Patriotism is the religion of hell
—James Branch Cabell (1879–1958) American Author of Fantasy Fiction
Patriotism: The first resort of a scoundrel.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Short-story Writer, Journalist
True patriotism hates injustice in its own land more than anywhere else.
—Clarence Darrow (1857–1938) American Civil Liberties Lawyer
How I wish that somewhere there existed an island for those who are wise and of goodwill! In such a place even I would be an ardent patriot.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955) German-born Physicist
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
He who revolts against the government commits as great a sin as if he revolted against God.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
To me, it seems a dreadful indignity to have a soul controlled by geography.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
The proper means of increasing the love we bear to our native country is to reside some time in a foreign one.
—William Shenstone (1714–63) British Poet, Landscape Gardener
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
The noblest motive is the public good.
—Virgil (70–19 BCE) Roman Poet
A tide began to surge beneath the calm surface of Stephen’s friendliness.
This race and this country and this life produced me, he said. I shall express myself as I am.
Try to be one of us, repeated Davin. In your heart you are an Irishman but your pride is too powerful.
My ancestors threw off their language and took another, Stephen said. They allowed a handful of foreigners to subject them. Do you fancy that I am going to pay in my own life and person debts they made? What for?
For our freedom, said Davin.
No honourable and sincere man, said Stephen, has given up to you his life and his youth and his affections from the days of Wolfe Tone to those of Parnell, but you sold him to the enemy or failed him in need or reviled him and left him for another. And you invite me to be one of you. I’d see you damned first.
They died for their ideals, Stevie, said Davin. Our day will come yet, believe me.
Stephen, following his own thought, was silent for an instant…
When the soul of a man is born in this country there are nets flung to hold it back from flight. You talk to me of nationality, language, religion. I shall try to fly by those nets … Ireland is the old sow that eats her farrow.
—James Joyce (1882–1941) Irish Novelist, Poet
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 ruins history.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
Patriotism varies, from a noble devotion to a moral lunacy
—William Motter Inge (1913–73) American Playwright, Novelist
Patriotism is collective responsibility.
—Arnold Glasow (1905–98) American Businessman
False is the idea of utility…
that would take fire from men because it burns,
and water because one may drown in it;
that has no remedy for evils, except the destruction of liberty.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Yet some can be patriotic who have no self-respect, and sacrifice the greater to the less. They love the soil which makes their graves, but have no sympathy with the spirit which may still animate their clay. Patriotism is a maggot in their heads.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
The age of virtuous politics is past, and we are deep in that of cold pretence.—Patriots are grown too shrewd to be sincere, and we too wise to trust them.
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
What is patriotism but the love of the good things we ate in our childhood?
—Lin Yutang (1895–1976) Chinese Author, Philologist
How much longer are we going to think it necessary to be “American” before (or in contradistinction to) being cultivated, being enlightened, being humane, and having the same intellectual discipline as other civilized countries?
—Edith Wharton (1862–1937) American Novelist, Short-story Writer
My country wrong or right, is like saying my mother, drunk or sober.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Breathes there the man with soul so dead, Who never to himself hath said, This is my own, my native land!
—Walter Scott (1771–1832) Scottish Novelist, Poet, Playwright, Lawyer
The things that the flag stands for were created by the experiences of a great people. Everything that it stands for was written by their lives. The flag is the embodiment not of sentiment, but of history.
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) American Head of State
When was public virtue to be found where private was not? Can he love the whole who loves no part? He be a nation’s friend, who is, in truth, the friend of no man there? Who slights the charities for whose dear sake, that country, if at all, must be beloved?
—William Cowper (1731–1800) English Anglican Poet, Hymn writer
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
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
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
I’ve seen a lot of patriots and they all died just like anybody else if it hurt bad enough and once they were dead their patriotism was only good for legends; it was bad for their prose and made them write bad poetry. If you are going to be a great patriot i.e. loyal to any existing order of government (not one who wishes to destroy the existing for something better) you want to be killed early if your life and works won’t stink.
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) American Author, Journalist, Short Story Writer
You’re not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or who says it.
—Malcolm X (1925–65) American Civil Rights Leader