Two Forms of Patriotism: Comparing Europe and America

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In the chapter Public Spirit in the United States, of Democracy in America, Tocqueville describes two kinds of “love of country”. One comes from the old Europe, especially the older European situation, which is hard to be found nowadays in Europe. The other one is from the early years of the new United States. Seemingly, they are the same—two sorts of patriotism—as they both contribute to the country. However, they are totally different due to the formation.
The first one found in the old Europe is a emotional one. It is based on the bond between the individual and the motherland. The people who have this kind of “love of country” are easy to comfort themselves in the circumstance, emotionally and subconsciously. With religion, the people tend …show more content…

To avoid the vacuum period when people “have escaped prejudice but not yet embraced the empire of reason.” having no sense of patriotism and retreating, people should be involved in the politicking and execute their political rights. The inhabitants in the United States mostly come from Europe. Comparing the lifestyle of the European and the people who have just come to the United State, the people find that they still have the need as the European, but their society are not completely established so that it cannot meet their needs. This patriotism is founded up during that time, is induced and promoted by the peculiar circumstance of the time of the U.S. Founding. A recent European arrival is at sea and not acquainted with everything, but as soon as he steps on the continent, he will immediately be occupied by drawing up a plan and doing some work he would never think about when he was in Europe. The new nation doesn’t have extra money to support the people who contribute nothing to the development of itself. The development requires hard work, which hence is emphasized a lot. Thus, the development of the nation is closely connected to people’s labor and the prosperity of the country is tightly related to people’s self-esteem. Thus, this kind of patriotism is more selfish and based more on self-actualization, just as what Tocqueville said “He therefore identifies the public fortune with his own, and he works for

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