotism of the public state elite. This problem is most acute in transitional, crisis periods, when established stereotypes break down, which leads to deformations of patriotic consciousness. For the public and state elite, patriotic consciousness can act not only as a kind of “litmus test” signaling the state of society and the state, but also be a powerful tool that can have a serious impact on them.

The elite cannot exist without the masses of the people in the same way that the people lose themselves without an elite with a national psychology. Only "... socially active members of society are generators of social progressive development ...", but the vector of this movement may not always meet the interests of the whole society.

It should be emphasized that the representatives of the elite can be divided into two groups: "...actors who prefer to look back at knowledge proven by experience, or actors who deny the value of accumulated knowledge...". Otherwise, they can be called conservatives (or supporters of traditionalism) and liberals (or supporters of innovations). When it comes to patriotism, in no case should we forget that it was nurtured by the experience of many generations, and the accumulation of knowledge by our ancestors provides for their reasonable use, but by no means their rejection. It is the attitude to the past that distinguishes the liberal and a conservative. “Too free, sometimes dismissive attitude to knowledge, ignoring the ideologeme “to think about the future, remembering the past” characterizes a liberal thinker. Too often, the changes a liberal advocates become valuable to him in and of themselves. Thus, the purpose for which they are carried out is ignored. The conservative, not being an opponent of innovations, nevertheless, believes that they make sense only when they are a reaction to a certain specific flaw in the surrounding reality.

Consequently, conservative methods most carefully and constructively transform patriotism. But, at the same time, patriotism itself is a universal conservative tool aimed at restoring, maintaining and maintaining social and political unity and harmony.

It is not easy to study this kind of group patriotism, in which the subject is nation. The complexity is caused, firstly, by the fact that the line between patriotic and nationalist worldviews is extremely thin. In addition, the appearance of the same ethnic group on different stages historical development, which, however, does not detract from the importance of continuity between them. Naturally, the patriotism of the Russians of the era of Vladimir I differed significantly from the patriotism of their descendants from the time of Dmitry Donskoy, and the love for the Fatherland of the Russian people under the reign of Ivan the Terrible from the same feeling of the subjects of Peter I. But, nevertheless, they are all united by one root that nourished this great feeling from time immemorial.

Secondly, the difficulty lies in the fact that the understanding of patriotism has significant differences among different nations. These differences are due to the peculiarities of the mentality of these peoples. Moreover, approaches to understanding patriotism may not coincide even among those ethnic groups that belong to the same civilization.

The most difficult to study is patriotism, the bearer of which is society as a whole. Public patriotism cannot be regarded as a conglomeration of individuals, although it is in them that it has its source. It accumulates the general, basic that is contained in the multitude of individual and group consciousnesses. It seems extremely important that public patriotism grows on a fairly concrete basis. It is internally connected with the previous development of society. The law of historical continuity and connection operates. In the public patriotic consciousness, the main needs and interests of society in a given historical stage.

There is an interdependence of individual, group and public patriotism. The consciousness of the individual is reflected in various means and forms of communication, thereby becoming the property of public consciousness. And the results of the consciousness of society spiritually enrich the individual.

The patriot correlates with his individuality the traditions of the family that raised him, the experience of the social group to which he refers himself, the characteristics of the nation to which he belongs, the requirements of the society in which he lives. From the combination of this diversity, his patriotism is formed.

Patriotism is one of the fundamental needsindividuals, groups, societies.

A need in general is a need for something to maintain life, an internal stimulus of activity. Man, as a social subject, differs from the rest of the animal world in that, unlike the latter, adapting to environment, it actively transforms nature and society. This is due to the satisfaction of existing needs, which, in turn, leads to the generation of new ones that require satisfaction.

The patriotism of a person as a need is the need to feel oneself a part of the whole, the awareness of the justification of one's existence through the affirmation of the existence of the society to which this person belongs. Such a need is a multi-level spiritual phenomenon that receives its initial development even at the early, pre-state stages of the evolution of society. Subsequently, such proto-patriotism in relation to the group develops into forms of patriotism of a developed society and state. The highest manifestation of individual patriotism should be regarded as a need in which spiritual motives dominate over material ones, since a patriot is able to sacrifice not only his health, but also his life for the sake of his Motherland, which cannot be explained by material reasons.

The patriotism of a social group and society as a whole is a need to preserve oneself as an integrity that has a certain development perspective. Satisfaction of such a need is possible only through the affirmation of the need for patriotism at the personal level. Therefore, patriotism acts as a kind of indicator that can warn government authorities about the state of the spiritual life of society and the state.

