There can be no affinity nearer than our country.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
God has given you your country as cradle, and humanity as mother; you cannot rightly love your brethren of the cradle if you love not the common mother.
—Giuseppe Mazzini (1805–72) Italian Patriot, Political Leader
A real patriot is the fellow who gets a parking ticket and rejoices that the system works.
—Burton Hillis (William E. Vaughan) (1915–77) American Columnist, Author
My country wrong or right, is like saying my mother, drunk or sober.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Nationalism is our form of incest, is our idolatry, is our insanity. “Patriotism” is its cult. It should hardly be necessary to say, that by “patriotism” I mean that attitude which puts the own nation above humanity, above the principles of truth and justice; not the loving interest in one’s own nation, which is the concern with the nation’s spiritual as much as with its material welfare—never with its power over other nations. Just as love for one individual which excludes the love for others is not love, love for one’s country which is not part of one’s love for humanity is not love, but idolatrous worship.
—Erich Fromm (1900–80) German-American Psychoanalyst, Social Philosopher
It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.
—Baha’u’llah (1817–92) Founder of the Islamic Baha’i Movement
Never was patriot yet, but was a fool.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
Our democracy must be not only the envy of the world but the engine of our own renewal. There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.
—Bill Clinton (b.1946) American Head of State, Lawyer, Public Speaker
Those who work for the community shall work without selfishness, but with the pure intention to promote its welfare.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
It is the patriotic duty of every man to lie for his country.
—Alfred Adler (1870–1937) Austrian Psychiatrist
You convey too great a compliment when you say that I have earned the right to the presidential nomination. No man can establish such an obligation upon any part of the American people. My country owes me no debt. It gave me, as it gives every boy and girl, a chance. It gave me schooling, independence of action, opportunity for service and honor. In no other land could a boy from a country village, without inheritance or influential friends, look forward with unbounded hope. My whole life has taught me what America means. I am indebted to my country beyond any human power to repay.
—Herbert Hoover (1874–1964) 31st American President
He was inordinately proud of England and he abused her incessantly.
—H. G. Wells (1866–1946) English Novelist, Historian, Social Thinker
True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else.
—Clarence Darrow (1857–1938) American Civil Liberties Lawyer
The patriot’s boast, where’er we roam, his first, best country ever is at home
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
Patriotism is a kind of religion; it is the egg from which wars are hatched.
—Guy de Maupassant (1850-93) French Novelist, Short-story Writer
Do not aspire for public offices; but where there are no men, try thou to be a man.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Had I a dozen sons,—each in my love alike,—I had rather have eleven die nobly for their country, than one voluptuously surfeit out of action.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
What do we mean by patriotism in the context of our times? I venture to suggest that what we mean is a sense of national responsibility… a patriotism which is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.
—Adlai Stevenson (1900–65) American Diplomat, Politician, Orator
No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.
—Barbara Ehrenreich (b.1941) American Social Critic, Essayist
Pray for the welfare of the government, since if it were not for the awe which it inspires, men would swallow each other alive.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Patriotism is an ephemeral motive that scarcely ever outlasts the particular threat to society that aroused it.
—Denis Diderot (1713–84) French Philosopher, Writer
Whenever you hear a man speak of his love for his country, it is a sign that he expects to be paid for it.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
Colonies do not cease to be colonies because they are independent.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
I dislike loud-mouthed patriots who think they like our country more than I do. Some people’s idea of patriotism is hating other countries.
—Andy Rooney (b.1919) American Writer, Humorist, TV Personality
Patriotism is a menace to liberty.
—Emma Goldman (1869–1940) Lithuanian-American Anarchist, Feminist
A man’s feet must be planted in his country, but his eyes should survey the world.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility—I welcome it.
—John F. Kennedy (1917–63) American Head of State, Journalist
I think patriotism is like charity—it begins at home.
—Henry James (1843–1916) American-born British Novelist, Writer
I do love my country’s good with a respect more tender, more holy and profound than mine own life.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Breathes there a man with soul so dead that it does not glow at the thought of what the men of his blood have done and suffered to make his country what it is? There is room, plenty of room, for proper pride of land and birth. What I inveigh against is a cursed spirit of intolerance, conceived in distrust and bred in ignorance, that makes the mental attitude perennially antagonistic, even bitterly antagonistic, to everything foreign, that subordinates everywhere the race to the nation, forgetting the higher claims of human brotherhood.
—William Osler (1849–1919) Canadian Physician
Were it not for patriotism, sterile lands would be deserted.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
A man’s country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle; and patriotism is loyalty to that principle.
—George William Curtis (1824–92) American Essayist, Public Speaker, Editor, Author
Next to the love of God, the love of country is the best preventive of crime.
—George Borrow (1803–81) English Writer, Traveler
Patriotism is easy to understand in America; it means looking out for yourself by looking out for your country.
—Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933) American Head of State, Lawyer
There ought to be a system of manners in every nation which a well-formed mind would be disposed to relish. To make us love our country, our country ought to be lovely.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
Stirred up with high hopes of living to be brave men and worthy patriots, dear to God, and famous to all ages.
—John Milton (1608–74) English Poet, Civil Servant, Scholar, Debater
Some reformers may urge that in the ages distant future, patriotism, like the habit of monogamous marriage, will become a needless and obsolete virtue; but just at present the man who loves other countries as much as he does his own is quite as noxious a member of society as the man who loves other women as much as he loves his wife. Love of country is an elemental virtue, like love of home.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
It is a sweet and seemly thing to die for one’s country.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
What do the nationalists say about killers punishing murderers and thieves sentencing looters?
—Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) Lebanese-born American Philosopher, Poet, Painter, Theologian, Sculptor
Everyone loathes his own country and countrymen if he is any sort of artist.
—Lawrence Durrell (1912–90) British Biographer, Poet, Playwright, Novelist
Let our object be our country, our whole country, and nothing but our country. And, by the blessing of God, may that country itself become a vast and splendid monument, not of oppression and terror, but of wisdom, of peace, and of liberty, upon which the world may gaze with admiration forever.
—Daniel Webster (1782–1852) American Statesman, Lawyer
Love of country is like love of woman—he loves her best who seeks to bestow on her the highest good.
—Felix Adler (1851–1933) German-Born American Philosopher
Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism.
—George Washington (1732–99) American Head of State, Military Leader
Let America first praise mediocrity even, in her children, before she praises… the best excellence in the children of any other land.
—Herman Melville (1819–91) American Novelist, Short Story Writer, Essayist, Poet
Patriotism is usually stronger than class hatred, and always stronger than internationalism
—George Orwell (1903–50) English Novelist, Journalist
Patriotism: The first resort of a scoundrel.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
Do not isolate thyself from the community and its interests.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
When a nation is filled with strife, then do patriots flourish.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Shall we then judge a country by the majority, or by the minority? By the minority, surely. ‘Tis pedantry to estimate nations by the census, or by square miles of land, or other than by their importance to the mind of the time.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader