Preliminary communication
Preliminaries for the Analysis of Rousseau’s Understanding of the terms patria and nation
Zdenko Kodelja
; Educational Research Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Abstract
Rousseau understands the notion of patria as equivalent to the term ‘republic’, and patriotism as love for the country. This love is, according to Rousseau, a kind of political love, love towards common freedom, i.e. towards our freedom and the freedom of our fellow citizens. Hence, where there is no freedom, there is no homeland, there is only a land. Rousseau finds the foundation of homeland in relations between the state and its citizens as well as in the way of life in accordance with laws. Therefore, the love for the homeland is the love for freedom and laws. Nevertheless, for Rousseau, as Viroli warns, the love for the homeland is not only a political love, a love for freedom and laws, but also attachment to a certain way of life, to culture, customs, language, religion etc. Precisely in emphasising these attachments some critics see the way which led Rousseau – or could lead – from patriotism into nationalism.
Keywords
Jean-Jacques Rousseau; patria; nation; patriotism; nationalism
Hrčak ID:
132994
URI
Publication date:
26.11.2014.
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