Conclusion

Patriotism is a feeling of love for one's Fatherland manifested in activity. It combines components such as careabout your fatherland responsibilityfor him and respectto him. Patriotism cannot be limited only to the framework of class interests and relations, at the same time it is not permissible to completely ignore them.

The structure of patriotism is represented by such elements as patriotic consciousness, patriotic activity, patriotic attitude and patriotic organization. Patriotic consciousnessis a special form of social consciousness, closely related to its other forms. Patriotic activityacts as a defining component of patriotism, as it implements patriotic interests and values ​​in the form of specific actions and deeds. In the structure of patriotic activity, static and dynamic aspects are distinguished.

Patriotic relationsis a system of connections and dependencies of the activities of individuals and their groups regarding the upholding of the needs and interests related to their homeland. TO patriotic organizationinclude institutions involved in patriotic education and patriotic propaganda.

The main functions of patriotism are identification, organizational - mobilizing and integrating. Identificationthe function is manifested in the realization of the need to identify the individual with a particular social group or society as a whole. Content organizational and mobilizingthe function of patriotism is to encourage patriotic activities of individuals, as well as their groups. Meaning integrationthe function of patriotism is determined by its ability to unite various individuals and social groups.

The basis for the classification of patriotism can be its subject. Proceeding from this, the patriotism of an individual, a social group (families, elites, nations), society as a whole is distinguished.

Thus, patriotism is considered as a need of an individual, social group, society, which is a system-forming factor of their existence. The successful future of all mankind depends on a careful attitude to patriotism.

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Patriotic consciousness: essence and formation / A.S. Milovidov, P.E. Sapegin, A.L. Simagin and others - Novosibirsk, 1985.

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Let's look at the interpretation of this word. The Great Soviet Encyclopedia draws its attention to the fact that this is, first of all, a feeling. And based on this leads the following signs: love for the motherland, the desire to be useful to her, devoted exclusively to her.

However, this definition is very narrowly related to the concept under consideration. In our opinion, love for one's native land encompasses the value experience of the entire nation, to which a person is involved. It is not only itself a part of traditions and history, it bears the brunt of the experience of previous generations.

Commitment to one's people, respect for their culture - that's what true patriotism means.

What do we mean by people? Maybe it's all of humanity? Nation? Town? Village? In fact, it is impossible to clearly define this concept territorially.

We are talking about common values ​​that people adhere to and try to put into practice of their own free will. And the people settled in this case can be completely different.

Let's look at one interesting formula. Everyone can see their own meaning in it.

People = Population + Political Will + Patriotism

One thing in it will always remain unchanged - the people are dependent both on devotion to their native land and on the will of the state. The latter, in order to strengthen the spirit of the nation, is ready to go to any lengths to ensure a comfortable life for the population.

We highlight the following postulates that can be seen in this formula.

The people cannot exist without patriotism

We talked about the fact that this concept also includes values ​​- moral, ideological, everyday. Imagine that the feeling of love for the motherland disappears - respect for the past and traditions disappears - the people disappear. This chain is quite logical. We do not think about how much we really depend on the experience of previous generations - imagine that every newly born person has to evolve and reinvent the wheel. All the achievements that we use are the product of the activities of millions and billions of our ancestors. And we must be grateful to them.

External will can replace your own will

We have an adequate perception of the events taking place in the state. However, political will implies a slightly different meaning. This is an opportunity and a desire to form one's own values, complementing the traditions of the past. If we do not do this ourselves, then anyone can impose them. It is important to be able to defend your right to an opinion and not let other people's stereotypes wedged into life, changing it. This is where the split between false and true occurs.

Genuine patriotism is not only love for the fatherland, for the motherland. It is also defending the interests of its population.

Why is it not fashionable to love your native country now

Let us turn to a fairly complex problem and try to find, if not a comprehensive solution, then at least a complete answer. What happened in modern society, why is devotion to the Fatherland arouses a smile?

Is it really not important to love the motherland

Many opposition media promote the desire to overthrow existing traditions and change them radically. It is in trend, especially among young people. You can endlessly scold new trends, politicians and oppositionists. But sticking to a strictly conservative course is also not perfect option developments, as history has shown. The best changes are those that people feel weakly. Our psychology is this: almost always we resist something new, and therefore it is important that people feel comfortable.

Maybe not that generation

There are so many opinions now that the youth has deteriorated. I stopped respecting elders, appreciating help, moral principles. Give these people a few decades, they will live and see that without the past there is no movement into the future. Hundreds are also born talented people, nothing seems to have changed. And the spirit of rebellion inherent in youth is a very transient thing.

