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"What do I mean by patriotism ? My dictionaries’ primary definitions of ‘‘patriotism’’ are ‘‘love of and devotion to one’s country’’ and ‘‘devotion to the well-being or interests of one’s country’’ (Soukhanov et al. 1992 ; Brown et al. 1993). These definitions accurately capture current usage. However, older understandings of ‘‘patriot,’’ ‘‘patriotism’’ and even ‘‘country’’ were more flexible, allowing for patriotic connection and devotion to various particular localities and groups, at smaller scales than the nation-state (see entries in the unabridged Oxford English Dictionary). I find this older understanding of the term appealing, in recognizing the range of patriotic connections open to individuals, and the possibility of less abstract, more ‘‘grounded’’ forms of local patriotism.
Let me stipulate then that in what follows, by ‘‘patriotism’’ I will mean love, devotion, and a strong differential concern for one’s own locality, state, region, or country, shown both in thought and action. When I say ‘‘concern,’’ I mean concern for both the places themselves and the people who live within them. When I say ‘‘a differential concern,’’ I mean you care more about these places than you do about other places, or places in general ; and that you care more about these particular people than you do about other people, or people in general. And this concern is shown in substantial activity on their behalf." (p.186)
"Miller (1998) usefully distinguishes differential concern from differential valuation of people: ‘‘on the face of it, according equal value to different people’s lives does not entail equal concern for them’’ (p.207). Pace Gomberg (1990) and other critics, patriotism involves greater concern for compatriots, but not necessarily a belief in their superiority." (note 1 p.186)
"A patriot is particularly concerned to defend his own country and countrymen and women, however, broadly or narrowly he defines these, and to promote their well-being and interests. [...] A patriot might condemn the exploitation of poor laborers in third-world sweatshops, and sign a petition asking Nike to change. But she will care more about poor people in her own community and spend some of her own valuable time to improve their lives (work one evening a month in a soup kitchen ; testify before the city council in support of affordable housing). This differential attentiveness, concern, and action are what I take to be patriotism." (p.186)
"It is of course possible to help people locally or (less often, perhaps) work to protect local places, based on strongly held universalistic moral principles. So every instance of locally-focused altruism does not constitute patriotism, as I’ve defined it. On the other hand, it would be a mistake to define patriotism as action taken with no reference to such universal moral principles or ideals. People often appear to be motivated by particular loves and universal principles, in one and the same commendatory act." (note 2 p.186)
-Philip Cafaro, "Patriotism as an Environmental Virtue", J Agric Environ Ethics (2010) 23, 185–206.
