Patriotism: essence, structure, functioning (socio-philosophical analysis). How patriotism is manifested

V recent times, which is very pleasing, more and more often it comes to patriotism. The authorities at all levels began to think about the revival of patriotism, since it is high time to close this "gap" in education. But attempts to patch it up with the help of financial stimulation will not take effect, since patriotism cannot be bought, it is brought up, formed over the course of many years. A certain part young generation, who is now 25-35 years old, does not even accept any calls to patriotism, and they are embarrassed to respond to them. They don't know what it is.

Who can be called a patriot?

So who is a patriot? Long years this concept was not mentioned, and in the 90s, calls to love the Motherland were even considered hackneyed and conservative. Cultural monuments were destroyed, joining the army was considered a stupid occupation, and it was normal to evade service.

A patriot can be considered one who, from childhood, was brought up on specific examples, for whom someone else's feat is not just words. Who is a patriot? The one who is really capable of imbuing with other people's problems, whose feelings of compassion and love are not conserved. You cannot just call a person a patriot and assume that he is one. To be such is not only to rush or give your life for loved ones. This is the upbringing of universal human qualities, the stay of an individual in a society that can be considered normal, with values, dignity and the ability to take care of others.

If these conditions are not created, then only personal ambitions, personal welfare and prosperity will always be priority for a person.

How are things at this time?

The situation changed dramatically, and the authorities finally realized that nothing was happening by itself. The responsibilities assigned to parents to educate full-fledged members of society were often not fulfilled. Sometimes it was problematic to feed your children, and even about wasting time on patriotic conversations, there was no question.

V this moment organized military sports clubs, search teams, which clearly demonstrate real work and assistance to the relatives of the victims. Cossack detachments are organized, the young patriot of Russia studies the origins of the Cossacks, and the basics of military affairs are taught in schools for teenagers.

Trying to instill the basics Orthodox culture, to designate high in collaboration with representatives of the church. The lessons of Orthodox education are being introduced.

Press and television about patriotism

The mass media enthusiastically pick up the theme of patriotism, more and more often you can find it on the pages printed publications specific examples of heroism, those who distinguished themselves are awarded certificates and incentive gifts, which is widely covered in newspapers and on television. The film industry is trying to convey to adolescents who a patriot is, films are made that are interesting to young people, it happens that when watching films on a military theme, values ​​change. The young patriot strives to become like heroes, he is worried about the problems in the country, which means there is a chance that he will want to solve them when he grows up.

Sport in the education of patriots

Full of strength, aspirations and ambitions. The task of society is to direct them, suggest, discern their abilities, and sport does an excellent job with this task. The sections not only allow their pupils to become strong and fast, but also are able to awaken this feeling in a teenager - patriotism.

When he stands on the podium, he involuntarily touches a single feeling of pride for the Motherland, for himself, for his club. Most athletes are true patriots of the fatherland, they perceive the anthem differently when it is played in honor of their well-deserved victory. No wonder many people have tears in their eyes, they are familiar with feelings such as dedication, hard work and the desire to be the best. They know by themselves what price they had to pay for this anxious and exciting moment of victory.

Education by example

If a guy from a neighboring house received a medal for rescuing in a fire, this is perceived brighter than the speech of strangers and important people on TV. Specific examples are always more effective, and it is necessary to arouse interest, the teenager will definitely discuss this with friends, want to imitate the hero, and will be able to overcome insecurity and fear in himself. He can always answer who a patriot is.

Speak the same language with the younger generation

The interests of today's youth are diverse, there are many sources of information. In this situation, it is worth paying attention to the fact that you can direct the curiosity of the children in the right direction, the young patriot will respond if there is an opportunity to find out his history and roots. This is no longer entertainment: with the help historical facts examples, it is easy to translate interests into a patriotic channel. You should not use the methods that were practiced by the pioneers and Komsomol members. Time is running go ahead, and modern youth requires a different attitude to themselves, you need to forget the old patterns, they can only complicate the process. Indifference to small homeland, honesty, responsiveness and compassion are the qualities of a patriot. It is necessary to point out that the state is not the one who rules at the moment. You and I are the country, Russia, and if you do nothing, there will never be a change.