It's about ourselves

But this is more like the truth. We, without noticing it, are developing on the one hand, and degrading on the other. Let's take one ambiguous example.

A scientist who had studied evolution from the point of view of biology for a long time decided to look at it from a philosophical point of view. A person works forever - it is believed that it was labor that made him such a monkey. At the same time, people have driven themselves into a trap - how many people can afford to live so as not to work and enjoy life? Only the rich. So what then philosophical meaning evolution?

But back to our question. What is wrong with us? We gradually began to forget the traditions and foundations of previous generations. Something has become obsolete, something was inherent only to a certain time, something has become a ridiculous ritual. This is how we slowly began to devalue the love of the motherland.

Another underestimated factor is external influence. Young immature minds, subjected to forced attacks of other people's opinions and arguments, are capable of generating doubts in their young soul. That is why true patriotism is a feeling that can and should hide in days of such trials - it will give strength and patience.

How to revive love for the motherland

To answer this question, we need to look at what values ​​are important for modern society.

Science and technology

Smart is the new sexy! You can now hear variations of such a phrase from everywhere: on the radio, on TV. Technology is not only our future, but also the values ​​of our generation. Where does science begin? From education.

A big problem for many is getting knowledge for quite a lot of money. Many, knowing that they supposedly won’t learn anything in higher institutions, simply buy “crusts”. And this is a very scary trend, if you think about it. How many people in our country can cripple other people, break things, lives, just because they decided to get a diploma in transition.

No one is going to make education free just like that, this is a fact that needs to be accepted. Despite this, young people understand that being a pro in their field means honor and respect. Most, even in the absence of money for education, try to get knowledge from books, other people's research - they try to get all the experience on their own. This trend can save the new generation a correct understanding of love for the motherland.

Defense of the native land

Patriotism is a concept that is considered in many social science textbooks as the defense of one's Fatherland from internal and external enemies.

But let's take a closer look at modern society: a huge number of guys dream of "hanging out" from the army, knowing what hardships and trials they will have to endure.

The priorities are wrong now. The great word - "patriot" - was vulgarized, beaten and left to die. First of all, you need to think about what values ​​were instilled in the child in the family - not to intimidate with the army, the barracks, vicious ensigns, but to tell what all these tests will teach.

On the other hand, the army institute is now working terribly - there are many cases when guys who have served were brought home for wheelchair. And no, they were not in hot spots. This is how their "comrades" tried. Everything comes from the family. Here we come to the main point.

Traditional family values

A strong family traditional type is able to educate a strong personality, independent of external influence, who adequately assesses what is happening in the country and in the world as a whole. Such a person is able not only to love his homeland, but also to protect it.

Even if the family could not give that strong moral layer capable of protecting the child, teaching him to appreciate and love his homeland, then he himself can and must take on the role of an educator. If not parents, then the right teachers, church, faith - all this contributes to understanding and logically explains what patriotism implies, what love for oneself and people means.

Examples of heroism in Russia: great deeds in the name of the Fatherland

What to study younger generations, if not on the experience of the elders? We suggest looking at heroic deeds our compatriots, committed out of love for their native land.

The Great Patriotic War is rich in examples. We will present only those of them, which are almost forgotten. Little is written about them in books and articles, they rarely talk with schoolchildren in class hours. Memory - highest award for a warrior, which he cannot be deprived of.

Katya Zelenko

She entered the history of Russia as the first female pilot who used a ram to destroy an enemy aircraft. Her little Su-2 bomber fought German stubbornness to the last - until the ammunition ran out.

Our heroine decided to take a desperate act, which became fatal in her life. Her self-sacrifice, not for fame or money - it was important, had value for herself. Katya was brought up correctly: her love for the motherland was reflected in a heroic deed.

Dima Komarov

The feat of this man truly shows who a patriot is and what patriotism is. He, leading a small detachment of volunteers, rammed into a huge German armored train. And after a successful operation, the only one from the whole team was able to survive.

Such behavior is admirable: a person sought to do the literally impossible. However, faith in himself, his own strengths and upheld values, helped him make a decision.

Kolya Sirotinin

This example seems unrealistic, but the events are documented and took place. This man, together with his friend, opposed a full-fledged German army.

When a comrade-in-arms died, Kolya began to fight back alone. The result of this was the destruction of 17 tanks and armored personnel carriers, the killing of almost six dozen German soldiers. After Sirotkin ran out of ammunition and grenades, the Germans asked him to surrender. However, the one with the last machine gun flew at the enemy - that's the whole answer. The young hero died, but did not give up.

Epistinia Stepanova

Now it is quite difficult to understand what belongs to patriotism and what does not. And is it possible to measure love for the motherland by heroic deeds alone?

