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
The noblest motive is the public good.
—Virgil (70–19 BCE) Roman Poet
Patriotism is the religion of hell
—James Branch Cabell (1879–1958) American Author of Fantasy Fiction
Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism.
—George Washington (1732–99) American Head of State, Military Leader
Intellectually I know that America is no better than any other country; emotionally I know she is better than every other country.
—Sinclair Lewis (1885–1951) American Novelist, Short-Story Writer
Patriotism in its simplest, clearest and most indubitable signification is nothing else but a means of obtaining for the rulers their ambitions and covetous desires, and for the ruled the abdication of human dignity, reason, conscience, and a slavish enthrallment to those in power.
—Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) Russian Novelist
Patriotism is a pernicious, psychopathic form of idiocy.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
When a nation is filled with strife, then do patriots flourish.
—Laozi (fl.6th Century BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Without a sign, his sword the brave man draws, and asks no omen, but his country’s cause.
—Homer (751–651 BCE) Ancient Greek Poet
Patriotism is often an arbitrary veneration of real estate above principles.
—George Jean Nathan (1882–1958) American Critic, Editor, Writer
No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his body, to risk his well-being, to risk his life, in a great cause.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Historian, Political Leader, Explorer
Patriotism is fierce as a fever, pitiless as the grave, blind as a stone and as irrational as a headless hen.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
It is the patriotic duty of every man to lie for his country.
—Alfred Adler (1870–1937) Austrian Psychiatrist
True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else.
—Clarence Darrow (1857–1938) American Civil Liberties Lawyer
Patriotism is the willingness to kill and be killed for trivial reasons.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Millions for defence, out not one cent for tribute.
—Charles Cotesworth Pinckney (1746–1825) American Statesman, Soldier
The love of country produces good manners; and good manners, love of country.—The less we satisfy our individual passions, the more we leave to our general.
—Montesquieu (1689–1755) French Political Philosopher, Jurist
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
Patriots always talk of dying for their country and never of killing for their country.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
Patriotism ruins history.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first.
—Charles de Gaulle (1890–1970) French General, Statesman
Do not isolate thyself from the community and its interests.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
It may be true that you can’t fool all the people all the time, but you can fool enough of them to rule a large country.
—William C. Durant (1861–1947) American Industrialist
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 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
We talk a great deal about patriotism. 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 which will enable America to remain master of her power
—Adlai Stevenson (1900–65) American Diplomat, Politician, Orator
O my Brothers! love your Country. Our Country is our home, the home which God has given us, placing therein a numerous family which we love and are loved by, and with which we have a more intimate and quicker communion of feeling and thought than with others; a family which by its concentration upon a given spot, and by the homogeneous nature of its elements, is destined for a special kind of activity.
—Giuseppe Mazzini (1805–72) Italian Patriot, Political Leader
Patriotism is an ephemeral motive that scarcely ever outlasts the particular threat to society that aroused it.
—Denis Diderot (1713–84) French Philosopher, Writer
To me, it seems a dreadful indignity to have a soul controlled by geography.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
Patriotism. Combustible rubbish ready to the torch of any one ambitious to illuminate his name.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
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