Lies and idle talk are the main enemies true patriot, if we do not pay serious attention to this problem, then we will get a generation of cynics who care only about their own well-being. It is worth paying more attention to historical heritage, memory, culture, then there will be a return, who will defend the Motherland, stand on a pedestal and rule the country. If you are interested in the history of your kind, the place where you grew up, the chance increases that this desire for knowledge will grow into more, will affect the general history.

The changes that happened in last years, led to the fact that the worldview of people has changed, ideas about spirituality are breaking down, the process of forming new realities and values ​​lags significantly behind the debunking of old ones. And as a result - the loss of patriotism, which quite recently was an important part in the mind, it was he who was a factor in the formation Russian mentality... Studies have shown that she is confused, there is no clear position, ideals, hence the outright pessimism in the perception of real life.

If a Russian tells you that he does not love his Motherland, do not believe him, he is not Russian.

Yuri Seleznev. Dostoevsky

True patriotism, like true love, never shouts about himself.

Boris Akunin. Death's Mistress

Patriotism as a personality trait - the ability throughout one's life to be devoted only to one's fatherland, to one's people, to be ready for any sacrifices and exploits in the name of the interests of one's Motherland; attachment to the place of birth, place of residence.

Aut cum scuto, aut in scuto. With a shield or on a shield. In ancient Greece, little Sparta, a country of hardened patriots, was famous for patriotism, stern courage and military valor. There is a legend about a certain Spartan woman named Gorgo. Seeing her son off to the war, she handed him a shield, briefly saying in Spartan: "With him or on him!" This laconic (that is, "purely Spartan" - the Spartans were also called Lacons) parting words meant: either you will return victorious, with a shield, or let them bring you on a shield, as the Spartans carried their dead.

Patriotism is a wonderful personality trait that has no statute of limitations. By virtue of the circumstances, a person can live safely in another country for decades, but his heart is forever given to the Motherland. For her, he is sick and worried. He is unconditionally loyal to her in his soul.

A person does not wind up his patriotism. It's natural way goes from the inside. For example, there is the World Cup or Olympic Games, and he unconsciously, with surprise for himself, discovers that he is not rooting for the country where he lived for thirty years, but for his Motherland. After the collapse of the USSR, millions of Russians found themselves outside their homeland. You meet with them at the next stage of the biathlon world cup. Who do you think they root for? For Russia. I say: “You’ve been living outside Russia for twenty-three years. Why do you continue to root for her? Answer: - I don't know. Lawless Heart.

Patriotism is when the search for a more preferred homeland is forever completed. The heart has made a choice, cemented it in the soul and it cannot be dismantled anymore. A person is fully affirmed in his choice and now he is not gnawed by doubts, he is in a state of certainty. By delegating his trust to his fatherland and his people, a person shows loyalty to them and, often, puts their interests above his own.

Patriotism - it is like loyalty - once decided on the fatherland and on the basis of your choice, without any doubt, you show steadfastness and invariability to it in your feelings, relationships, in the performance of duties and duties.

At the same time, a person should be aware that he is a spiritual entity. Homeland of the soul - spiritual world... The soul is eternal. A person living in the material world identifies himself with the body and sometimes forgets that he is here on a short-term business trip. In this life he is Russian, and in the next, for example, he can become an American or an Afghan. All people are soul mates. In the ancient Vedic scriptures, patriotism is rather cool. It is foolish to show devotion to a temporary material place where you live for some 60-70 years. At the same time, you completely lose the awareness that you eternal soul that has gone through millions of transformations. In past lives, you could have been English, Jewish or Russian, but you don't remember that anymore. Maybe you just recently lived 100 years in Japan, but for some reason you don’t consider yourself a patriot of Japan. The person is surprised: - How is it in Japan? I have been living here in Russia for fifty years. In other words, there is an identification of one's soul with the body of a Russian, German, Greek, man, woman, artist, plumber.

Can such an identification, such patriotism be harmful? Leo Tolstoy wrote: “Patriotism is an immoral feeling because instead of recognizing oneself as the son of God, as Christianity teaches us, or at least free man guided by his own reason - every person, under the influence of patriotism, recognizes himself as a son of his fatherland, a slave to his government and commits acts contrary to his reason and his conscience. " George Bernard Shaw stated: "Patriotism: the belief that your country is better than others because you were born in it."

The patriotism generated by virtues makes a person exalted. Patriotism, provoked by vices, makes a bawler out of a person - a nationalist. It comes directly from pride. Identification of oneself with a certain nationality is, of course, necessary. For personal growth, for improvement and development, a person needs to have in the material world that which is very dear to him, to which he is strongly attached. A person wants relationship, love, care, responsibility and patronage. Patriotism is able to awaken selflessness in a person, sincere desire to serve others, devotion and loyalty to the fatherland. It promotes the development of spirituality, conscience and morality. Patriotism subordinates its interests to the interests of the Motherland and is ready to stand up for them better than guns and missiles. Even Napoleon noticed: "Love for the Motherland is the first dignity of a civilized person."

A decent person, being a patriot, shows his best lofty personality traits when it comes to the fate of the fatherland. This is altruism, heroism, and self-sacrifice. The patriotism of a wicked person can become, in the words of Samuel Johnson, "the last refuge of villains." Vicious patriotism is the epitome of expanded selfishness. There is one step from patriotism to nationalism.

Herbert Spencer wrote: “Patriotism in the national sense is the same as egoism in the individual sense; both, in essence, flow from the same source and bring homogeneous disasters. Respect for one's society is a reflection of respect for oneself. " Karl Schurz echoes him: "Whether she is right or not, this is my country: if she is right, I must help her stay right, if not right, help her become right." Our fighter Fedor Emelianenko says: “Motherland is like a mother. She must be loved already for the fact that she is. Our mothers sometimes get sick, and different things can happen in the country ”.

In a word, patriotism is a quality inherent in many people who are under the influence of the energy of passion. The overwhelming majority of such people in the material world. Therefore, patriotism must be treated with sympathy and seriousness. Its social color depends on whether its bearer is vicious or virtuous.

The main thing in patriotism is the irrational feeling of love, that is, unconditionality, causelessness and disinterestedness. I love my homeland without thinking about the reasons. Simply because it is as natural to me as to love my mother and father, as to breathe. It is worth here, perhaps, to cite in full the famous poem by Nikolai Rubtsov "My Quiet Motherland" and the poem by Frolov-Krymsky "We are Russians":

My quiet homeland!
Willows, river, nightingales ...
My mother is buried here
In my childhood years.

- Where is the churchyard? You did not see?
I myself cannot find it.
The residents answered quietly:
- It's on the other side.

The inhabitants answered quietly,
The wagon train drove quietly.
Dome of the church cloister
Overgrown with bright grass.

Tina is now a swamp
Where he loved to swim ...
My quiet homeland.
I haven't forgotten anything.

New fence in front of the school
The same green space.
Like a funny crow
I'll sit down on the fence again!

My wooden school! ..
The time will come to leave -
The river behind me is foggy
Will run and run.

With every hitch and cloud,
With thunder ready to fall
I feel the most burning
The most mortal bond.

*********************

One eccentric with a false sad face,

"Huddled" in the cabin of his "Porsche",

He said: “I am ashamed to be called Russian.

We are a nation of mediocre drunks. "

Solid appearance, demeanor -

Everything is cleverly thought out by the devil.

But the merciless degeneration virus

Ingloriously washed away all his insides.

His soul is not worth a half,

Like a yellow leaf from broken branches.

But the descendant of the Ethiopians Pushkin

I was not burdened by my Russianness.

They considered themselves Russians by right

Congratulations on Defender of the Fatherland Day!

On the eve of the holiday on February 23, Defender of the Fatherland Day, it's time to talk about patriotic education youth. What do the concepts of "patriot" and "patriotism" mean today, for example, for modern schoolchildren? The article contains the opinions of the guys themselves.

If for you such concepts as "patriot", "patriotism", "feeling of patriotism" are empty words or cause irony, irritation, etc., try to think about this unusual question: is it profitable to be a patriot in our time?
This question is especially appropriate to ask schoolchildren, among whom there are many cynics, in order to set them up to think about a difficult topic. And this can be done on the eve of the class hour or any other event dedicated to fostering a sense of patriotism.

