Any patriotism implies material wealth. Philosophy of the material and spiritual foundations of patriotism and their temporary transformation. The Rejection of Patriotism by the Universalist Ethic

Background: The beginnings of patriotism that arose in primitive society were based both on a material basis, which was collective property, and on a spiritual basis - a sense of blood connection between all members of a clan or tribe. The emergence of the state as a political organization that ensures the vital activity of society through the enrichment of its enterprising part, led to the rejection of the majority from objects of property and, in general, predetermined the emphasis only on the spiritual principles of patriotism. Therefore, the problem of the material and spiritual foundations of patriotism becomes very relevant. Results: The historically established definition of patriotism and consideration of its foundations over time showed that patriotism is based both on a material and spiritual basis. With the decay of primitive society and the emergence of property inequality, the material basis of patriotism - property - underwent modification, and its spiritual basis - a sense of natural attachment to one's native land, native language, etc.

Background: The beginnings of patriotism that arose in primitive society were based both on a material basis, which was collective property, and on a spiritual basis - a sense of blood connection between all members of a clan or tribe. The emergence of the state as a political organization that ensures the vital activity of society through the enrichment of its enterprising part, led to the rejection of the majority from objects of property and, in general, predetermined the emphasis only on the spiritual principles of patriotism. Therefore, the problem of the material and spiritual foundations of patriotism becomes very relevant. Results: The historically established definition of patriotism and consideration of its foundations over time showed that patriotism is based both on a material and spiritual basis. With the decomposition of primitive society and the emergence of property inequality, the material basis of patriotism - property - underwent modification, and its spiritual basis - a feeling of natural attachment to the native land, native language, etc., was combined with an awareness of civic obligations in relation to the more complicated society. This led to the fact that the material principles of patriotism gave way to spiritual ones. Since the material basis of patriotism is inextricably linked with the prevailing ideas about property and completely determines its spiritual component, the introduction of public property on the basis of forms of ownership within the framework of the current legislation makes it possible to consider it as a material foundations of patriotism. The condition that, within the framework of public property, every citizen is a co-owner of the entire wealth of the country without allocating its share, allows us to equate the concepts of “homeland”, “fatherland” with a new “special organization” of society that ensures the interests of both society and its enterprising part. Field of application of the results : The results obtained establish the possibility of joint use of objects of public property by all members of society without allocating a share of each in it to ensure their livelihoods, and it is on this basis that they form the spiritual principles of patriotism, which makes it possible to equate the concepts of "motherland", "fatherland" with a new "special organization" society, which ensures the interests of both society and its enterprising part. Conclusions: The material basis of patriotism is public property, on the basis of which the efforts of society directly ensure its vital activity, and the spiritual component determined by it is inextricably linked with pride in the achievements and culture of one’s country, the desire preserve its character and cultural characteristics, the desire to protect the interests of the motherland and its people.

Patriotism (from Greek patriotes - compatriot, from patris - motherland, fatherland), love for the motherland, one's people, the desire to serve their interests by one's actions, to protect them from enemies. Patriotism is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. IN explanatory dictionary IN AND. Dahl patriotism is interpreted as "love for the motherland." According to him, a patriot is "a lover of the fatherland, a zealot for its good, a one-man". Patriot in Greek "patriots" means "countryman, compatriot", from the French "patriote" - "son of the fatherland". The very concepts of "homeland" and "fatherland" were borrowed from the Latin language and entered the French vocabulary in the 16th century. The concept of "Fatherland" in V.I. Dahl “native land where a person grew up; root, the land of peoples, to which a person belongs by birth, language and faith. At S.I. Ozhegov "Fatherland - the country where he was born this person and to whose citizens he belongs.

In the most general form, the essence of patriotism can be expressed in the following key capacious, simple and interrelated formulations. Patriotism is love, sublime and devoted to one's Fatherland. Patriotism is the inalienability of one's Fatherland, the inseparability, first of all, of a spiritual connection with it. Patriotism is an active, up to self-sacrifice, service to the Fatherland, the highest manifestation of which is its defense against enemies with weapons in hand.

Being one of the most significant values ​​of society, patriotism integrates social, political, spiritual, moral, cultural, historical and other components in its content. Manifested primarily as an emotionally exalted attitude towards the Fatherland, as one of the highest feelings of a person, patriotism acts as an important component of the spiritual wealth of the individual, characterizes the high level of its socialization.

True patriotism is always the unity of spirituality, citizenship and social activity of a person, is an effective motivating force and is realized in the activities of the individual for the benefit of the Fatherland.

The historical ground for the formation and development of patriotism is the existence of separate fatherlands, within which relatively closed territorial communities of people with a peculiar system of values, a certain way of life, and special interests are formed. The first elements of patriotism arose in ancient times in the form of a person's attachment to his natural environment. The surviving echo of this is the emotionally elevated attitude, characteristic of most people, towards the so-called fatherland, the small homeland - the place where the formation of a person as a person took place. At the same time, a commitment to the conditions and characteristics of life that determines the sociocultural environment of the Fatherland is being formed. As a rule, the formation of patriotic consciousness and feelings is greatly influenced by ethnic (tribal, later national) community and religious denomination. Their historical experience and traditions, as well as the nature and state of interethnic and interfaith relations, influence the content and forms of manifestation of patriotism. With the formation of the state, patriotism is inextricably linked with it. Responsible attitude to the state and state power, in general to the political environment becomes an integral and important part of patriotism, which thereby acquires the character of a political frame of mind. Depending on the specific historical situation in society, patriotism can have a different focus - from unconditional support for the existing political regime to absolute rejection of it. The modern definition of patriotism is based on its general interpretation in the Concept of Patriotic Education of Citizens Russian Federation and contains interpretation at the personal and macro level (the level of public consciousness).

On personal level patriotism acts as the most important, stable, integrative characteristic of a person, in which three features should be singled out in an accentuated form.

Firstly, according to its main essential manifestation, patriotism is love for the Motherland, loyalty to one's Fatherland. This is originally a social feeling - a sense of community, unity, solidarity with relatives and friends, a sense of belonging to their fate. As a primary holistic emotion, love for the motherland is the source and underlies the complex of experiences, views and ideas.

Patriotism as a social feeling has an individual-personal, deeply intimate character. As a significant, dear and sacred feeling, patriotism is filled with subjective meanings at the level of the unconscious and conscious and occupies a leading place in the human value hierarchy.

Patriotism is deeply rooted in human freedom. Love for the motherland is always a matter of free self-determination of the individual human personality. You either have it or you don't: you can't force someone or something. Love arises and develops, appears or disappears spontaneously, not under duress and not intentionally.

In normal life and historical situations, patriotism is a single emotional-volitional complex.

It is love for the motherland that awakens the will to rally, unite all who love the motherland, for the sake of active, active, and in certain situations, sacrificial service.

Secondly, patriotism, in addition to its social and sensory manifestation, finds expression in other personal characteristics that reflect the patriotic (patriotic-ideological) orientation (that is, dependence on the interests of the Motherland) of the worldview, attitudes, behavior and activities of a person: respect for the past of one's Motherland, for traditions and the customs of their people, knowledge of the history of the Motherland; (respect for other peoples, their customs and culture, intolerance to racial and national hostility); striving to strengthen the power of the Motherland, readiness to defend the Motherland, promoting the progressive development of the Fatherland with a combination of personal and public interests.

Third, patriotism at the personal level indirectly, through integrative connections with other qualities formed by other (except patriotic) types of education, characterizes the general upbringing of a person, expressed in a holistic worldview, spirituality, moral ideals, and norms of behavior of the individual. It acts as a social and moral imperative that characterizes value attitude a person to the Motherland and Fatherland and encouraging him to patriotically directed activity.

On macro level patriotism is a significant part of public consciousness, manifested in collective moods, feelings, assessments in relation to their people, their way of life, history, culture, state, system of fundamental values. As an element of public consciousness, patriotism characterizes not only the most important facet of the life of society, but also a prerequisite for its sustainable development. Patriotism acts as an important internal mobilizing resource for the development of society.

Underestimation of patriotism as the most important component of public consciousness leads to a weakening of the socio-economic, spiritual and cultural foundations for the development of society and the state.

Including the totality of patriotic feelings, ideas, beliefs, traditions and customs, patriotism is one of the most significant, enduring values ​​of society that affects all spheres of its life. As the most important spiritual asset of the individual, it characterizes her civic maturity and manifests itself in her active activity self-realization for the benefit of the Fatherland. Patriotism personifies love for one's Fatherland, inseparability from its history, culture, achievements, problems, attractive to a person due to his involvement in them.

Patriotism acts as one of the factors in the development of society, the attributes of its viability. As a rule, it serves to unite various social, national, religious and other groups of compatriots, which is especially clearly manifested when external challenges or threats arise. At the same time, if there are deep contradictions in society, a different understanding of patriotism, a different attitude to the existing social or political environment can split society when its individual parts, pursuing their own interests, come into conflict with each other. At the same time, they can be guided by both socially significant (strengthening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, its democratic reorganization) and negative (separatist desire to separate from their state, etc.) motives.

The main structural components of patriotism as a phenomenon of social life are: patriotic consciousness, patriotic attitude and patriotic activity.

Patriotic consciousness- this is a reflection by the subject of the significance of his Fatherland and readiness to take the necessary actions to protect his national interests. It is a determinant of patriotic behavior, as well as a moral regulator of the interaction of the subject with the object of his patriotic activity.

Patriotic relations arise in the process of social practice as a real connection between the subject and the object of their actions, as a kind of "channel" for the transformation of all types of influence on the object of patriotism. Patriotic relations are a prerequisite for the materialization of patriotic consciousness and the implementation of patriotic activities.

Patriotic activity- this is a way of embodying patriotic consciousness and realizing all types of influences of the subject on the object of patriotism, a set of actions aimed at realizing patriotic goals. This activity is the material basis of patriotism, its real felt and visible side. It is based on the unity of the rational, emotional and volitional components of patriotic actions. These actions can be considered patriotic if they are aimed at serving the Fatherland, if they express the social and moral responsibility of the individual for the fate of his country.