Epistinia is a unique woman, she gave birth and raised 15 children, ten of whom went to war and did not return. Yes, you should never forget about the everyday feat in the war. As Tatyana Tolstaya wrote in one of her stories: “Women have gone through a difficult path of change from the beginning of the 20th century to the present. These beautiful, fragile undines, as it turned out, can be strong and courageous, only time will require them.”

It is quite difficult to briefly describe what patriotism is, to give it a definition, since this concept is very broad. If you take it narrowly, considering the concept from textbooks, then this is just a feeling - and most often it is one-sided.

If we look at the problem from the other side, we can single out an approach in which a person who loves his country is a true citizen who honors the memory of the past generation and takes care of his values.

Yes, now there is a deep problem of depreciation of this phenomenon, but also in society, it is possible to outline the main trends that will allow traditional values ​​to be instilled in young people in the future. In this, by the way, the appeal to one's roots and origins helps a lot. Order a beautifully designed Genealogy Book from us, and you will be pleased with the result for several reasons: good quality work done and familiarity with previous generation, its history.

What is Patriotism

Patriotism is a term used to describe feelings of love and devotion to one's people, nation, country, or community. By itself, the term patriotism is very broad and ambiguous. It includes a whole host of different feelings, and aspects of which we will discuss below.

What is Patriotism in simple words - a brief definition.

Simply put, patriotism is love for one's country, one's nation and one's culture. As a rule, patriotism includes such main aspects as:

• Special attachment to one's country;
• Feeling of personal identification with the country;
• Special concern for the welfare of the country;
• Willingness to sacrifice oneself to contribute to the well-being of the country.

In some respects, patriotism is a certain social and moral principle which makes a person feel attached to his country. It evokes a sense of pride in one's nation, country or culture.

The basis and essence of Patriotism.

As it has already become clear from the definition itself, the basis or essence of patriotism is selfless love and affection for one's country.

« But, is it so good, and why is patriotism actually needed?»

The answer to this question is very complex and ambiguous. The fact is that if you rely on the fundamental works of various researchers of this phenomenon, you can find that they are divided into two camps.

Some argue that patriotism is a very positive phenomenon capable of developing and strengthening the state, supporting and preserving it. cultural traditions and customs. Others argue that such attachment to their state and specifically their culture contributes to the development of overly nationalistic and sentiments that do not really fit with.

We will talk about the connection between patriotism and nationalism later, but now we will continue to develop the answer to the question posed above. So, if we ignore the already formed points of view, we can say that all the statements of adherents and opponents of patriotism are right in their own way. The fact is that there is nothing wrong with the very idea of ​​​​love for one's country, but everything should be in moderation and go, so to speak, from the heart. But, history knows a lot of examples when such love for the fatherland mutated into fanaticism under the influence of manipulations with the people's consciousness. Many military and other crimes were often justified by patriotism. Thus, we can say that patriotism, among other things, is also an excellent tool for controlling the masses. So, answering the above question, we can say that patriotism is a very positive phenomenon within reasonable limits, which is necessary for the preservation and development of individual states of nations and cultures.

Patriotism and nationalism - what's the difference.

Indeed, in addition to the fact that these two terms are often used together, and sometimes replace each other, there is a difference between them. The main difference between these terms is that nationalism is love for one's own nation, one's culture, and one's traditions, and patriotism is love for the country as a whole, including the minorities inhabiting it with their own cultural characteristics.

It is worth noting that in real life these concepts are indeed quite often intertwined, since patriots in most cases are nationalists, although this is not the rule.

Patriotism (Greek patriotes - compatriot, patris - Motherland, Fatherland) is often interpreted as a moral and political principle, a spiritual feeling that contains love for the Fatherland, devotion to it, pride in its past and present, the desire to protect the interests of the Motherland.

Being a concrete historical concept, patriotism in each era can have different social and axiological interpretations. However, the basic principle remains the same, as well as the structure of its constituent elements: the father's house - the native land (small homeland) - the habitat of the people - the country as a whole, and it is associated with the process of self-identification, that is, awareness of oneself as a member of a group, assuming the properties of this group and responsibility for it. The last two elements of the structure do not necessarily appear in such a sequence, since state borders sometimes do not coincide with the habitats of peoples. In this sense, patriotism is a concept that is not always consonant with the concept of the state, although it is closely related to it and is more expressed in the concept of "Fatherland". The term "patriotism" means, in addition, the devotion of the people, respect for their history, traditions and culture.

As a concept, patriotism arose in relatively ancient times. And, perhaps even before the existence of the state, it manifested itself on a physiological and psychological level, as an attempt to protect property and other members of the tribe.

Already Plato had arguments in favor of the fact that the motherland is more precious than father and mother. In a more developed form, love for the Fatherland, as the highest value, is seen in their works by such thinkers as N. Machiavelli, Yu. Krizhanich, J.-J. Russo, I.G. Fichte.

Patriotism was understood as serving the people, the state and the authorities; in Ancient Greece, Rome and the Middle Ages, it was interpreted as a feeling of devotion to a certain nation, power and its institutions [Antipov, 1987, p. 148].

The idea of ​​patriotism as the basis for the unification of Russian lands in the struggle against a common enemy can already be clearly seen in The Tale of Bygone Years and in the sermons of St. Sergius of Radonezh. In Kievan Rus, death for their native lands was considered an honorable duty to the Motherland. With the liberation of the country from the foreign yoke and the formation of a single state, patriotic ideas are strengthened, acquiring a material basis, and become one of the forms of manifestation state patriotism. During the time of Peter the Great, the Motherland began to identify itself with a certain territory and the society that had historically developed on it. Thus, patriotism, shown at the state level, becomes the most important activity of state and public institutions[Tyurin, 1987, p. 33-78].

Many educators and thinkers of the past, revealing the role of patriotism in the process personal development, pointed to their many-sided formative influence. So, for example, K.D. Ushinsky believed that patriotism is both an important task of education and a powerful pedagogical tool: “Just as there is no person without pride, so there is no person without love for the fatherland, and this love gives education the right key to a person’s heart and a great support for fighting against it. bad natural, personal, family and tribal inclinations” [Ushinsky, 2011, p. 97].

I.A. Ilyin wrote: “People at the level of instinct, naturally and imperceptibly adapt to their environment, to nature, to their neighbors and culture of their country, to the life of their people. But that is precisely why the spiritual essence of patriotism almost always remains beyond the borders of their consciousness. Then love for the motherland lives in the souls in the form of an unreasonable, objectively indefinite inclination, which either completely freezes and loses its strength until there is proper irritation (in times of peace, in eras of calm life), then it flares up with blind and unreasonable passion, the fire of an awakened, frightened and hardened instinct, capable of drowning out in the soul the voice of conscience, and the sense of proportion and justice, and even the demands of elementary meaning" [Ilyin, 1993, p. 71].

But, despite the remoteness of its origin, this concept, as before, has no specific definition so there is a need for a more detailed review.

IN explanatory dictionary IN AND. Dahl, the word "patriot" means "lover of the fatherland, zealous for its good, fatherland lover, patriot or fatherland" [Dal, 1955, p. 144].

Patriotism as a personality trait is manifested in love and respect for one's Motherland, for compatriots, in devotion and readiness to serve one's Fatherland.

The Pedagogical Encyclopedic Dictionary offers the following definition of patriotism: “... love for the fatherland, for the native land, for one's cultural environment. With these natural foundations of patriotism as a natural feeling, its moral significance as a duty and virtue is combined. A clear awareness of one's duties in relation to the fatherland and their faithful fulfillment form the virtue of patriotism, which from ancient times had a religious significance...” [Bim-Bad, 2003, p. 83].

Patriotism is social phenomenon, which is highly stable and long life among the people, even when it is destroyed. True and spiritual in its essence, patriotism presupposes disinterested, selfless service to the Fatherland. It was and remains a moral and political principle, a social feeling, the content of which is expressed in love for the Motherland, devotion, pride in its past and present, in the desire and readiness to defend it. Patriotism is one of the deepest feelings, fixed by centuries of struggle for the freedom and independence of the Motherland.

A.N. Vyrshchikov, M.B. Kusmartsev believe that patriotism is not a movement against something, but a movement for the values ​​that society and man have. Patriotism is, first of all, a state of mind, soul [Vyrshchikov, 2005, p. 36].

Therefore, in their opinion, we are talking about the most important domestic socio-cultural postulate, which reveals the meaning of education: highest value is a person who wants and knows how to love, and the highest value of the person himself is love for his homeland. “The idea of ​​patriotism throughout history has occupied an honorable place not only in the spiritual life of society, but also in all the most important areas of its activity - in ideology, politics, culture, economics, ecology, etc. Patriotism is an integral component national idea Russia, an integral part of domestic science and culture, developed over the centuries. It has always been regarded as a source of courage, heroism and strength. Russian people, How necessary condition greatness and power of our state” [Vyrshchikov, 2005, p. 49].