Such questions can attract children to a serious and constructive discussion. At first glance, the question seems rather strange, but it is precisely as a result of this approach (as practice shows) that one can make even a cynic think and express his "deliberate" opinion on this matter.
It would be nice to arrange a competition for the best answer from the guys' point of view to this strange question. Let everyone share their opinion.

Questions "How is patriotism manifested?" and "Is it profitable to be a patriot in our time?" the students gave very interesting answers. After generalization and systematization, they look like this.

• Patriotism manifests itself in respect for your country, to her past, to the memory of her ancestors; in the interest in the history of their country, in the study of the experience of previous generations. And this leads to the elucidation of the causes of many events, which in turn gives knowledge. He who is armed with knowledge is protected from many failures and mistakes, does not waste time on correcting them, goes further and outruns those who "step on the same rake" in their development.
  Knowing your history, the experience of previous generations helps you navigate the world, calculate the consequences of your own actions, and feel confident. At all times, people have relied on the experience of their predecessors. Neither the present nor the future is possible without the historical past. According to many classics, "Forgetting the past, historical forgetfulness is fraught with spiritual emptiness for both an individual and all people." It is the understanding of the failures and mistakes of the historical past that leads to the achievements and merits of the present, helps to survive in difficult times. That's why being a patriot is beneficial.


• Patriotism is manifested in the ability value and cherish your homeland, the desire to change it for the better, to make it cleaner, kinder, more beautiful... Clean, repaired roads, for example, are more pleasant and comfortable to walk on. Shoes last longer, less likely to fall. It is also much more pleasant to deal with decent people, and not with boors and scoundrels. It is pleasant to enjoy the beauty of nature and human creations, which are not at all difficult to preserve.
  If a person learns to ennoble himself and the surrounding territory, life will become happier, psychological comfort will appear, which will allow him to spend more efficiently his mental strength, enjoy life and achieve a lot. That's why being a patriot is beneficial.
  True patriotism manifests itself in the ability to be a moral person who creates beauty and goodness around him.


• to be loyal and devoted to their country, their business, their family, their views and ideas, their dreams... A patriot does not shout at every corner about his passionate love for his homeland, he silently does his job well, remains true to his principles, ideals and universal values. Thus, he really helps not only his country, but also himself. A person who studied hard, gaining knowledge, and as a result received Good work, became socially active, built his own future, created a full-fledged family, works honestly, - did much more for his country than someone who walks with slogans, chants for patriotism and verbally defends the prestige of his country.
  People who have not developed a sense of patriotism have no future. They will destroy themselves, because they do not develop and do not have a strong "core". This is the law of life. Patriotism is needed for personal development, for survival. That's why being a patriot is beneficial.


• Patriotism is manifested in the ability be proud of your country, defend its values, first of all, freedom and independence, honor and preserve centuries-old traditions... Tradition is the mainstay of any nation. A person, people, country - one who renounces his traditions, his national values ​​and shrines, risks losing his “roots” in history, his freedom and independence, as sooner or later he will begin to live in the space of traditions, ideals and values ​​of other nations ... Where the cultural and historical past of the country is consigned to oblivion, the moral decay of the nation invariably begins.
  For a country to develop independently, it is necessary to protect and defend traditions, territory, culture, language, beliefs. This can be done by those who are competent builds its relationship with the country, in which he lives and for the good of which he works. Thus, the formation of a Citizen of their country takes place. A person is engaged in knowing himself and finding his place in the country, life. A person as a citizen of his country develops a sense of responsibility for his actions, for loyalty to ideals and the preservation of his own traditions and values. And this educates the personality, makes it more perfect. That's why being a patriot is beneficial.


• Patriotism is manifested in the ability test sublime feelings to their own country, to its nature, culture. These feelings are manifested in experiences, involvement, emotional responses to ongoing events. Patriotism as a feeling of love for the Motherland, the willingness to serve its ideals can be attributed to the highest feelings, ranked among spiritual values. The feeling of patriotism makes a person active, ready to defend the values ​​dear to his heart. The feeling of patriotism, like other bright feelings, is necessary condition development and formation of a person as a person. After all, the formation of feelings goes through the comprehension and development of certain values ​​of society, as well as through the creative discovery of new values ​​by a person. Spiritual development of the personality takes place. That's why being a patriot is beneficial.