Patriotism acts in the unity of spirituality, citizenship and social activity of the individual, any other subject of the state, who is aware of his close connection with the Fatherland. The social role and significance of these subjects are manifested in activities that correspond to the interests of the Fatherland. Further development of this activity is carried out through the interested participation of the individual in the processes taking place in society in the interests of the revival of Russia, providing its citizens with the necessary socio-economic, legal, cultural and political conditions for their full self-realization.

fatherland, fatherland, motherland - native country for a person, social or national community of people, belonging to which they perceive as a necessary condition for their well-being; the territory historically belonging to the given people.

Representing the natural, social, political and cultural environment of people, the Fatherland unites them into a single community, at the same time separating them from other fatherlands. This commonality is characterized by a number of lingering over a long period of historical development signs: the territory belonging to it, ethnic composition, language and national characteristics of culture, etc. Importance each of these communities has the statehood of its Fatherland, which is realized in various ways: the peoples of the former colonial countries asserted the right to the sovereignty of their Fatherlands in a long national liberation struggle; some peoples (for example, the Kurds in Western Asia) are fighting for the formation of their own Fatherland in the historical territory of their residence, which is part of several countries; many peoples are united in historically established or voluntarily created common state-sovereign homelands within the framework of a unitary state, federation or on the basis of national-cultural autonomy, etc. the interests of their peoples, advocating the destruction of the common Fatherland, providing these peoples with favorable conditions for economic and social development.

Fatherland is a historical phenomenon. It replaces the idea of ​​a tribe and is formed by the efforts of many generations in most cases of various ethnic groups that closely interact with each other. The nature and socio-cultural features of the Fatherland, reflecting the level of social development of the people (political regime, economic relations, social structure, spiritual values, lifestyle, morality, everyday life, etc.) change over time. The process of globalization of economic and social life has a contradictory effect on the Fatherland. On the one hand, under its influence, the role of the Fatherland in distinguishing and separating peoples is weakening, on the other hand, this intensifies their efforts aimed at preserving and strengthening their own identity.

Consciousness and a sense of homeland are not inherited genetically. They are formed by the whole way of human life. Originating from attachment to native places and people, the feeling of love for the motherland grows to an understanding of one's connection with the country, to a conscious struggle against the oppressors and enslavers of the Fatherland. An emotionally exalted attitude towards the Fatherland, the perception of it as one of the highest socially significant values ​​of public and individual consciousness is reflected and consolidated in patriotism. It binds compatriots, people of different social status and different nationalities with bonds of common solidarity, common readiness to serve the interests of the Fatherland, a moral duty and the duty to defend the Fatherland. The real manifestation of patriotism acts as the realization of one of its highest values, which is the Fatherland.

The true value of the Fatherland is especially fully manifested in the most difficult and difficult periods in the life of society, when there are real threats to its existence. Appeal to patriotism as the highest value, which does not lose its significance under the most unfavorable changes, is able to mobilize society to overcome trials and difficulties. In the political practice of many prominent statesmen of all times and peoples, there are many characteristic examples of turning to the Fatherland in order to achieve the most complex goals, tasks, the solution of which assumed the rallying and unification of the nation as the most important condition. The threat of foreign enslavement, the death of people and the destruction of material and cultural values ​​created in the process of many years of hard work, the appeal to sacred feelings for every person have repeatedly been a means of mobilizing the most diverse sections of Russian society throughout its centuries-old heroic and long-suffering history. In critical epochs, when there is a reassessment of values, the social position and guidelines, the interests of all strata and groups change, the Fatherland becomes the pivot around which the best sections of society unite. It is he who fills the life and activities of people with meaning, helps them unite in the name of serving society and the state.

Federal Agency for Education

State educational institution

higher vocational education

NIZHNY NOVGOROD STATE LINGUISTIC UNIVERSITY IM. ON THE. DOBROLUBOV

Department of Philosophy, Sociology and Theory of Social Communication

By philosophy

Patriotism: Essence, Structure, Functioning (Socio-Philosophical Analysis)

COMPLETED:

Tikhanovich K.V.

group 202team FAYA

CHECKED:

professor of the department

philosophy, sociology

and theory of social

communications

Dorozhkin A.M.

Nizhny Novgorod

Introduction

Chapter 1. Patriotism as a subject scientific analysis

1.1 Definition of "patriotism"

1.2 Motherland and Fatherland: sensual and rational in the mind of a patriot

1.3 The structure of patriotism

Chapter 2. Patriotism as a spiritual phenomenon of modern society

1 Functions of patriotism

2 Types of patriotism

Conclusion

List of used literature

Introduction

The problem of patriotism is one of the most urgent in the field of spiritual and moral life of modern society. It was considered in the works of representatives of world and domestic philosophy - Plato, Hegel, M. Lomonosov, P. Chaadaev, F. Tyutchev, N. Chernyshevsky, V. Lenin and others. A significant contribution to the study of this problem was made by researchers of the Soviet period of our science. N. Gubanov, V. Makarov, Yu. Deryugin, T. Belyaev, Yu. Petrosyan, G. Kochkalda conducted research on the nature of patriotism, the ratio of everyday and theoretical levels in it, and the relationship with various forms of social consciousness.

In the post-Soviet period, the consciousness of the majority of Russians was not able to adequately perceive the socio-economic, spiritual and political changes that had taken place in our country; the spiritual principles on which they grew up were not conducive to adaptation to new conditions. At the same time, interest in patriotic issues did not weaken: the attitude towards patriotism in different social groups ranged from complete rejection to unconditional support. Despite the fact that attention was paid to the preservation of everything valuable that Russian patriotism possessed, over the past decades, the concept motherland,traditionally significant for Russians, has lost its essential content.

Today Russia is rapidly being drawn into the process of globalization. The influence of this phenomenon extends to all spheres of the spiritual life of society, including patriotism. Preference is given to "universal values", behind which are often the interests of specific states and social strata, which not only do not take into account the interests of other countries, peoples and social groups, but often run counter to them. The process of globalization is objective, but it must be carried out taking into account the interests of all participants in international relations. Moreover, only with a harmonious combination of interests and values ​​of all subjects of the world community will humanity be able to solve the complex tasks facing it. And genuine patriotism in this process is called upon to play the most active and constructive role.

In addition, nationalist and racist movements have become widespread in modern Russia. Most of them widely use patriotic terminology and thus attract an immature part of the citizens into their ranks. Nationalism is becoming the ideology not only of marginal groups, but also of the leadership of a number of Russian regions. Under these conditions, the problem of clarifying the general and the special in ideological directions, national self-identification in accordance with the state understanding of patriotism is becoming more and more acute.

So, significant changes in the public life of the post-Soviet period, the process of globalization, the activation of separatist and nationalist movements affect the essential characteristics of the phenomenon of patriotism as a philosophical concept and as a spiritual component of modern society, thereby determining relevance abstract topics.

As objectwork advocates patriotism.

Subjectis the content of patriotism as a socio-philosophical concept.

Targetthis essay - to conduct a socio-philosophical analysis of patriotism.

In accordance with the goal tasksabstract are:

analyze the concept of "patriotism";

study the structure of patriotism;

identify the features of the functioning of patriotism;

characterize the types of patriotism depending on the carriers.

Chapter 1. Patriotism as a subject of scientific analysis

.1 Definition of patriotism

The term "patriot" became widespread only in the 18th century, especially during the French Revolution. Nevertheless, the ideas of patriotism already occupied the thinkers of antiquity, who paid close attention to them. In particular, even Plato said: “Both in war, and in court, and everywhere, you must do what the Fatherland commands.”

In our country, the theme of love for the Motherland has always been topical. The term "patriot" was also used in Russia in the 18th century. P.P. Shafirov, in his work on the Northern War, uses it with the meaning "son of the Fatherland". He called himself a patriot in the same sense, "the chick of Petrov's nest" F.I. Soymonov. A.V. Suvorov used the term "patriot" in the same sense. They wrote about patriotism, argued and tried to understand this phenomenon N.M. Karamzin, A.S. Pushkin, V.G. Belinsky, A.S. Khomyakov, N.A. Dobrolyubov, F.M. Dostoevsky, V.S. Solovyov, G.V. Plekhanov, N.A. Berdyaev.

Modern understanding patriotism is given in the "Philosophical Encyclopedia": "Patriotism -(from Greek - compatriot, fatherland) - love for the fatherland, devotion to him, the desire to serve his interests with his actions. Almost the same defines this phenomenon "Philosophical encyclopedic Dictionary».

The main parameter of patriotism is the feeling love forhis Fatherland (Motherland),manifested in activities,aimed at realizing this feeling.

Most often, the feeling of love in philosophical understanding is defined as the acceptance of something as it is, the experience of its absolute value. The appearance of this feeling does not require any external causes. This feeling is not pragmatic, but it cannot be perceived as a “pure” emotion either. Love is a certain level of holistic perception of both the inner and outer being of a person.

Secondthe form of love finds its manifestation in the egoism of those members of society who put their personal, often overly mercantile interests at the head of the system of relations between the individual, society and the state. Unfortunately, the principle: "Let the Motherland give me something first, and only then we'll see if I should love her" is very common today.

Love for the Motherland in a certain way encroaches on the freedom of the individual. Patriotism presupposes greater concern for the welfare of one's country and one's people than for one's own; it requires labor, patience, and even self-sacrifice. Figuratively speaking, patriotism is a statement the existence of their Fatherland. On the other hand, the feeling of love combines the real perception of its object. A patriot is not obliged to love the shortcomings of his homeland. On the contrary, he must eradicate them by all means available to him. This must be done without criticism and hysteria, which, unfortunately, are often observed in Russian society today. Love for the Motherland is the desire to accept it as it is and try to help it become even better.

Therefore, it seems possible to state the presence of three main components of a feeling of love for the Motherland. The first one is defined as care,understood as contributing to the successful development of their Fatherland with all the means at the disposal of the patriot. The second component is responsibility,which means the ability of a patriot to correctly respond to the needs of his homeland, feel them as his own and, thereby, correctly coordinate public and personal interests. The third is respect,which is perceived as the ability to see one's Fatherland as it really is, with all the advantages and disadvantages.

1.2 Motherland and Fatherland: sensual and rational in the mind of a patriot

The feeling of love implies the presence of the object to which it is directed. It is clear that in this case, such an object is the Motherland (Fatherland).

Quite often the concepts motherlandAnd Fatherlandconsidered as a synonymous pair, but in socio-philosophical terms, there are quite significant differences between them.