An analysis of the opinions of historians, philosophers, and writers regarding the essence of the concept under consideration shows that the understanding of patriotism is diverse and somewhat ambiguous. This is due to the complex nature of phenomena, the variety of forms, the consideration of the problem of patriotism by all kinds of researchers in various historical, socio-economic and political conditions, as well as depending on a variety of positions.

Types of patriotism

Patriotism can manifest itself in the following forms:

1. polis patriotism- existed in ancient city-states (polises);
2. imperial patriotism- maintained feelings of loyalty to the empire and its government;
3. ethnic patriotism- at the base has feelings of love for his ethnic group;
4. state patriotism- at the base lie feelings of love for the state.
5. leavened patriotism (cheers-patriotism)- at the base lie hypertrophied feelings of love for the state and its people.

Patriotism in history

A car magnet is a popular way to show patriotism for all parties in the US 2004

The concept itself had a different content and was understood in different ways. In antiquity, the term patria ("homeland") was applied to the native city-state, but not to wider communities (such as Hellas, Italy); thus, the term patriota meant an adherent of his city-state, although, for example, a feeling of general Greek patriotism existed at least since the time of the Greco-Persian wars, and in the works of Roman writers of the early Empire one can see a peculiar feeling of Italian patriotism.

Imperial Rome, in turn, saw Christianity as a threat to imperial patriotism. Despite the fact that Christians preached obedience to the authorities and offered prayers for the well-being of the empire, they refused to take part in imperial cults, which, in the opinion of the emperors, should contribute to the growth of imperial patriotism.

The preaching of Christianity about the heavenly homeland and the idea of ​​the Christian community as a special "people of God" raised doubts about the loyalty of Christians to the earthly fatherland.

But later in the Roman Empire there was a rethinking of the political role of Christianity. After the adoption of Christianity by the Roman Empire, it began to use Christianity to strengthen the unity of the empire, counteract local nationalism and local paganism, forming ideas about the Christian empire as the earthly homeland of all Christians.

In the Middle Ages, when loyalty to the civil collective gave way to loyalty to the monarch, the term lost its relevance and acquired it again in modern times.

In the era of the American and French bourgeois revolutions, the concept of "patriotism" was identical to the concept of "nationalism", with a political (non-ethnic) understanding of the nation; for this reason, in France and America at that time, the concept of "patriot" was synonymous with the concept of "revolutionary". The symbols of this revolutionary patriotism are the Declaration of Independence and the Marseillaise. With the advent of the concept of "nationalism", patriotism began to be opposed to nationalism, as commitment to the country (territory and state) - commitment to the human community (nation). However, often these concepts act as synonyms or close in meaning.

The Rejection of Patriotism by the Universalist Ethic

Patriotism and Christian Tradition

Early Christianity

The consistent universalism and cosmopolitanism of early Christianity, its preaching of a heavenly homeland as opposed to earthly fatherlands, and the notion of the Christian community as a special "people of God" undermined the very foundations of polis patriotism. Christianity denied any differences not only between the peoples of the empire, but also between the Romans and the "barbarians". The apostle Paul taught: “If you have risen with Christ, then seek the things above (…) putting on the new<человека>where there is no Greek, no Jew, no circumcision, no uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free, but Christ is everything and in everything "(Colossians 3:11). According to the apologetic "Epistle to Diognetus" attributed to Justin Martyr, “They (Christians) live in their own country, but as strangers (…). For them, every foreign country is a fatherland, and every fatherland is a foreign country. (...) They are on earth, but they are citizens of heaven " The French historian Ernest Renan formulated the position of the early Christians as follows: “The Church is the homeland of the Christian, as the synagogue is the homeland of the Jew; Christian and Jew live in every country as strangers. A Christian hardly recognizes a father or mother. He owes nothing to the empire (…) The Christian does not rejoice in the victories of the empire; he considers public disasters to be the fulfillment of prophecies dooming the world to destruction from barbarians and fire. .

Contemporary Christian Authors on Patriotism

Patriotism is undoubtedly relevant. This is the feeling that makes the people and every person responsible for the life of the country. Without patriotism there is no such responsibility. If I do not think about my people, then I have no home, no roots. Because the house is not only comfort, it is also the responsibility for the order in it, it is the responsibility for the children who live in this house. A person without patriotism, in fact, does not have his own country. And a "man of the world" is the same as a homeless person.

Recall the gospel parable of the prodigal son. The young man left home, and then returned, and his father forgave him, accepted him with love. Usually in this parable they pay attention to how the father acted when he received the prodigal son. But we must not forget that the son, having wandered around the world, returned to his home, because it is impossible for a person to live without his foundations and roots.