And here is the opinion expressed in his work of authorship by the participant of our competition "I am a writer" Andrey Semin from Nizhny Novgorod, student of 10 "A" class of secondary school №45. Here is an excerpt from the author's "Patriotism".

Patriotism! A feeling that any self-respecting person should have. A sense of pride and empathy for your country, your country, together with your country. And it seems to me that what more people loves his homeland, is ready to give his life for her, to kill the enemy for the good of his homeland with a treacherous attack or a daring foray into its camp, the more a person receives spiritual strength, moral impressions, direct contact with the culture, history and heart of his homeland. It also seems to me that today a person not only can, but must, with all his means of soul and body, praise his Motherland. After all, it is she, the Motherland, that gives life. After all, it is she, the Motherland, that makes it possible to express herself.
You always need to be active, curious about the riches of the Russian holy land. You need to prove yourself as a citizen, as a patriot - it's not just important. It's necessary.
Russia. How much of this word. Rich history and great culture, bloody wars and revolutions and exploits of the Russian people. Many people have died with this great word on their lips. We live in a great land with a rich historical experience... And it is no coincidence that many poets and writers reflected on the fate of their homeland. And if I happened to see Nikolai Vasilyevich now, then I would answer his question "Russia, where are you rushing?" answered the following: "Into the distance where light and life tremble, and where only the mind speaks to the soul."

I'd like everyone to understand the following: “ Patriotism as a political, social and moral principle reflects the attitude of a person (citizen) to his country. This attitude is manifested in concern for the interests of their fatherland, in readiness for self-sacrifice for it, in loyalty and devotion to their country, in pride in its social and cultural achievements, in sympathy for the suffering of his people and condemnation social vices society, in respect for the historical past of their country and the traditions inherited from it, in the readiness to subordinate their interests to the interests of the country, in an effort to defend their country, their people. A patriot is one who conscientiously works for the good of his country and calls on those around him to do this, who helps his fellow citizens to improve. Not caring about others, you risk being left alone. "

Let's think about it and answer ourselves the following questions:

• Why in recent decades is the "degree" of patriotism greatly reduced? And he certainly influences all aspects of our life, including sports, which is well proven by the "successes" of our team in Vancouver.
• What are the similarities and differences between the concepts of "patriot" and "citizen"?
• What is the essence and how should the patriotism of a student be manifested?

• Do you agree with the thesis that to be a patriot is vital?
• Please answer the question in the comments: "To which of the two groups presented in our article

In St. Petersburg gymnasium No. 166, a survey was conducted among students in grades 5-9. Do high school students consider themselves patriots? It would seem that there can be only two answers: yes and no. However, more and more schoolchildren consider themselves to be patriots in part. What prevents them from answering unequivocally “yes” or saying a confident “no”? During conversations with schoolchildren, it became clear that the reason lies in the interpretation of the word "patriotism".

Ferocious patriotism

Many students confuse patriotism with fanaticism, believing that a patriot is a person who loves his country and at the same time necessarily hates other countries. The disciples answered: “I love my country. But since I respect other countries too, I can only call myself a patriot by half. " Where does such distorted patriotism come from in a child's mind? Recent events in Ukraine, covered by various media, have done their job. Ukrainian Bandera vividly showed how imperceptibly one concept can be substituted for another: to pass off hatred of Russia for love of one's country. The soul becomes calmer when suddenly you realize that the above category of schoolchildren cannot be considered at all lost generation... On the contrary, these guys intuitively feel that their attitude to the world cannot be built on hatred, rudeness and cruelty, that love is a creative, not destructive force. However, their understanding of patriotism still needs to be corrected.

Consumer patriotism

Concern is caused by those who would love Russia if the country were ideal

The concern is caused by those who, according to them, would love Russia if the country were ideal, and since it has flaws, they are only half patriots. The logic of these students is based on the consumer attitude. They cannot be called patriots even in part, since they aim only to take, without giving anything in return. A favorable circumstance for raising young consumers was the fact that for a whole decade our schools have not been included in the curriculum. labor education... Labor lessons have been safely replaced by economics and informatics. Working has become something shameful, not prestigious. Throwing a candy wrapper in the school corridor (there is a cleaning lady - she will sweep, she gets paid for this) has become the norm. Removing garbage (especially if this garbage is someone else's) will not occur to everyone.