Homeland, as a rule, is understood as a sensually perceived immediate environment or as a place of birth, that is, this concept is characterized by local ethnic characteristics. Presumably, the Motherland as an object is characteristic of the ordinary psychological level of patriotic consciousness. Apparently, it is precisely this that determines the fact that in the minds of many people the concept of the Motherland is, as it were, bifurcated. There is a phenomenon in the patriotic consciousness "small homeland"representing the local place of birth and especially the upbringing of the individual, as well as the perception "big motherland"understood as the territory of the ethnic and cultural prevalence of the social group with which the person identifies himself.

When analyzing the phenomenon of the Fatherland, the emphasis is on socio-political characteristics. As a rule, the concept of "Fatherland" correlates with the concept of the state in the broadest sense of the word. Moreover, many citizens perceive these concepts as identical. It is precisely from this that the nature of making claims about the deterioration of economic and social conditions of life stems not from specific ruling circles, but to the Fatherland as a whole. The socio-political content of this concept is also evidenced by the fact that in Soviet times it was always said about socialist fatherlandand very rarely socialist homeland.

In addition, the concepts of Motherland and Fatherland are characterized by gender parameters. The Motherland has always correlated with the image of the mother, who gives birth and educates, and the Fatherland - with the father, who not only socializes the individual, but also requires her to fulfill her duty. In other words, the Motherland can be perceived as giving a start, and the Fatherland as taking.

If we talk about individual consciousness, then it seems natural to correlate the concept motherlandwith social quality "patriot",but the concept Fatherland - fromsocial quality "citizen".

Thus, the patriotic consciousness of an individual is characterized by the dominant sensual accents based on a rational principle.

In addition, it should be noted that the feeling of love for the Motherland acquires value only when it finds its practical, active, embodiment. And although social activity is very diverse, patriotic activity is quite universal: any kind of human labor can be considered patriotic if it bears the connotation of a positive attitude towards one's Fatherland.

1.3 The structure of patriotism

Patriotism is a complex phenomenon. The vast majority of researchers distinguish three elements in the structure of patriotism: patriotic consciousness,patriotic activityand patriotic relationship.Y. Trifonov adds a fourth component to them - patriotic organization.

Patriotic consciousnessforms a special form of social consciousness, combining political, social, legal, religious, historical, moral components.

Political the system of society, through the influence of power structures, leaves a special significant imprint on the consciousness of citizens. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to distinguish State,represented by the power elite, and Fatherland,which is much broader than its political component. A true patriot does not blame his homeland for the fact that in an era of change it is not easy to live in his native land. It is during such periods that the strength of patriotic feelings is tested. Just as one cannot blame one's mother for being tormented by illnesses, one cannot blame the Motherland for the fact that corrupt and greedy political elites rule. The disease must be treated, and traitors must be fought.

Social the element in the patriotic consciousness is determined by the class relations existing in society and the corresponding criteria for their evaluation.

Right influences the formation and functioning of patriotic consciousness through legal norms, enshrined primarily in the Constitution of the state.

The role of religions in the formation of patriotic consciousness. Its complexity is due to the presence in society of representatives of various faiths, as well as convinced atheists. Such spiritual heterogeneity, of course, implies a different understanding of patriotism.

Of great importance for the formation of patriotic consciousness is story Fatherland. The factual material reflecting the past of our country contains knowledge that contributes to the formation of patriotism. In this regard, it is appropriate to recall the words of A.S. Pushkin, addressed to P. Chaadaev: "... I swear on my honor that for nothing in the world I would not want to change the Fatherland or have a different history, except for the history of our ancestors, such as God gave it to us."

An important role in the formation of patriotic consciousness is played by the category morality. Time has shown the inconsistency of political emphasis in the education of patriotism, which was typical of the Soviet era. A real patriot can only be considered one who has managed to turn patriotic duty from a socially significant requirement into a deeply conscious inner spiritual need. patriotism motherland fatherland spiritual

Patriotic consciousness can be represented as a kind of "section" of public consciousness on everyday psychologicalAnd theoretical and ideologicallevels .

The ordinary psychological level of patriotic consciousness is a system with a fairly static, practically unchanged "core" in the form of traditions, customs, archetypes inherent in a given society. Apparently, the very formation of this core, which began in the primitive era, was a thousand-year process. Ordinary consciousness is also represented by a dynamic, constantly changing “shell”, which includes feelings associated with patriotic experiences, empirical concepts and primary value judgments, as well as the psychological state of the masses when they perceive the nature of the situation, one way or another related to patriotism. It is in this sphere of consciousness that the direct motivational basis is formed, on which the patriotic behavior of people is formed. The ordinary psychological level is the sensual stage of patriotic consciousness.

The theoretical and ideological level of patriotic consciousness includes rationally systematized scientifically organized knowledge and ideas about patriotism, expressed in political programs, statements, legislative acts relating to issues related to patriotism, expressing the fundamental interests of individual social groups, as well as society as a whole. In a concentrated form, this level of consciousness is expressed in ideology, which is a reflection of the social interests and goals of society. However, society is not a homogeneous entity, all members of which would have the same goals and interests. Mismatched or conflicting interests of social groups, of course, leave an imprint on patriotic consciousness, but it is love for the motherland that can be the ideological basis that can unite various social strata around itself.

Analyzing patriotic consciousness, I would like to focus on the fact that patriotism is not ordinary feelings, and even more so it is not a rationalization of sensory perception. Here there is an exit of human consciousness to the level of unity of emotional, intellectual and volitional perceptions and manifestations, which just creates patriotic heroes who are ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of the Motherland.

Patriotic consciousness acquires value only when it is implemented in practice in the form of specific actions and deeds, representing in the aggregate patriotic activity.Human behavior can only be considered patriotic when it has positive value for the Fatherland and does not harm other ethnic groups and states. For the Motherland, it is important to work to preserve its potential in all areas, but primarily in the spiritual. As in any kind of activity, static and dynamic aspects can be distinguished in the structure of patriotic activity.

From point of view staticaspect in patriotic activity, one can single out the subject, object and means. Subjectpatriotic activities are people who are members of a particular society. An objectPatriotic activity represents the Fatherland (Motherland). FacilitiesPatriotic activity can be represented by the whole spectrum of means of human activity. But it makes sense to divide them into two groups: the first group is the means of peaceful labor or creative activity, the second - the means of armed struggle or destructive activity. A feature of the second group is that, despite their destructive nature, the means of armed struggle play a leading role in the defense of their Fatherland.

From point of view dynamic aspect in the structure of patriotic activity, one can single out the goal, process and result. aimpatriotic activity is the achievement (upholding) of the interests of one's Fatherland, both with the help of peaceful labor and armed violence. Processpatriotic activity is the activity of the subject of patriotic activity in the interests of achieving the goal. This activity can take place both in peacetime and in wartime. resultpatriotic activity is one or another degree of achievement of the goal. The results achieved in peacetime are seriously different from the results of the war. The main difference parameter is concentrated in the price paid for the result. If in peacetime this is, as a rule, selfless labor, then in conditions of armed struggle, the cost of achieving the result of patriotic activity can be not only the loss of health, but also the loss of the life of the subject.

Thus, within the framework of patriotic activity, the subject not only seeks to change or preserve the objective reality, personified for him in the concept of the Motherland (Fatherland), but also significantly changes his inner world bringing it into line with the main patriotic interests and goals.

The third structural element of patriotism is patriotic relationship.They represent a system of connections and dependencies of human activity and the life of social individuals and groups in society regarding the defense of their needs, interests, desires and attitudes related to their homeland. The subjects of patriotic relations can be both individuals and various communities of people who enter into active interaction with each other, on the basis of which a certain way of their joint activity is formed. Patriotic relations are the relationships of people with each other, capable of taking on the character of a friendly cooperationor conflict(based on match or collision intereststhese groups). Such relationships may take the form of direct contacts or an indirect form, for example, through relations with the state.

A certain place in the system of patriotism is occupied by patriotic organizations.These include institutions directly involved in patriotic education - patriotic clubs and circles. Great work on patriotic propaganda and patriotic education is carried out by veteran, creative, sports, and scientific organizations.

Chapter 2. Patriotism as a spiritual phenomenon of modern society

.1 Functions of patriotism

The social significance of patriotism is realized through a number of functions: identification, organizational-mobilizing and integration functions.

Identification the function of patriotism is the most significant. The need of the individual to relate himself to a certain social group, society as a whole is one of the most ancient needs of mankind, which arose at the earliest stages of its development. It follows from the biological instinct of self-preservation. Man, being surrounded by a hostile external environment, was constantly in search of satisfaction of this need. In the most natural way, he could find protection as part of a primitive team, since he was a herd creature. The natural development of man led him to the fact that the biological need for self-preservation acquired social and spiritual facets and began to manifest itself in the function of identification.

Representatives of social Darwinism discussed the relationship between the biological and the social in man. In particular, K. Kautsky associated the need for self-preservation with the constant struggle of organisms with the external environment. P.A. Kropotkin, in contrast to traditional social Darwinism, put forward the idea of ​​the importance in evolution not of the struggle for survival, but of mutual assistance.

IN traditional societies the identification process had a rigid framework associated with the ethnic origin of individuals and their belonging to certain social groups. Therefore, there were practically no problems with self-identification.

A modern person in the information society, under the influence of the globalization process, faces certain difficulties in the process of socialization. This is primarily due to the fact that a person has many options for "identities" and is not always able to determine the most optimal of them.

The patriotism of the individual is formed as a result of achieving a balance between the personal level of identification, which consists in communicating unique properties to the individual, and the social level, which is the result of the assimilation of social norms and values.

The basis for identification of a person may be an ethnic or professional group, region, political movement. In modern society, there is such a phenomenon as re-identification, that is, the rejection of ethnicity.

The process of ethnic identification is influenced not so much by the phenotypic characteristics of the individual, but by the religious, cultural and behavioral characteristics of the individual's activity, which have preserved the effectiveness of traditions and customs, and joint expectations for the future.

Apparently, ethnic self-identification and national identity cannot be confused. The object of the first is the concept of "Motherland", and often the "small Motherland". Since national identification has a significant state-political component, the “Fatherland” is its subject.

Meaning organizational and mobilizing The function of patriotism is determined by the fact that through it there is an incentive to patriotic activity. This happens in the process of correlating the actions of the subject with the interests of his Fatherland.

