Democracy and patriotism in two emblematic moments for the regime (Classical Athens - French Enlightenment and French Revolution)
Abstract
This article explores the fundamental role of patriotism as a cohesive virtue within democratic systems, focusing on two pivotal historical eras: 5th-century Classical Athens and the French Revolution. The author argues that democracy, more than any other regime, relies on the active participation of citizens who view their homeland as a common point of reference and self-definition. By analyzing Pericles' Funeral Oration and Sophocles' Antigone, the study illustrates how the Athenian "demos" elevated love for the city-state (philopatria) to a supreme value, viewing the state's power as the only guarantee of individual freedom. This is then compared to the French Revolutionary period, where the philosophical influence of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the ideals of the Enlightenment redefined patriotism within the framework of the nation-state. The paper examines the symbolic weight of terms like "citizen" (citoyen) and the "holy love of the homeland" expressed in the Marseillaise, concluding that a vibrant democracy requires a community inspired by shared values and a deep, non-authoritarian sense of national identity.
Article Details
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Theodoulou, A. (2020). Democracy and patriotism in two emblematic moments for the regime (Classical Athens - French Enlightenment and French Revolution). Ηθική. Περιοδικό φιλοσοφίας, (12), 11–19. https://doi.org/10.12681/ethiki.22773
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- No. 12 (2019)
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- Articles
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