Case study patriotism

There is now a lively philosophical debate about the moral credentials of patriotism that shows no signs of abating. A parallel discussion in political philosophy concerns the kind of patriotism that might provide an alternative to nationalism as the ethos of a stable, well-functioning polity.

In the first philosophical book-length study of the subject, Stephen Nathanson (1993, 34–35) defines patriotism as involving: Willingness to sacrifice to promote the country’s good There is little to cavil about here. There is no great difference between special affection and love, and Nathanson himself uses the terms interchangeably.

There is also a view of patriotic duty that, in contrast to the consequentialist account, does not dissolve, but rather highlight this relationship. That is the view of patriotism as an associative duty (see the entry on special obligations, section 4).

In the first philosophical book-length study of the subject, Stephen Nathanson (1993, 34–35) defines patriotism as involving: 1 Special affection for one’s own country 2 A sense of personal identification with the country 3 Special concern for the well-being of the country 4 Willingness to sacrifice to promote the country’s good