Information about the Fatherland is transformed into beliefs and norms of behavior as a result of an individual's awareness of the value of the reality surrounding him. The process of transforming knowledge into interest ends with the initiation of the motive of patriotic activity.

An important feature of this function is that not only the understanding of the Motherland, but also the person himself, his behavior and life position in general, is subjected to axeological influence. Moreover, such self-esteem is possessed not only by an individual, but also by a social group and even an entire ethnic group.

The society is especially interested in the most effective operation of this function. In order to form the regulatory impact on people's consciousness that society needs, role models, the so-called "heroic symbols", are created. Moreover, they have a certain mythologized character. If earlier they were created by society itself, such as, for example, images of epic heroes, then at present the state is engaged in the creation of heroic symbols. Suffice it to recall the period of the Great Patriotic War, when the exploits of Alexander Matrosov, Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya, Nikolai Gastello acquired some "epic", mythologized features with the help of official propaganda. Unfortunately, our time has shown the reverse process of the demythologization of "heroic symbols", when in life, personalities, even in the feat itself, diligent "researchers" looked for everything that could cast a shadow on the heroes of the Patriotic War. The consequences of such "conscientiousness" were the most negative both in terms of historical knowledge and in terms of public well-being.

In the first chapter, it was noted that any kind of human activity can bear the imprint of love for one's Fatherland. But the most striking imprint of patriotism is military labor. The Defender of the Fatherland not only daily brings his strength, knowledge, and abilities to the altar of patriotism, but is also ready to sacrifice his health and even life for the sake of the Motherland.

Integrationfunction is manifested in the fact that no other idea is able to unite a whole people like a patriotic impulse. People belonging to different ideological directions, religious denominations, ethnic groups, social classes are able to forget about their differences if their homeland is in danger.

The incident that occurred during the First World War and was described by General P. Krasnov is indicative: “Emperor Wilhelm gathered all our Muslim prisoners in a separate camp and, currying favor with them, built a beautiful stone mosque for them ... They wanted to demonstrate the dislike of Muslims for the Russian“ yoke ". But things ended very badly for the Germans ...

The mullahs came forward and whispered with the soldiers. The masses of soldiers roused, equalized, and a thousand-voiced choir, under the German sky, near the walls of the newly rebuilt mosque, thundered out in unison: God save the Tsar ... There was no other prayer for the Motherland in the hearts of these wonderful Russian soldiers.

A striking example of the consolidation of society on the basis of patriotism is the Great Patriotic War. Even many representatives of the white emigration, having rejected their hatred for the Bolsheviks, not only did not cooperate with the Nazis, but also fought against them. Suffice it to recall the Russian officers who stood at the origins of the resistance movement in France.

Thus, having identified the features of the functioning of patriotism, we came to the conclusion that patriotism? it is always the result of the influence of the surrounding social environment, the education of society, and at the same time it is the moral choice of a person, evidence of his social maturity. Therefore, the extinction of patriotism is the surest sign of the crisis of society, and its artificial destruction is the way to destroy the people.

2.2 Types of patriotism

Patriotism, as a phenomenon of social reality, does not exist outside the subject. The subject of patriotism is all social formations: personality, social group, stratum, class, nation and other communities. Based on this, we can talk about the patriotism of an individual, a social group, society as a whole.

The meaning of patriotism personalities extremely large. Each person begins to realize the surrounding world precisely from himself and all his life correlates his thoughts, feelings and actions primarily with himself. A feature of this type of patriotism is that the person is not only its subject, but also experiences the strongest reverse influence of patriotic motives. It is very important for full-fledged patriotism how a person feels himself in society and the state. The combination of such spiritual values ​​as a sense of honor and self-esteem "... acts, on the one hand, as a form of manifestation of moral self-awareness and self-control of the individual ..., and on the other hand, one of the channels of influence of society and the state on the moral character and behavior ... » person in society.

Self-respect is the basis on which love for one's Fatherland is based. “The honor and dignity of a citizen correlate with the dignity of the Fatherland as communicating vessels: the citizen forms the honor of the Fatherland, the honor of the Fatherland elevates the honor of the citizen.” This dependence is especially acute between the warrior and the Fatherland: “... at any turn, such a condition for the possible preservation of the reliability of the army as a sense of national dignity and responsibility for the Fatherland, which in principle should not be deformed under any circumstances, remains unshakable. National dignity is a spiritual and enduring phenomenon. If a person constantly feels the influence of the state and public structures, which negatively affects his internal state, then this not only does not contribute to strengthening personal honor and dignity, but, ultimately, negatively affects the state of patriotism of a particular person and society as a whole.

Absolutization of the individual to the detriment of society and the state is no less harmful than ignoring this factor. Individualism, cultivated in today's conditions by certain forces in our country, destroys the patriotic consciousness from within.

It is very important to maintain the balance in which the individual will feel protected and respected in the state and society, but, in turn, adequately fulfilling his duties.

IN social group Patriotism can be carried by a family, a labor or military collective, a social group, a class, a nation.

The primary bearer of group patriotism is family. She has always played a leading role in the formation of patriotic consciousness. The affirmation of patriotism must begin first of all with the strengthening of the family. "It is impossible to love the people without loving the parents...". The importance of the family for patriotic education is determined primarily by the fact that moral, military-patriotic education in the family is carried out primarily on the basis of the experience of adult family members. The state and society should in every possible way contribute to the strengthening of this social phenomenon, since the safety of these institutions ultimately depends on a healthy family.

A relatively new phenomenon is the so-called "corporate patriotism".There is nothing wrong with employees of a firm or even an industry caring about professional prestige. But it is unacceptable when this activity is opposed to the national interests. Unfortunately, in our country this model is quite common. The interests of certain financial and industrial groups are lobbied in the highest legislative body of the country, which directly contradict the interests of the country. Suffice it to recall the decision to import radioactive waste from abroad.

Special mention should be made of the patriotism of the public state elite. This problem is most acute in transitional, crisis periods, when established stereotypes break down, which leads to deformations of patriotic consciousness. For the public and state elite, patriotic consciousness can act not only as a kind of “litmus test” signaling the state of society and the state, but also be a powerful tool that can have a serious impact on them.

The elite cannot exist without the masses of the people in the same way that the people lose themselves without an elite with a national psychology. Only "... socially active members of society are generators of social progressive development ...", but the vector of this movement may not always meet the interests of the whole society.

It should be emphasized that the representatives of the elite can be divided into two groups: "...actors who prefer to look back at knowledge proven by experience, or actors who deny the value of accumulated knowledge...". Otherwise, they can be called conservatives (or supporters of traditionalism) and liberals (or supporters of innovations). When it comes to patriotism, in no case should we forget that it was nurtured by the experience of many generations, and the accumulation of knowledge by our ancestors provides for their reasonable use, but by no means their rejection. It is the attitude to the past that distinguishes the liberal and a conservative. “Too free, sometimes dismissive attitude to knowledge, ignoring the ideologeme “to think about the future, remembering the past” characterizes a liberal thinker. Too often, the changes a liberal advocates become valuable to him in and of themselves. Thus, the purpose for which they are carried out is ignored. The conservative, not being an opponent of innovations, nevertheless, believes that they make sense only when they are a reaction to a certain specific flaw in the surrounding reality.

Consequently, conservative methods most carefully and constructively transform patriotism. But, at the same time, patriotism itself is a universal conservative tool aimed at restoring, maintaining and maintaining social and political unity and harmony.

It is not easy to study this kind of group patriotism, in which the subject is nation. The complexity is caused, firstly, by the fact that the line between patriotic and nationalist worldviews is extremely thin. In addition, the appearance of the same ethnic group on different stages historical development, which, however, does not detract from the importance of continuity between them. Naturally, the patriotism of the Russians of the era of Vladimir I differed significantly from the patriotism of their descendants from the time of Dmitry Donskoy, and the love for the Fatherland of the Russian people under the reign of Ivan the Terrible from the same feeling of the subjects of Peter I. But, nevertheless, they are all united by one root that nourished this great feeling from time immemorial.

Secondly, the difficulty lies in the fact that the understanding of patriotism has significant differences among different nations. These differences are due to the peculiarities of the mentality of these peoples. Moreover, approaches to understanding patriotism may not coincide even among those ethnic groups that belong to the same civilization.

The most difficult to study is patriotism, the bearer of which is society as a whole. Public patriotism cannot be regarded as a conglomeration of individuals, although it is in them that it has its source. It accumulates the general, the basic that is contained in the multitude of individual and group consciousness. It seems extremely important that public patriotism grows on a fairly concrete basis. It is internally connected with the previous development of society. The law of historical continuity and connection operates. The main needs and interests of society at this historical stage find their expression in the public patriotic consciousness.

There is an interdependence of individual, group and public patriotism. The consciousness of the individual is reflected in various means and forms of communication, thereby becoming the property of public consciousness. And the results of the consciousness of society spiritually enrich the individual.

The patriot correlates with his individuality the traditions of the family that raised him, the experience of the social group to which he refers himself, the characteristics of the nation to which he belongs, the requirements of the society in which he lives. From the combination of this diversity, his patriotism is formed.

Patriotism is one of the fundamental needsindividuals, groups, societies.

A need in general is a need for something to maintain life, an internal stimulus of activity. Man, as a social subject, differs from the rest of the animal world in that, unlike the latter, adapting to environment, it actively transforms nature and society. This is due to the satisfaction of existing needs, which, in turn, leads to the generation of new ones that require satisfaction.

The patriotism of a person as a need is the need to feel oneself a part of the whole, the awareness of the justification of one's existence through the affirmation of the existence of the society to which this person belongs. Such a need is a multi-level spiritual phenomenon that receives its initial development at the early, pre-state stages of the evolution of society. Subsequently, such proto-patriotism in relation to the group develops into forms of patriotism of a developed society and state. The highest manifestation of individual patriotism should be regarded as a need in which spiritual motives dominate over material ones, since a patriot is able to sacrifice not only his health, but also his life for the sake of his Motherland, which cannot be explained by material reasons.

The patriotism of a social group and society as a whole is a need to preserve oneself as an integrity that has a certain development perspective. Satisfaction of such a need is possible only through the affirmation of the need for patriotism at the personal level. Therefore, patriotism acts as a kind of indicator that can warn government authorities about the state of the spiritual life of society and the state.

