Making PatriotsUniversity of Chicago Press, 15. sept 2002 - 164 pages Although Samuel Johnson once remarked that "patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels," over the course of the history of the United States we have seen our share of heroes: patriots who have willingly put their lives at risk for this country and, especially, its principles. And this is even more remarkable given that the United States is a country founded on the principles of equality and democracy that encourage individuality and autonomy far more readily than public spiritedness and self-sacrifice. Walter Berns's Making Patriots is a pithy and provocative essay on precisely this paradox. How is patriotism inculcated in a system that, some argue, is founded on self-interest? Expertly and intelligibly guiding the reader through the history and philosophy of patriotism in a republic, from the ancient Greeks through contemporary life, Berns considers the unique nature of patriotism in the United States and its precarious state. And he argues that while both public education and the influence of religion once helped to foster a public-minded citizenry, the very idea of patriotism is currently under attack. Berns finds the best answers to his questions in the thought and words of Abraham Lincoln, who understood perhaps better than anyone what the principles of democracy meant and what price adhering to them may exact. The graves at Arlington and Gettysburg and Omaha Beach in Normandy bear witness to the fact that self-interested individuals can become patriots, and Making Patriots is a compelling exploration of how this was done and how it might be again. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
1 Classical Patriotism Especially the Spartan | 10 |
2God before Country? | 23 |
3Commerce and Country | 47 |
4 Educating Young Patriots | 64 |
5 Lincoln Patriotisms Poet | 81 |
6 What Country Have I? | 104 |
7The Patriots Flag | 130 |
Epilogue | 145 |
147 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Alexander Stephens Alexis de Tocqueville Amendment American Anti-Federalists army Athenians Athens believe better Bible blacks chapter Christian church citizens citizenship civil claim commerce Confederate Congress Constitution Continental Congress course Declaration of Independence democracy Dred Scott especially example fact federal Federalist fighting fought Founders Frederick Douglass freedom Gettysburg Gettysburg Address Grant human Illinois institutions interests Jean-Jacques Rousseau John Johnson justice Kansas-Nebraska Act king knew land liberal democracy Lincoln lives Locke Locke's love of country Madison means Memorial ment military mind Montesquieu moral nation natural rights Negroes obey opinion patriots of seventy-six Pericles political president principles public schools recognize religion religious belief republic republican republican government revolution Rousseau slave slavery society soldiers South southern Sparta speak speech statute Supreme Court Thomas Jefferson tion Tocqueville unalienable Union United unlike Virginia virtue Washington Witherspoon words writes