- 13 Feb 2004 17:10
#99922
It's a historically relative statement.
Patriotism brings about a love and loyalty for what a country stands for and represents, whether politically, culturally or whatever. Because the former Soviet Union was a Socialist country patriotism towards it was therefore of a progressive character. For instance, who would deny that love of the Soviet Socialist Motherland wasn't a good thing during the Great Patriotic War against fascist Germany and it's allies.
Patriotism can also be used as a progressive force in National Liberation struggles in the developing world against Imperialist neo-colony regimes. The most obvious contemporary example of this is the resistance forces in Iraq against the Anglo-American occupation forces.
However, within the context of imperialist countries, such Britain or America, patriotism is, at least in the political sense, reactionary.
Once Communism is acheived patriotism will ultimately become un-necessary/irrelevant.