Conclusion

Patriotism is a feeling of love for one's Fatherland manifested in activity. It combines components such as careabout your fatherland responsibilityfor him and respectto him. Patriotism cannot be limited only to the framework of class interests and relations, at the same time it is not permissible to completely ignore them.

The structure of patriotism is represented by such elements as patriotic consciousness, patriotic activity, patriotic attitude and patriotic organization. Patriotic consciousnessis a special form of social consciousness, closely related to its other forms. Patriotic activityacts as a defining component of patriotism, as it implements patriotic interests and values ​​in the form of specific actions and deeds. In the structure of patriotic activity, static and dynamic aspects are distinguished.

Patriotic relationsis a system of connections and dependencies of the activities of individuals and their groups regarding the upholding of the needs and interests related to their homeland. TO patriotic organizationinclude institutions involved in patriotic education and patriotic propaganda.

The main functions of patriotism are identification, organizational - mobilizing and integrating. Identificationthe function is manifested in the realization of the need to identify the individual with a particular social group or society as a whole. Content organizational and mobilizingthe function of patriotism is to encourage patriotic activities of individuals, as well as their groups. Meaning integrationthe function of patriotism is determined by its ability to unite various individuals and social groups.

The basis for the classification of patriotism can be its subject. Proceeding from this, the patriotism of an individual, a social group (families, elites, nations), society as a whole is distinguished.

Thus, patriotism is considered as a need of an individual, social group, society, which is a system-forming factor of their existence. The successful future of all mankind depends on a careful attitude to patriotism.

List of used literature

1. Gidirinsky V.I. Russian idea and army (philosophical and historical analysis). - M., 1997.

2.Glukhov D.V. Economic determinants of the formation of civil patriotism // Patriotic idea on the eve of the XXI century: past or future of Russia. Materials interregional. scientific-practical. conf. - Volgograd: Change, 1999.

Goneeva V.V. Patriotism and morality // Social and humanitarian knowledge. - 2002. - No. 3.

Spirituality of the Russian officer: problems of formation, conditions and ways of development / otv. ed. B.I. Kaverin. - M.: VU, 2002.

Emelyanov G. Russian Apocalypse and the End of History. - SPb., 2000.

Zolotukhina-Abolina E.V. Modern ethics: origins and problems. - Rostov n / a, 2000.

Kochkalda G.A. Patriotic Consciousness of Warriors: Essence, Trends in Development and Formation (Philosophical and Sociological Analysis): Abstract of the thesis. ... cand. philosophy, science. - M.: VPA im. IN AND. Lenina, 1991.

Krupnik A.A. Patriotism in the system of civil values ​​of society and its formation in the military environment: author. ... cand. philosophy Sciences. - M.: VU, 1995.

Makarov V.V. Fatherland and patriotism: logical and methodological analysis. - Saratov, 1998.

Marx K., Engels F. Soch., T. 2.

Mikulenko S.E. The problem of enlightened patriotism // Vesti. Moscow State University. Ser. 12. Political sciences. - 2001. - No. 1.

Patriotic education of military personnel on the traditions of the Russian army / Ed. S.L. Rykov. - M.: VU, 1997.

Patriotic consciousness: essence and formation / A.S. Milovidov, P.E. Sapegin, A.L. Simagin and others - Novosibirsk, 1985.

Correspondence of A.S. Pushkin: In 2 volumes / Ed. K.M. Tyunkin. - M., 1982. V.2.

Plato. Compositions: In 3 volumes / General. ed. A.F. Losev. - M., 1968, V.1.

Savotina N.A. Civic education: traditions and modern requirements // Pedagogy. 2002. - No. 4.

Senyavskaya E.S. The problem of heroic symbols in the public consciousness of Russia: the lessons of history // Patriotism of the peoples of Russia: traditions and modernity. Materials interregional. scientific-practical. conf. - M.: Triada-farm, 2003.

Trifonov Yu.N. Essence and main manifestations of patriotism in the conditions of modern Russia (social and philosophical analysis): author. ... cand. philosophy Sciences. - M., 1997.

Philosophical Encyclopedia / Ch. ed. F.V. Konstantinov. - M., 1967. T. 4.

Philosophical Dictionary Vladimir Solovyov. - Rostov n / a, 1997.

Philosophical Encyclopedic Dictionary / Editorial Board: S.S. Averintsev, E.A. Arab-Ogly, L.F. Ilyichev and others - M., 1989.

Engels F. Conrad Schmidt. To Berlin, 27 Oct. 1890 // K. Marx, F. Engels. Op. -2nd ed. T. 37.

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Patriot

A patriotic person is one who loves his Fatherland, is devoted to his people, is ready for sacrifices and deeds in the name of the interests of his Motherland.

(from the Greek patriótes - compatriot, patrís - homeland, fatherland), love for the fatherland, devotion to it, the desire to serve its interests with its actions. Patriotism is “... one of the deepest feelings fixed for centuries and millennia by isolated fatherlands” (V. I. Lenin, Poln. sobr. soch., 5th ed., vol. 37, p. 190).

Patriotism is a moral criterion that distinguishes a noble person from a low one and a spiritually developed person from one who is in spiritual lethargy.

Patriotism is an objective assessment of the situation and actions of the native country, combined with an optimistic view of the vector of its development in the future.

Patriotism is pride in all the achievements of one's people and awareness of all its historical mistakes.

Patriotism is the willingness to sacrifice the personal for the sake of the public good.

How to develop patriotism in yourself

Family education. Parents who show love and respect for their country instill and shape the patriotic consciousness of children.

Interest in national culture and traditions. In order to love your people, you need to know them; consciously studying the history of his people, a person cultivates patriotism in himself.

Awareness. Patriotism involves pride in one's country's achievements; interest in information associated with all aspects of the life of society and the country creates the basis for the development and manifestation of patriotism.

The purposeful work of the institution of state power is a system of patriotic education. More details can be found by reading the article.

Over the past decades, our state has least of all set itself the task of achieving solidarity as a common good. On the contrary, it voluntarily or unwittingly provoked a war of all against all and plunged the country into national, professional, regional, and other conflicts. It encouraged predators and accused the victims of naivety, gullibility, and stupidity. It took off the burden of responsibility and put everything on the rails of self-survival, self-preservation. It has created a gulf between the wealthy minority and the impoverished majority.

The highest representatives of power shamelessly profited from the tragedy of the country. Presidents and ex-presidents, prime ministers and vice-premiers hurried to publish "masterpieces" for the West on perestroika, democratization, privatization, entry into power. Everyone was attracted by American dollars, American applause. In an effort to win the paid sympathies of a Western audience, they thought least of all about the sympathies of their own people. Unbridled cynicism, arrogance, shamelessness showed themselves especially clearly in the process of turning yesterday's government into today's oligarchs.

A.G. Mekhanik is absolutely right when he says that in Russia it is not so much the “oligarchs” who determine who should be at the helm of state power, but the state power determines who should be “oligarchs”. “The financial oligarchy, which arose as a product of the division of a large whole and is still waiting for new pieces from this pie, cannot, on the one hand, not depend on the state, and on the other hand, it strives to take possession of the state as private property, since it will be easiest to take possession of the pie. Therefore, it is simply illogical to complain about the appetites of the financial oligarchy for those who have prescribed a diet for the whole country so that there is something to eat for the financial oligarchy.

Such a state cannot be respected either by its citizens or by the world community. It cannot be loved, and therefore cannot be a natural object of civic duty. To become such, the authorities will have to work a lot on themselves, on self-purification, on correcting what they have done, on returning the trust of citizens. Appeasement tactics, in which both the wolves are fed and the sheep are safe, will eventually reveal their futility and perniciousness.
The degree of moral responsibility of the government to the people, its fairness will largely determine the degree of civic responsibility of the individual.

There is a complex dialectical relationship between the interests of the individual and the public interest. On the one hand, a person, thanks to society, is aware of himself and his interests, thanks to society he satisfies them, lives and develops himself.
But, on the other hand, the individual has needs and the ability to distinguish himself from society, to organize his personal life in accordance with individual interests.

Individual interests are always in conflict with public interests, but when they turn into the leading motive of life and activity, the individual comes into antagonism with the public, becomes a brake on the path of social progress. If we consider social progress from the point of view of the correlation of personal and public interests, then the pinnacle of progress is supreme harmony of interests.

If we evaluate patriotism from the same positions, then a consistent patriot is one in whom personal interests are in harmony with the interests of other people and the fatherland, i.e. when any need satisfied by an individual does not objectively contradict, and even directly contributes to social progress.

The question arises: doesn't this mean that to be a consistent patriot means to dissolve in society, to lose one's individuality, developing oneself only as a citizen? Does this not mean sacrificing personal inclinations to duty? This age-old question worried humanists constantly, and in accordance with their worldview, they tried to give an answer to it. Utopian socialists saw a huge evil in the gap between personal and public interests, manifested in envy, competition, baseness. To make all people happy, whether on the island of Utopia, in the city of the Sun or elsewhere, is possible only through the establishment of harmony between personal and collective interests through the destruction of private property. Harmony is not the dissolution of the individual, its oblivion in the public. V. G. Belinsky wrote: “A living person carries in his spirit, in his heart, in his blood the life of society; he suffers from its ailments, is tormented by its sufferings, blooms with its health, blisses with its happiness, outside of its own, its own personal circumstances. Of course, in this case, society only takes its tribute from him, tearing him away from him at certain moments of his life, but not conquering him completely and exclusively. The citizen must not destroy the man, nor the man of the citizen. In both cases, extremes come out, and every extreme is the sister of limitation.

The founders of Marxism, already in their first works, very clearly formulated their attitude to the personal and social in man.
“Communists by no means want, as Saint Max thinks, ... to “destroy a private person” in order to please the “universal self-sacrificing person”.
In striving to establish a harmony of personal and social interests in the minds of the individual, Marxism-Leninism proceeded from the understanding that this is possible only under socialism under conditions of the undivided domination of public property and social justice. "Communism, as the abolition of private property, means the demand for truly human life as the inalienable property of man, means the formation of practical humanism."

In the value system of practical humanism, which harmonizes rights and obligations, freedom occupies the most important place. Political, economic freedom, various civil liberties provide the individual with the opportunity to translate “you must”, addressed by society to a person, into “I must”.

