Is Patriotism a Force for Good or Evil in the World?

There is a magnificent force behind patriotism. This is a force that cannot be underestimated, because it has been used to manipulate people and manoeuvre them in different directions. It is an awesome and, at the same time, menacing force. Patriotism has always been regarded as a noble characteristic, a quality that is held in high esteem. Patriotism is tantamount to upholding the best interests of the country as the top priority and can mean anything from singing a national song with pride to dying for the country.

The force of patriotism in this world can be considered both good and evil. It motivates people who are by nature self--centred, to break out from their cocoon of self-interest and regard a higher interest - that of the country. If patriotism is effectively inculcated in people, it can be a good force to counteract and offset the self centredness in people which is growing more evident in the rise of greater materialism and individualism.

If patriotism demands outright sacrifice like fighting in a war, every individual would have to learn to make sacrifices. A young man with bursting ambitions for his life will have his dreams and plans shattered if a crisis befalls his country. He would have to pick up ammunition, enter the battlefield and fight for the country, for the sake of defending his home. His family would have to bid him farewell and pray fervently for his safe return. Death is absolutely possible. Such a sacrifice stems from love and pride for the nation. If patriotism correctly instills such commendable attitudes in people, it is undoubtedly a good force.

However, the force can become truly evil if it is exploited as it has been. When the force of patriotism is worked in this way, it may have adverse effects. Countries may demand too much of their citizens, in the name of patriotism. Some countries like Cambodia and Vietnam have found themselves in an inextricable situation. They have caused destitution, interminable calamity and inexorable suffering to their people by fighting one meaningless war after another. They have caused their country to be war-torn and the cause of fighting does not seem noble anymore, since the wars were so purposeless. These countries make use of patriotism to coerce the people to continue fighting, hurling them into one abyss after another, with no redeeming hope in sight. The soldiers of these countries would be so controlled and bounded by the ropes of patriotism that they have no alternative but to fight on, if their country so decrees. Even with the knowledge that the war would achieve no purpose, they would be obliged to carry on.

People can be brainwashed by their leaders and gradually, without realising it, they can lose their ability to think and act rationally by themselves. Such is the power of patriotism that it can possess a person and make him work under its invincible spell. A good example is the `Kamikaze' pilots of Japan during World War II. These young men were so steeped in patriotism that they willingly sacrificed their lives. This shows us that the force of patriotism is so strong that a person may lose his rational mind and become fanatical.

When the irascible Hitler ordered the extermination of the Jews, it shook the world. His order was carried out with precision and his soldiers cruelly executed the Jews. When they were performing such an act, they might have been blinded by patriotism and were not able to think of the extreme cruelty of such an act. In the name of patriotism, people are made to do things which amount to murder. Even if they know the inhumanity of such acts, they would be swept by the evil force of patriotism, and would feel obliged to go against their instinct of humanity for the sake of their country. Some soldiers become so immune to the death and destruction they have wrought that they become cold-blooded creatures, devoid of emotions and feelings. Countries can easily continue to create havoc and exploit the force of patriotism.

The pressure of putting the country before self is considered noble and nobody who shows a streak of patriotism should be viewed with suspicion. Countries in the world cannot do without patriotism for it is necessary for survival. However, if it is exploited and its power used to the extreme, the consequences and the effects it has on people can be immensely destructive.