<…>It seems to me that the feeling of love for one's own people is as natural to a person as the feeling of love for God. It can be distorted. And humanity throughout its history has more than once distorted the feeling invested by God. But it is.

And here is another very important thing. The feeling of patriotism should in no case be confused with a feeling of hostility towards other peoples. Patriotism in this sense is consonant with Orthodoxy. One of the most important commandments of Christianity: do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you. Or, as it sounds in the Orthodox doctrine in the words of Seraphim of Sarov: save yourself, acquire a peaceful spirit, and thousands around you will be saved. The same patriotism. Do not destroy in others, but build in yourself. Then others will treat you with respect. I think that today this is the main task of patriots in our country: the creation of our own country.

Alexy II. Interview to the newspaper "Trud"

On the other hand, according to the Orthodox theologian hegumen Peter (Meshcherinov), love for the earthly homeland is not something that expresses the essence Christian doctrine and obligatory for a Christian. However, the church, at the same time, finding its historical existence on earth, is not an opponent of patriotism, as a healthy and natural feeling of love. At the same time, however, she “does not perceive any natural feeling as a moral given, for a person is a fallen being, and a feeling, even such as love, left to itself, does not leave the state of fall, but in a religious aspect leads to paganism.” Therefore, "patriotism has dignity from a Christian point of view and receives an ecclesiastical meaning if and only if love for the motherland is an active implementation of God's commandments in relation to it."

Contemporary Christian publicist Dmitry Talantsev considers patriotism an anti-Christian heresy. In his opinion, patriotism puts the motherland in the place of God, while " Christian worldview implies a fight against evil, upholding the truth completely regardless of where, in which country this evil occurs and a departure from the truth.

Contemporary criticism of patriotism

In modern times, Leo Tolstoy considered patriotism a feeling "rude, harmful, shameful and bad, and most importantly - immoral." He believed that patriotism inevitably gives rise to wars and serves as the main support for state oppression. Tolstoy believed that patriotism was deeply alien to the Russian people, as well as to the working representatives of other peoples: in all his life he had not heard from the representatives of the people any sincere expressions of a feeling of patriotism, but on the contrary, he heard many times expressions of disdain and contempt for patriotism.

Tell people that war is bad, they will laugh: who does not know this? Say that patriotism is bad, and most people will agree to this, but with a small caveat. Yes, bad patriotism is bad, but there is another patriotism, the one we hold on to. - But what is this good patriotism, no one explains. If good patriotism consists in not being aggressive, as many say, then after all, all patriotism, if it is not aggressive, is certainly restraining, that is, that people want to keep what was previously conquered, since there is no such country that It would not be founded by conquest, and what has been conquered cannot be retained by other means than by the same means by which something is conquered, that is, by violence, murder. If, however, patriotism is not even restraining, then it is the restorative patriotism of the conquered, oppressed peoples - Armenians, Poles, Czechs, Irish, etc. And this patriotism is perhaps the worst, because it is the most embittered and requires the greatest violence. They will say: "Patriotism has bound people into states and maintains the unity of states." But after all, people have already united in states, this thing has been accomplished; why now support the exclusive devotion of people to their state, when this devotion produces terrible disasters for all states and peoples. After all, the very patriotism that brought about the unification of people into states is now destroying these very states. After all, if there were only one patriotism: the patriotism of the English alone, then one could consider it unifying or beneficent, but when, as now, there is patriotism: American, English, German, French, Russian, all opposed to one another, then patriotism is no longer connects and separates.

L. Tolstoy. Patriotism or Peace?

One of Tolstoy's favorite expressions was the aphorism of Samuel Johnson: Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel. Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, in his April Theses, ideologically branded the "revolutionary defencists" as compromisers with the Provisional Government. University of Chicago professor Paul Gomberg compares patriotism with racism, in the sense that both involve moral duties and human ties, primarily with representatives of "their" community. Critics of patriotism also note the following paradox: if patriotism is a virtue, and during the war, soldiers of both parties are patriots, they are equally virtuous; but it is for virtue that they kill each other, although ethics forbids killing for virtue.

Ideas for the synthesis of patriotism and cosmopolitanism

Cosmopolitanism is usually considered the opposite of patriotism, as the ideology of world citizenship and "homeland-world", in which "attachment to one's people and fatherland seems to lose all interest from the point of view of universal ideas." . In particular, such opposition in the USSR during Stalin's time led to a struggle against "rootless cosmopolitans".