The measure of personal duty is the civil and other responsibility of the individual. The transition of a legal duty into the moral well-being of an individual is determined by the presence and effectiveness of such an internal self-regulator as conscience. But with a conscience in modern world not everything is fine. Conscience within the framework of a market economy, when everyone at any cost strives for the greatest satisfaction of personal material needs, becomes a clear hindrance, it is dulled and expelled from human morality. The main thing is not to be ashamed. It is not a shame to do business on deceit, theft, murder, drugs and prostitution, pornography and a cult of violence, it is not a shame to deprive the elderly and children, it is not a shame to defame and compromise decent people. Down with shame and conscience, for this is a commodity that costs nothing.

When this "divine law" is forgotten, all proclaimed freedoms turn into dehumanization. And democracy, and the liberal economy, and freedom of speech, unfortunately, have shown themselves in our society from the most unsightly side. The word "democrat" has become a dirty word. The process of democratization desired by all was trivialized. Indeed, democratic elections have turned into ruinous shows with a sprinkling of gore, and sometimes porn. Showmen from politics create images, ratings, invent slogans, attract rock and pop stars and even foreign celebrities. They determine when it is better to throw out compromising evidence, how best to psychologically process the voter. Administrative pressure, bribery is a widespread phenomenon, to which election commissions do not even pay attention. Russia took over in the West all the reverse, dirty side of democracy, although Western advanced thought has long seen this negative and seeks to identify its causes, consequences and ways to overcome it.
Since the 1930s, special attention has been riveted to the negative consequences of civilization, which manifested themselves in the creation of the masses and the mass man.

One of the most serious negative consequences is the decline in spirituality, the fall of culture, which manifested itself in society's stake on the average person.

Mass production, unification and standardization of all forms of life from family life to the state system made both a simple layman and a wise politician hostage to the principle “to be like everyone else” and “what makes me worse than others”.

Such great achievements as universal education, democracy and glasnost have revealed over time not only achievements, but also disturbing symptoms of culture, which J. Huizinga writes about with good reason. This is what worried him: “Our era is facing an alarming fact: two great achievements of culture - universal education and modern glasnost, instead of steadily raising the cultural level, on the contrary, carry certain symptoms of degeneration and decline in their development. All sorts of knowledge and information are presented to the masses on an unprecedented scale and in the most diverse form, but the use of this knowledge in life is clearly not going well. Undigested knowledge hinders the work of thought, blocks the path of wisdom.

Plenty of knowledge turns into ignorance. This is a terrible play on words, but, unfortunately, it carries a deep meaning. Will human society continue to suffer hopelessly from the process of spiritual shallowing? Will this process develop further?

J. Huizinga was also worried by the fact that the imposition and uncomplaining acceptance of knowledge and assessments is not limited to the intellectual sphere in the narrow sense, but also occurs in the aesthetic area. The consequence is that the modern average individual is very susceptible to the pressure of a cheap mass product. The measure of the significance of cultural production is ratings, box office, i.e. mass demand. In all assessments, it is important not who, but how many? Quantity overwhelms quality.

It is no coincidence that almost everyone disappeared from television screens. intellectual programs. But like mushrooms after the rain, more and more shows appear. If J. Huizinga is mainly concerned about the problem of intellectual shallowing, then K. Jaspers enters the problem of mass society more deeply and comprehensively.

And one of the aspects of his attention is democracy and the masses. “The world-historical basic political question of our time is the question of whether it is possible to democratize the masses, whether the average person in general is able to actually include in his life responsible participation as a state subject through participation in knowledge and in decision-making about the main directions of politics. . There is no doubt that today the vast majority of voters follow not a belief based on knowledge, but unverifiable illusions and untrue promises that the passivity of those who do not participate in the elections plays a big role ... The mass can decide only through the majority. The struggle for the majority, using the means of propaganda, suggestion, deceit, following frequent interests, is, apparently, the only way to domination.

Serge Moscovici carefully peers into the problem of political democracy. In the work "Politics and Psychology of the Masses" he states the predominance of the irrational over the rational in the masses. Crowds participate in gigantic dramatizations in stadiums or near mausoleums (in Russia hippodromes were also included). Honoring Roman or Chinese emperors are left far behind.

In our time, such democratic "frills" with the help of television can turn a significant part of the population into a crowd.
The worst thing is that all this is done by the humanitarian intelligentsia: psychologists, writers, social scientists, artists. Not about our time, but about his own, but very consonant with ours, S.L. Frank wrote: only in party neighborhood, but also in spiritual kinship with robbers, mercenary murderers, hooligans and unbridled lovers of sexual debauchery - this fact is nevertheless logically conditioned by the very content of the intelligentsia's faith, namely its nihilism; and this must be recognized openly, without gloating, but with the deepest sorrow. The most terrible thing about this fact lies precisely in the fact that the nihilism of the intelligentsia's faith, as it were, involuntarily sanctioned crime and hooliganism and gave them the opportunity to dress up in the mantle of ideology and progressiveness.

In order not to dress up in the mantle of democracy, but to really democratize the political life of society, one must first put an end to self-justification such as “this is a young democracy” or “foam is rising”. Democracy is not young, it is the same age as civilization. And it is necessary to study the experience of democracies, focusing on their positive, not negative content.
If our political life continues to follow the established course, then people will cease to fulfill their primary civic duty - to come to the polls. And there is such a trend. What kind of civil responsibility for the elected government can we talk about if for a month the voter is so confused and bathed in such a tub of dirt that he no longer understands anything, and sees nothing?

Our government does not like to answer to citizens. A lot of bad things have been said about the CPSU, but every four years it reported to the people for what it had done and clearly defined what it would do. What has been built and what will we build, what has been explored and where new exploration will be carried out, what has been completed and what has not, etc. Democratic power keeps the country in the dark. What? Where? When? Who? How many? Be satisfied with the budget and general parameters. If the people do not know what awaits them in their own country, is it possible to form in them not only high civic impulses, but a simple sense of connection with the needs of the Motherland.
The liberalization of the economy also did not give the desired freedom, which forms the stronghold of patriotism and democracy - the middle class. The ancient sages already understood that the most virtuous society is where there are no super-rich and super-poor, but moderation prevails. Accompanied by the media, with the slogan of "initial accumulation of capital", our democratic government pardoned economic criminals - the main accumulators, and then, with their help and God's help, created those who did not lift a finger for accumulation, but bit the bit in the struggle for appropriation for private ownership of wealth created by the hands and mind of the whole people. For 2-3 years, both millionaires and billionaires appeared in Russia. Everyone in the West gasped in surprise, while in Russia they gasped at the loss of jobs, unpaid wages, pensions and benefits, loss of savings and many other miracles of economic freedom.

Of course, one cannot ignore the positive results of economic freedom. Many enterprising, skilled and enterprising people were able to organize their own business, to engage in activity free from regulation. Here they are with labor, sweat, and sometimes with blood “accumulated initial capital”, and, as people of action, they invested it in the business, pushing its boundaries. It is their efforts that created a decent service sector in Russia, nice cafes and restaurants, shops and shops, workshops and hairdressers, etc. They saved the people from humiliating queues, and our everyday language got rid of the notorious word "get it." In the countryside, part of the peasants was able to freely dispose of the land and engage in the production that is closer to them in vocation and more profitable. Through the efforts of these people, cities and villages are getting prettier.

But the main thing that determines the economic face of the country, and that, to the great misfortune of modern Russia, is absent in it is "the demand for creative work, high professionalism."

As academician Moiseev N.N. - this is the worst, an indicator of the state of our society. "The natural-science and engineering-technical intelligentsia clearly understand that within the framework of the current comprador path of development, Russia cannot have a future" .

Can this part of the intelligentsia, one might say, the think tank of industrial production, treat the authorities and new owners kindly, who live and profit from the export of raw materials and care little about the organization of production, about the use of the intellectual and professional wealth of the country for its economic and spiritual prosperity?

Their natural civic feeling is anger. Anger and sadness at the sight of previously thriving businesses that are now rented out to shops, fairs, or even die altogether. This is despite the fact that billions of dollars are exported abroad. The argument is that money is running because they are afraid to invest in it. Yes, they run precisely because their owners have always been afraid of business, they did not know it, do not know and do not want to know. This is not a matter of acquired money, which is why they go to buy real estate or lie in banks. And, I think, exhortations to their owners are in vain.

Other measures that require political will are needed here.

The stronghold of any state -. The military are people of civic duty. How hard our politicians have worked to demoralize the army, to weaken its military and spiritual power. In a country rich in fuel, pilots do not fly, combat vehicles are laid up due to lack of fuel. Full-fledged combat exercises, combat training are not economically supported. This is one of the reasons for the growth of hazing and crimes in the army.

Indeed, from what must and can a person be free, and in the name of what? In the name of self-exaltation, self-realization or in the name of self-destruction, self-emptying? From necessity or from chance? And what is personal freedom anyway? According to Frank - a lifeless idol, Spinoza - a conscious need, Berdyaev - unwillingness to know the need. It is impossible to come to a consensus on the definition, but one thing is clear - freedom resolves the contradiction between the individual's dependence on all social ties: family, national, professional, demographic, etc., and independence, more precisely, the desire for independence. The extent to which a person is capable of morally and intellectually resolving this contradiction largely depends on his civic position. And vice versa, the way of resolving the contradiction between dependence and independence depends on what the civic position is.

The problem of freedom, like the problem of personality, became actual in the Renaissance and Modern times.
The principle of individualism, as well as the idea of ​​a sovereign personality, were developed by humanists and educators and were aimed at affirming a person's faith in the ability to become the creator of himself, his physical and spiritual perfection, his destiny. These ideas determined the unprecedented growth of personal initiative, creativity, and enterprise. The triumphant mind revealed the secrets of nature and forced it to serve ever-increasing human needs.

But already in the Renaissance, individualism gave rise not only to the titans of the spirit, but also to the titans of vice in all its manifestations from villainy and deceit to sexual debauchery. It can be said that this was the time of the heights of the rise of the human spirit and the lowlands of its fall.

The second half of the 20th century clearly proves that the potential possibilities of individualism are either exhausted or close to exhaustion. And at the beginning of the century, N.A. Berdyaev wrote: “Freedom in individualism is the freedom of separation, alienation from the world. And any isolation, estrangement from the world leads to slavery to the world, for everything alien and distant to us is a compulsory necessity for us ...

