Greetings!

First of all I have to excuse myself if my english isn't perfect. My native language isn't english, so I hope you'll show some understanding due to this

Also, I posted this in the Human Science forum, but realised that it might fit better here, so I appologise for that!

I recently read about a study made by the University of Chicago where the point was to pinpoint which countries seemed to have the highest level of patriotism amongst it's nation members.
This got me thinking a bit. America is, as I would expect, up there in the top patriotic nations. But why is it that countries such as Sweden, Slovakia, Italy etc are down at the bottom of the list?
Why is it that it is accepted in some countries to be patriotic, and a lot less so in other countries? Do you find any reasons why this might be?

Also, do you beleive that patriotism has a place in the future? The world is getting more and more focused on building unions. It would seem that the downside of patriotism is that it creates a "we and them" kind of theme. Is it possible to have union patriotism? Also, how large can a unique group become before a feeling of group belonging dimnishes? It seems as if patriotism really is just one way of feeling as a part of a group (which is not a negative thing in itself), but that should mean that the group might not be able to continue if there is no uniqueness left in it? e.g, a world patriotism. Would that be possible?

Now, one more question. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of patriotism?

A lot of question embedded in this, but I hope to get some form of discussion going on this subject! It would be very interesting to hear your thoughts on this!

Thanks in advance!

Patriotism is to War what William Blake was to the Red Dragon.

I think patriotism is natural. You root for the home team, you make jokes about the hicks in the state to the south of yours, and you consider your country to be the greatest ever. In the US we are patriotic because we have not suffered any negative effects from being patriotic. In Europe, patriotism has a bad name due to the continent having been ripped apart by years of wars fueled by nationalism.

Patriotism is on the way out in many countries because of the diversification of their cultural base. Most of the immigrants in a country like England for example don't have a sense being tied to the land and the history of the english 'people'.

It was the same in the later Roman empire when it started losing its cultural center. People from the periphery of the empire eventually rose to positions of great power, but had no sense of being Roman in the traditional sense.

Well, that worked out really well for Rome, didn't it. Perhaps this means that the diversification of the cultural base is dangerous. If the members of a nation have no allegiance to it, no patriotism. Next thing you know the Vandals are sacking the city.

Diversity is dangerous. Any one group with a sufficiently independant identity will eventually want to either break from or dominate its neighbors. That isn't to say it isn't desireable to have differences, just that there must be some significant ties of kinship to the whole of the nation. Its all that can ever hold a country together besides the constant use of force.

Every man must be your brother or else you will eventually come to hold him as a stranger or an enemy.

America is, as I would expect, up there in the top patriotic nations. But why is it that countries such as Sweden, Slovakia, Italy etc are down at the bottom of the list?

I don't think such a difference really exists; at least I think there is more a difference in apperances than in feeling. Americans probably like to wave their flag and sing their anthem more than any other people, but if Italians don't do those things, it's not because they don't love their country, it's because they think such behaviours inappropriate.

If you really want to know how patriotic a nation is, watch it when it confronts other nations. Only during war, trade disputes, or international sports competitions do people really show the love they have for their country. In fact, I think Americans like to show off their patriotism more simply because they are always at war.

Why is it that it is accepted in some countries to be patriotic, and a lot less so in other countries? Do you find any reasons why this might be?

I think it's a matter of culture, of which behaviours are seen as civilized or rude.

Also, do you beleive that patriotism has a place in the future? The world is getting more and more focused on building unions.

Historical developments are difficult to understand as they happen, but I think our period in history, the last two or three centures, will go down in history as the "europeanization" of the world. People don't think much about it, but I find it really strange that people in places as far as China, Japan, India, are abandoning their traditions and turning to European values and customs.

If the world is really becoming European, then the future will be divided between two kinds of nations: those belonging to a trans-European union, and the barbarians. In other words, the future will likely look a lot like the past...

But why is it that countries such as Sweden, Slovakia, Italy etc are down at the bottom of the list?
Why is it that it is accepted in some countries to be patriotic, and a lot less so in other countries? Do you find any reasons why this might be?

1. education
In the US they teach you to be patriotic from a very young age systematically.

2. Biological perspective
I don't know about Sweden, but I saw a study in Finland on what is really important to the Fin. Mostly the answers revolve around having a secure 'family' or 'relationship' and having a 'cosy' home. That is what I would say is natural. Not what madanthonywayne said. He can't know what is natural because he never grew up in a system that didn't teach patriotic values ever since he was a toddler. From a biological perspective the 'nation' is a meaningless concept. It's entirely a cultural phenomenon. What is natural is the 'family' unit as the top tier and then the 'tribal' tier. Nations are only a recent invention. They haven't been around for that long. It is however easy to take the feeling of loyalty to the family unit and tribal unit and exptrapolate that to the nation. And moreover it is rather easy to abuse these instinctive feelings to control a population or gain power.
That said it isn't so that small nations aren't patriotic perse. Finland for instance love their country. They are certainly proud of their country. You won't hear them sing the national anthem at school though or hear them state a pledge of alligance to the nation. The patriotism isn't tought on an institutional scale. And although the nation is important, the family unit is much more important (I speculate)

Why is sweden not patriotic? It used to be one of the great powers. Just like Holland for instance. They were on the top. They have a rich history. Maybe they learned from the history? Nations come and go. Power comes and goes.

In short. I don't know. Do you have a link to the study? I would like to have a look at it.

Historical developments are difficult to understand as they happen, but I think our period in history, the last two or three centures, will go down in history as the "europeanization" of the world. People don't think much about it, but I find it really strange that people in places as far as China, Japan, India, are abandoning their traditions and turning to European values and customs.
Its working the other way as well. Much of modern architecture is derived from Japanese models through people like Frank Lloyd Wright. Asian and middle eastern cuisine is no longer 'exotic', and eastern forms of spirituality are now very popular in the west.