Patriotism
Patriotism is, as the term is used currently, love for or devotion to one's country. A patriot is someone who loves, supports, and is prepared to serve their country.
Etymology
Patriotism derives from Latin "patriota" (Greek: "patriotes") meaning fellow countrymen, in turn from "patria", meaning Fatherland, and from "patris", meaning father. The early usage of the term, and the terms it derives from, are examples of ethnic/racial groups loyalties often being compared to loyalties to relatives, which may be related to genetic similarities. See the article on Racial genetic interests.
- For most of history, love of fatherland or homeland was an attachment to the physical features of the land. But that notion changed in the eighteenth century, when the ideals of democracy, socialism, and communism strongly emerged into political thought. Patriotism was still a love of one's country that included connections to the land and people, but then also included its customs and traditions, pride in its history, and devotion to its welfare. Today most people agree that patriotism also involves service to their country, but many disagree on how to best perform such service. Some believe that the national government speaks for a country; therefore, all its citizens should actively support government policies and actions. Others argue that a true patriot speaks out when convinced that their country is following an unwise or unjust action.
Current usage
The current usage of the term does not necessarily imply support for ethnic/racial nationalism, as many countries are not ethnically/racially homogeneous. Instead, many multi-ethnic/racial countries try to increase support for some form of civic nationalism and associated patriotism. Even such patriotism is often criticized by globalists, cosmopolitans, supporters of multiculturalism, and so on.
Quotes
- "The future does not belong to globalists. The future belongs to patriots. The future belongs to sovereign and independent nations who protect their citizens, respect their neighbors, and honor the differences that make each country special and unique." – Donald Trump to the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, 25 September 2019[1]