Individualism belittles a person, does not want to know the world, universal content of a person ... Individualism is the devastation of individuality, its impoverishment, the diminution of its world content ... Individuality and individualism are opposites. Individualism is the enemy of individuality. Man is an organic member of the world, cosmic hierarchy, and the richness of his content is directly proportional to his connection with the cosmos. And the individuality of man finds its fullness of expression only in the universal, cosmic life... In individualism, freedom receives a false direction and is lost. Individuality and its freedom are affirmed only in universalism.

Indeed, Western civilizations, cultivating this principle, instead of individuals have created a mass society, which is made up of crowd people. “The idea of ​​civil society, put forward by the enlightenment, turned into a “mass society” as a result of industrialization, where the autonomous “I” was again replaced by the impersonal “We” ... philistinism - the dictatorship of the mass impersonal in its desires and needs” .
It's time to talk about philistinism, its civic, patriotic and all-human potential, about why it has been rehabilitated today, like nationalism.
Modern spiritual mentors often flatter young people, admiring their looseness, practicality, and independence. These qualities can be respected, but one cannot help but see that they sometimes become self-sufficient, and looseness turns into unbridledness, practicality into greed, and independence into selfishness. The bonds of love, friendship, mutual trust, and benevolence are weakening. Natural ties are broken. The principles are introduced into the rules of life: “you can’t forbid living beautifully”, “live and let others live”. This is one of the moral pillars of philistinism.

Philistinism as a phenomenon of spiritual life has always been dangerous, dangerous
everywhere, in all spheres of life: politics, economics, science, art; in all public relations - from interstate to family and interpersonal. It has always caused a sharp rejection of meanness, hypocrisy, opportunism, betrayal and many other vices. Writers, playwrights, and satirists directed their pen at the abominations of spiritual philistinism. But not only. Philistinism has been deeply studied by the theorists of Marxism-Leninism in connection with the most diverse aspects of the development of social thought, the revolutionary movement, political upheavals, reactionary regimes, and so on.

In their program document "Manifesto of the Communist Party", K. Marx and F. Engels showed that the spiritual philistinism claims no less than its own theory and its own model of socialism. And in a truly petty-bourgeois way, he considers himself the spokesman for "true socialism." Describing the varieties of utopian socialism, the founders of scientific communism singled out the so-called “true socialism”, which directly “served as an expression of the reactionary interests of the German philistinism ... He proclaimed the German philistine as a model of man. To each of his baseness he gave a secret, sublime socialist meaning, turning it into something completely opposite to it. Consistent to the end, he openly opposed the "grossly destructive" direction of communism and proclaimed that he himself, in his majestic impartiality, stood above any class struggle.

VI Lenin constantly exposed the spirit of the opportunists of the Second International; he saw the social roots of chauvinism and nationalism in philistinism. “These stupid, but kind and sweet philistines” strive to ensure that “petty-bourgeois nationalism is maintained in all countries.” A significant place in the Leninist legacy was occupied by the struggle against the bourgeoisie, with its attitude to the world and morality. He noted more than once that the tradesman is always guided by a petty, hypocritical calculation: do not offend, do not repel, do not frighten, the wise rule: live and let others live.

The tradesman is opposed to the citizen. Blurred civic positions are typical both for the tradesman, whose credo is “my hut is on the edge”, “politics is not for us”, and for the tradesman, whose credo is “I am the navel of the earth”, and dissecting political slogans through his navel. If the first is dangerous due to civic inertia, indifference, then the second - by militant politicking. The tradesman snatches out of the system of slogans those that are more easily amenable to social demagogy.

Trampling on freedom and dignity, they most of all brandish the slogans of freedom, protection of the rights of the individual. They pretend to be spokesmen for civil rights, but these are “mechanical citizens”, as A.M. Gorky called them in the article “On Philistinism”. “Probably, “mechanical citizens” will not miss an opportunity to reproach me for being against freedom of speech, “personality” and other sacred traditions. Yes, I am against freedom, starting from the line beyond which freedom turns into unbridledness, and, as you know, this transformation begins where a person, losing consciousness of his real socio-cultural value, gives wide scope to the ancient individualism of the tradesman hidden in him and cries: “I am so charming, original, but they don’t let me live according to my will.”

Ortega y Gasset in his work “The Revolt of the Masses”, highlighting such a characteristic of the masses as vulgar philistinism, notes the aggressive complacency of mediocrity, the non-recognition and destruction of authorities, the life principles “to be is to have”, “to be like everyone else”, “the worse I am others." The aggressiveness of the bourgeois is manifested not only in the destruction of ideals and authorities, but also in the transformation of everyone who does not satisfy the tastes and claims of mediocrity into outcasts. The tradesman uses the tyranny of public opinion to assert himself. How many talented people, high in civic spirit today are not only expelled from the TV screens, but also betrayed by public opinion.
Everything that satisfies the tastes of visitors to casinos, restaurants, parties, brothels, etc. is popular, fashionable, published, replicated, paid for at the highest price.
A. Pakhmutova, Igor Demarin, Alexander Morozov and other excellent musicians with no less excellent performers of deep themes, strong emotional impact on the mind and hearts of people, songs, ballads - where are they? Pakhmutova, whose heart always responded to the life of the country and beat in unison with it, was generally turned almost into an accused. It is embarrassing for such wonderful masters as I. Kobzon, L. Leshchenko, when they seem to justify themselves for glorifying their country, its construction projects, conquests in space, victories in sports, etc.

Do we hear today the voices of wonderful writers, thinkers, patriots Y. Bondarev, V. Rasputin, V. Belov and others? No, because their thoughts, reflections on the fate of the motherland do not satisfy the tradesman, not from the authorities, not from the media. He scoffs at the words “Before, think about the Motherland, and then about yourself”, believing that if everyone thinks about himself, achieving wealth and prosperity, then the Motherland will also become rich.

Here is such an arithmetic approach: "Motherland is the sum of the terms."
It seems paradoxical, but such an aggressive striving of an individualist tradesman to assert his principles and values ​​of life does not exclude, but rather presupposes, the psychology of a slave, a small person. He constantly asks the question “What can I do?” and he himself replies, “Nothing will change anyway.” The psychology of a slave, a little man, is an unsuitable soil for sowing ideas of citizenship and cultivating patriotic feelings.

V.A. Sukhomlinsky wrote in “Letters to his son”: “Strive to be a real person. Let self-humiliation be alien to your heart, let your consciousness of thought not know: outstanding people are exceptional people, but I am a small ordinary person. Hone, polish your humanity. First of all, bring to great subtlety sensitivity to evil, untruth, deceit, humiliation of human dignity. How much today Russia misses the Sukhomlinskys and Makarenko with their high citizenship, deep aspiration to the inner world of a person, with their faith in the ability of a person to create a temple of humanity in his soul.
Ridiculous was the "philistine in the nobility" of the times of Moliere, Gorky's philistines are unsightly and unpleasant, modern philistines from politics, culture, science, and the media are truly threatening for the fate of the fatherland and humanity.

There were many flaws in communist propaganda and education, but the formation of rejection of philistinism in all its manifestations was undoubtedly their strength. Today, the tradesman has been elevated to the rank of "modern man" who knows how to adapt to circumstances and extract the maximum benefit from them. But sent to the backyards of the public man of labor. Labor, professional pride and honor, labor heroism and enthusiasm - these phrases have sunk into oblivion. The yellow press is not interested in working people, or their achievements, or their services to the fatherland. She serves the tradesman with “strawberries”, “fried facts”, secular gossip, palace intrigues.

The bourgeois from politics also does not need civil virtues, such as justice, responsibility to the country and people, wisdom and courage. All these concepts have been replaced by one thing - His Majesty's image. You involuntarily ask yourself the question: who are the political image makers who create the image of a politician, who are they in their civic essence, what do they serve? I think, to a large extent - hiding the essence of their objects under a more or less favorable outer shell. I have no doubt that the humanists of the 21st century will launch a campaign against philistinism, which poses a threat to the future of mankind. The 21st century has posed a complex, very difficult task for man and mankind, which Aurelio Peccei called the "human revolution".
A wonderful scientist and just a wise man, N.N. Moiseev, who recently passed away, also constantly spoke about the urgent need for a deep moral restructuring of the very spirit and meaning of human culture. Such a need arises from the symptoms of human degradation: “It is possible ... the collapse of social structures, the degradation of man and his return to the realm of some biosocial laws ... In many countries, and quite “prosperous”, we observe the destruction of moral principles, increased aggressiveness and intolerance, the manifestation of various kinds fundamentalisms, widespread genetic and immune diseases, declining birth rates.

One of the necessary conditions for a moral revolution is a revision of attitudes towards such a value as wealth.
Universal wealth is a myth that constantly nourishes the aggressiveness of man in relation to nature and his own kind. This myth, unfortunately, is the main component of all political programs and social ideologies. It is believed that continuous economic expansion is an attribute of a healthy economy. Economic growth has become a matter of pride and a symbol of superiority.
“Knights of Growth are celebrated as champions of goodness and progress; governments preach growth as a new revelation, and it is in it that they look for the key to solving emerging problems. Moreover, they usually ignore the social and environmental price that often has to be paid for this.

A rich country, a rich state, a rich nation, a rich person - these are the phrases that have set the teeth on edge, sounding from the lips of politicians of all stripes. And those who promise the easiest paths and the fastest time for the realization of this dream gain the greatest popularity among the masses.

Having mastered the public and individual consciousness, the myth of wealth plunges a person into a new slavery, whose name is consumerism. The mysticism of money and things takes a person further and further away from himself, from nature, from people, from harmony, love and friendship. How many recommendations on how to become a millionaire have poured out on the heads of TV viewers and radio listeners in recent years. But we do not hear practical advice on how to become an interesting person, interesting for yourself, for your own family, for people. How to gain self-worth, self-sufficiency, protect personal honor, dignity. The mass media, fighting for freedom of speech, have actually deprived the speech of a teacher, psychologist, educator, writer, whose object is the spiritual world of man.
Today, the calls of the ancient sages for moderation and self-restraint sound very convincing. They are echoed by those contemporaries whose thought is directed to the preservation and strengthening of the eternal foundations of being, which are harmony with nature, with oneself and those like oneself.