Irresponsible patriotism

Some students are afraid to call themselves one hundred percent patriots, because they do not consider themselves worthy of this title. In their opinion, a patriot can only be one who not only considers himself to be such, but who commits deeds for the good of the Motherland. At first glance, such statements are commendable. However, what prevents these guys from doing good deeds? It turns out that when they talk about actions, children mean actions that are global, across the whole country. And since "I am still small" to be heroic, then do not judge strictly. Schoolchildren are cautious because they do not want to take responsibility. If you confidently recognize yourself as a patriot, then this may mean that every day, every minute you will have to correspond to this title. Help, not faint-hearted. Show mercy, not get angry. In a word, do not allow your soul to be lazy. Being a half patriot is more convenient and easier.

Patriotism sleeps

The logic is this: there is war - there is patriotism. But in war, love for the Motherland does not appear, but simply manifests itself

Many schoolchildren consider themselves not patriots, but only citizens of their country. Students with a similar mindset have a knowledge of patriotism. But for some reason they do not feel it in themselves. The feeling of patriotism, in their opinion, comes with age. He needs to be educated. But what about children who fought alongside adults during the Great Patriotic War?

“War makes children grow up earlier,” the students correct. - War is a special condition. When the sky is peaceful overhead, patriotism sleeps. " Often, both children and adults think that if they find themselves in some special conditions, they will immediately have something that they did not have before. There is war - there is patriotism. No war, no patriotism. But they do not think about the fact that in these exceptional conditions nothing appears, but simply manifests itself.

Let's go back to statistics. 53% of teenagers consider themselves patriots. The rest to the question: "Do you consider yourself a patriot?" - answered either "no" or "50/50".

Probably every person has heard such a word as "patriotism". However, not everyone is able to give a clear understanding of this definition. What is patriotism? To understand this, this article was written.

The very word "patriotism" has its roots in ancient greece... Translated from Greek this concept means "fatherland, compatriot." The explanatory dictionary of the Russian language defines patriotism as a moral and political principle, which consists in love for the Fatherland and the ability to subordinate one's own interests to its interests. Patriotism means pride in belonging to a particular state, pride in its achievements and the desire to increase and preserve these achievements throughout years... Turning to explanatory dictionary we can now understand where patriotism is manifested.

If you look deeper, then historical source patriotism is the existence of people fixed for centuries and millennia within the framework of individual states, which in itself formed a person's love and devotion to the very area where he grew up and lived. In the conditions of the formation of national states, patriotism becomes an integral part national identity and culture. When answering the question - what is the manifestation of patriotism, it is enough just to turn to the history of the Great Patriotic War where people massively sacrificed their lives for native land... It is these characters that are most often cited as an example when schoolchildren write an essay on what patriotism is.

Classification of types of patriotism

We have figured out what constitutes the phenomenon of patriotism. However, the very concept of "patriotism" also has its own classification. So what are the types of patriotism?

1. Polis patriotism is a phenomenon that was observed in the era of ancient states, and is a love for a certain city-state (polis).
2. Imperial patriotism - expressed loyalty to the empire, as well as to its government.
3. Ethnic patriotism is a phenomenon that is love for a particular people without any reference to a particular locality or state.
4. State patriotism. It represents a feeling of deep love and devotion to a particular state, country.
5. Leavened patriotism. It represents a very strong, hypertrophied feeling of love for the state and its population.

Criticism of patriotism

However, there is another opinion regarding patriotism. Leo Tolstoy considers patriotism in his writings as, in general, a destructive phenomenon. He said that love for your people and land is the true source of all the wars and suffering associated with them. He also added that patriotism as a phenomenon is deeply alien to the Russian people. Tolstoy explained this by the fact that he had never heard from the Russian people about a sincere and real manifestation of this feeling, but much more often he drew attention to the people's disregard for this feeling.

Summing up, I would like to note that there are many answers to the question of what patriotism means. However, all his definitions differ insignificantly from each other and, by and large, are reduced to describing the same phenomenon.