The Ethics of Force (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905. Excerpt: ... Ill THE ETHICS OF PATRIOTISM Men differ upon almost every conceivable subject. They are vehement in their contention, on the one hand, that this political party or that is actuated by high and holy motives, and, on the other, that it is bent upon the ruin and degradation of the country. Theological disputes are acrimonious in the extreme j and men wax valiant in fight over questions of grammar. There are men, though not many to avow it, who doubt the propriety and binding force of each one of the ten commandments. But throughout all our borders probably we should find hardly a man who would hesitate an instant to say that patriotism is a duty. If asked "What is patriotism?" the very babes and sucklings would answer, "It is the love of country." Those who are a little past the suckling period would doubtless add, "and devotion to its interests." I make no objection to the definition and do not know that I can give a better; but I desire to say that it is a pure abstraction. When we translate it into terms of action or feeling under concrete conditions, plenty of difficulties will arise. In what sense is it a duty to love one's country? It is the land of my birth, where I have always lived. My friends, my interests, my associations are all here. If I should go alone to a foreign land, for a short time, 38 whatever the desire or inducement, I should very likely be lonely and homesick. Every immigrant has doubtless had that feeling upon setting foot upon our shores, strongly as he might believe that his expatriation was to his advantage. Is this feeling patriotism? If so, is it American patriotism? There may be other reasons for loving my country. It is a good place for the manufacture of steel rails, or tin plate, or buttons, or twine; and the government, gr...