Nature calls to us: correlate your needs with my capabilities, subordinate human needs to their reasonable provision. Otherwise - chaos and death. Climatologists back in 1979. warned that if humanity of six billion aspires to the standard of living of the average American and realizes this aspiration, it will destroy itself by irreversible climate change. "A necessary condition for the reasonableness of human needs and the moderation of hopes for their satisfaction is the development of the very human qualities and abilities."

Among the qualities, Peccei singles out as the main ones a sense of globality, a love of justice and intolerance of violence. Moreover, he considers social justice to be the basis of everything, because if there is no justice, then there is no freedom, since the strong will enslave and subdue the weak, and evil will triumph over good.

And here we come to the property relations. All liberal democracies idolize private property, believing that only private property makes a person a master, and therefore a stronghold of the state, a citizen and a patriot.
Thus, individual and state egoism is perpetuated. It seems to me that V. Solovyov's approach to property is more in line with both human nature and the needs and tasks of the 21st century.

“Property in itself has nothing absolute. This is neither a sacred good that must be protected at any cost and in all its manifestations, nor an evil that must be exposed and destroyed. Property is a relative and conditioned principle, which must obey the absolute principle - the principle of moral personality.

A moral person cannot enjoy rights without corresponding duties. It is generally recognized that the right to property is associated with certain social obligations. However, it would be erroneous to ignore that a person has duties not only towards his fellow men, but also towards the lower world - to the earth and to everything that lives on it. If he has the right to use nature for himself and his fellowmen, it is his duty also to cultivate and improve this nature for the benefit of the lower beings themselves, and therefore he must consider them not only as a means, but also as an end.

But if the use of land on a large scale to extract the greatest benefit and satisfy common needs, if this quantitative use can only be successful under conditions of collective or public ownership, then the qualitative cultivation and improvement of nature requires, on the contrary, a personal relationship between man and the object of his labor. To develop, to become deeper and more intimate, these relationships must be established and permanent. Therefore, it is necessary to preserve both types of property, as equally necessary for genuine human life: collective property, for the general provision of a minimum of material goods, and personal property, in order to elevate nature to the highest degree of perfection.

As we can see, Solovyov's thought in relation to property rests not on the absolutization of human egoism as an indestructible quality, but on the absolutization of the connection of man with man and man with nature in the aspect of not only and not so much rights as duties. Taking and giving is the rhythm of human life, and if someone takes more than he gives, and someone gives more than he takes, arrhythmia begins - a disease of the social organism and nature. Russia, which is only entering on a leash from the West into the property relations that have developed there, should carefully weigh all the moral consequences of such an entry. Yes, they live richer and have more opportunities. But can we say that people there are higher, cleaner, more intellectual, nobler than in Russia? Not at all. But the criterion of all good and bad is man.

And while our people have not lost their high moral qualities, such as collectivism, solidarity, a sense of justice, while many are ready to share the latter, are not blinded by envy, self-interest, as long as they more spiritually correspond to the needs of the civilization of the 21st century, let's think about whether it is worth immersing Russians in a quagmire of consumerism with all the aggressiveness of competition? Maybe humanity has a third way, without the extremes of capitalism and socialism, and Russia will, by the will of fate and history, find this way, as China, Japan, and the Scandinavian countries are looking for it. Not only Russian, but also Western philosophers, sociologists, culturologists, psychologists, etc., think a lot about this. It is gratifying that the journal Common Sense has been published in Russia for several years now, with a heading “In search of a humanistic synthesis”.

I would like to cite the thoughts of one of the authors, Igor Borzenko, set forth in the article, which he called “The Third Way”.
“The heaviest weights of the consumer worldview sometimes seem insurmountable, and the hopes for the success of active evolutionism are insignificant. The real way out lies on the path of a new synthesis of reason, morality and positive economic thinking... The fundamental danger of a maturing global conflict lies in the fact that the main incentive for human activity within a market civilization - the desire for the greatest satisfaction of personal needs - only exacerbates unevenness and danger. And where is brotherhood, love for one's neighbor, understanding of the laws of the environment? The market economy largely ignores these principles.

... The idea of ​​brotherhood must be developed in the direction of universal vitality and fullness of life.
The transition from the understandable paradigm of personal consumption to the paradigm of the general human life order is not easy. A “moral revolution” must take place, the result of which will be a new correlation of personal, public (state) and universal values. The criterion for defining a person both as a patriot and as a citizen of the planet should be humanity. At the level of everyday consciousness, a kind, sympathetic person who knows how to forgive and find consent is usually called humane. But is humanity limited only by these characteristics? Let me quote from S.N. Bulgakov, because the meaning contained in it is infinitely deep and very relevant. “Humanity as a potential, as a depth of possibilities, intense and not extensive, unites people to an immeasurably greater extent than individuation separates them. Every person joins this unity or basis, which represents a certain universe, regardless of how long he lives, how much or how little he manages to experience in empirical life, what corner of the world kaleidoscope will be revealed to him. The very fact that a given person lived implies not only a temporary, empirically limited form of his being, but also his timeless belonging to the being of the whole, humanity.

... This humanity is a positive spiritual force acting in the world, its unifying principle.
Fertilized by the deep idea of ​​humanity, patriotism as love for the fatherland will naturally be combined with solidarity within the world community. Love for the fatherland and love for humanity, as mutually enriching states of the human spirit, will remove the painful manifestations of national and individual self-consciousness, first of all, weaken the ego and ethnocentrism.
Humanity is the highest state of man, for the formation of which the entire system of education and upbringing, the entire human culture should work. Not everyone can conquer the peak, whose name is "holiness". But to cultivate the desire for this peak in a modern person is more important than to form the ability to adapt to the momentary, plunging into the vanity of vanities.

spiritually A tall man always modern, he is always in demand, he does not adapt to the time, because time for him is not only the present, but also the past and the future.

It is probably not an exaggeration to say that the 21st century opens the era of New Humanism and the New Enlightenment.
The three most important principles - freedom, independence, individualism will be filled with new content.
The principle of independence, it seems, has almost exhausted its positive potential in the history of mankind. He, stimulating the development of individual peoples, elevated both man and mankind to the realization of dependence, both local and global. In the new century, the understanding that independence is relative and dependence absolute will correct relations between peoples, states and individual subjects of material and spiritual activity. The ideas of Russian cosmism, I hope, will enter the system of education and upbringing of the Russian school, and the Russian humanitarian intelligentsia will recognize itself as the heir to the great ideas of Russian thinkers.
The concept of freedom will increasingly be defined through responsibility. The measure of responsibility, presumably, will be the only way to determine the measure of freedom.

Responsibility itself pushes its limits to a cosmic content. N.A. Berdyaev wrote: “The fate of man depends on the fate of nature, the fate of the cosmos, and he cannot separate himself from it. With all his material composition, man is chained to the materiality of nature and shares its fate. And fallen man remains a microcosm and contains all the steps and all the forces of the world. It was not an individual man who fell, but the all-man, the First-Adam, and it is not the individual man who can rise, but the all-man. The All-Man is inseparable from the cosmos and its destiny. The liberation and creative upsurge of man is the liberation and creative upsurge of the cosmos. The fate of the microcosm and the macrocosm are inseparable; together they fall and rise. The state of one is imprinted on the other, mutually they penetrate each other.

Expanding the boundaries of individual responsibility - from responsibility to the family to responsibility to the cosmos, eternity, will require the triumph of the principle of collectivism over individualism.
Thus, humanity will return to eternal moral values, because after all, the main need of a person is not in things, not in money, but in another person. Man first of all spiritual being. He languishes under the weight of envy, rivalry, malevolence, aggression. A person needs another person and relationships built on mutual understanding, mutual respect, mutual assistance, mutual trust. Relationships of love and fellowship. Only such relationships fill life with meaning, relieve loneliness and all its consequences - from unwillingness to live to the search for fellowship in various sects or harsh state regimes.

Is it possible to acquire a truly human meaning of life in the system modern states, even the most liberal and democratic? I think no. And I share the arguments of N.A. Berdyaev in favor of socialism as the future of mankind.
“Socialism is not a utopia, socialism is a harsh reality ... The argument that socialism is not feasible is completely untenable, because it presupposes a moral height that does not correspond to the actual state of people. It would be more accurate to say that socialism will be achieved precisely because the moral level of people is not high enough and the organization of society is needed that would make it impossible for too much oppression of man by man. In a socialist society ... there must be people to whom human dignity, the fullness of their humanity will be restored.
The fact that the system of socialism was defeated in the struggle against the consuming society does not mean the collapse of the ideals of socialism, for these ideals grew out of the humanistic strivings of mankind. Equality, justice, solidarity, brotherhood of peoples, comradeship, friendship - can mankind refuse these principles only because they are difficult to implement? And only because they could not be fully implemented in the socialist countries?

The failure of socialism in our country should not be a reason to bury its ideals, a reason to mock at the holy feeling of love for the Motherland. The years of building socialism were great and tragic years, and there are many achievements that all generations of Russians can be proud of. You just need to separate the wheat from the chaff, the truth from the untruth, the high from the low, the proud from the shameful. And by perceiving the best of the past, to build a more worthy present and future. This is a necessary condition for the unity of the people. No need to look for a golden age. He never was and never will be. At every time there were gains and losses, proud and shameful pages. In Soviet times, there were repressions, and now mothers are selling children. What's scarier? Let's take a deeper look and see how proud nobles traded people, sent them to recruits for the slightest offense, raped courtyard girls. Russia has never been rich either, all the talk about its pre-revolutionary economic successes is a myth and nothing more. I. Solonevich, one of the brightest representatives of the Russian diaspora, writes about this in his work "People's Monarchy":
“The fact of Russia's extreme economic backwardness in comparison with the rest of the cultural world is beyond doubt. Figures for 1912 The per capita national income is 720 rubles in the USA, 500 rubles in England, 300 rubles in Germany, 230 rubles in Italy, and 110 rubles in Russia. Even bread, our main wealth, was scarce. If England consumed per capita 24 poods, Germany - 27 poods, and the USA - 62 poods, then Russian consumption of bread was only 21.6 poods, including cattle feed. Thus, the old émigré songs about Russia as a country in which rivers of champagne flowed on the banks of pressed caviar are a handicrafted fake. Yes, there was champagne and caviar, but for less than one percent of the population.