On the other hand, there are ideas of synthesis of cosmopolitanism and patriotism, in which the interests of the homeland and the world, one's people and humanity are understood as subordinate, as the interests of the part and the whole, with the unconditional priority of universal human interests. So, English writer and Christian thinker Clive Staples Lewis wrote: “patriotism is a good quality, much better than the selfishness inherent in an individualist, but universal brotherly love is higher than patriotism, and if they come into conflict with each other, then brotherly love should be preferred”. This approach is modern German philosopher M. Riedel already finds in Immanuel Kant. Contrary to the neo-Kantians, who focus on the universalist content of Kant's ethics and his idea of ​​creating a world republic and a universal legal and political order, M. Riedel believes that Kant's patriotism and cosmopolitanism are not opposed to each other, but mutually agreed, and Kant sees both in patriotism, so in cosmopolitanism manifestations of love. According to M. Riedel, Kant, in contrast to the universalist cosmopolitanism of the Enlightenment, emphasizes that a person, in accordance with the idea of ​​world citizenship, is involved in both the fatherland and the world, believing that a person, as a citizen of the world and the earth, is a true “cosmopolitan”, in order to “promote the good of everything of the world, should have an inclination to be attached to his country.” .

In pre-revolutionary Russia, this idea was defended by Vladimir Solovyov, arguing with the neo-Slavophile theory of self-sufficient "cultural-historical types". . In an article on cosmopolitanism in the ESBE, Solovyov argued: “just as love for the fatherland does not necessarily contradict attachment to closer social groups, for example, to one's family, so devotion to universal interests does not exclude patriotism. The question is only in the final or highest standard for evaluating this or that moral interest; and, no doubt, the decisive advantage here must belong to the good of the whole of mankind, as including the true good of each part.. On the other hand, Solovyov saw the prospects for patriotism as follows: Idolatry in relation to one’s own people, being associated with actual enmity towards strangers, is thereby doomed to inevitable death. (...) Everywhere, consciousness and life are preparing for the assimilation of a new, true idea of ​​patriotism, derived from the essence of the Christian principle: “by virtue of natural love and moral duties to his fatherland to consider its interest and dignity mainly in those higher blessings that do not divide, but unite people and peoples ” .

Notes

1. in Brockhaus and Efron contains words about P. as a moral virtue.
2. Survey example public opinion shows that the majority of respondents support patriotic slogans.
3. "Culture shock" of August 2, a discussion about Russian patriotism, Viktor Erofeev, Alexei Chadayev, Ksenia Larina. Radio "Echo of Moscow".
4. on the VTsIOM website.
5. An example of the interpretation of patriotism: “Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov:“ Patriotism is love for one’s country, and not hatred for someone else’s” - Interview with Archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church Dimitry Smirnov to Boris Klin, Izvestia newspaper, September 12. Among the theses of the interviewee: patriotism is not related to the attitude of a person to the policy of the state, patriotism cannot mean hatred for someone else, patriotism is cultivated with the help of religion, etc.
6. Information material of VTsIOM. 2006 opinion poll report on Russian patriotism. In this report, there is no common perception of society about patriotism and patriots.
7. An example of the interpretation of patriotism: The virus of betrayal, unsigned material, an article from a selection of the website of the far-right nationalist organization RNE. It contains the opinion that it is the duty of a true patriot to support anti-Zionist actions.
8. Georgy Kurbatov The evolution of the polis ideology, the spiritual and cultural life of the city. Archived from the original on November 19, 2012. Retrieved November 12, 2012.
9. See English. Wikipedia
10. http://ippk.edu.mhost.ru/content/view/159/34/
11. http://kropka.ru/refs/70/26424/1.html
12. Epistle to Diognetus: Justin Martyr
13. E. J. Renan. Marcus Aurelius and the end of the ancient world
14. Alexy II. Interview to the newspaper "Trud" / November 3, 2005
15. O. Peter (Meshcherinov). Life in the church. Reflections on patriotism.
16. D. Talantsev. Heresy of Patriotism / Treasure of Truth: Christian Magazine
17. http://az.lib.ru/t/tolstoj_lew_nikolaewich/text_0750-1.shtml
18. Paul Gomberg, "Patriotism is Like Racism," in Igor Primoratz, ed., Patriotism, Humanity Books, 2002, pp. 105-112. ISBN 1-57392-955-7.
19. Cosmopolitanism - Brockhaus and Efron Small Encyclopedic Dictionary
20. "cosmopolitans". Electronic Jewish Encyclopedia
21. Clive Staples Lewis. Just Christianity
22. http://www.politjournal.ru/index.php?action=Articles&dirid=67&tek=6746&issue=188
23. Universalism of human rights and patriotism (Kant's political testament) (Riedel M.)
24. Boris Mezhuev
25. [Patriotism]- an article from the Small Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron
26. // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.

see also