Patriotism as an Incentive to Warfare - A Philosophical and Political Argument

Sep 21, 2026

Patriotism as an Incentive to Warfare argues that patriotism—while sometimes treated as a virtue—can become morally distorted when tied to hatred, prejudice, and the doctrine that force is justified. The text challenges the social acceptance of war by portraying “legitimate warfare” as an official respectability granted to murder. It contrasts love of the homeland within a social contract with a patriotism that runs riot, disuniting citizens of the world.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

Patriotism as an Incentive to Warfare

Opening challenge to patriotism

Patriotism as justification for war

Moral roots: selfishness vs civic unity

Patriotism without a social contract

97-84029-24Moscheles,Felix Patriotism as an incentiveto warfare London [189-?] # COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIESPRESERVATION DIVISIONBIBLIOGRAPHIC MICROFORM TARGET ORIGINAL MATERIAL AS FILMED-EXISTING BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD RESTRICTIONS ON USE:Roproduclons may no be mado wthoutpermslon trom Coumbia UnversltyLbraries TECHNICAL MICROFORM DATA FILM SIZE: 35mm REDUCTION RATIO: 11:1 IMAGE PLACEMENT:IAIIA)IB IIB INITIALS: Ms DATE FILMED: 2-27-97 TBACKING进： 2201 FILMED BY PRESERVATION RESOURCES,BETHLEHEM,PA. 100 | PATRIOTISM AS AN INCENTIVE
TO WARFARE.
FELIX MOSCHELES.
LONDON:
HODDER AND STOUGHTON,27,PATERNOSTER ROW.
己 | | --- | Price 2%reepence. 边.. # PATRIOTISM AS AN INCENTIVETO WARFARE. nT FELIX MoSCHELES, We heeitate as we pen the words that stand at the headof these pages.Do they at a glance give an adequatoidea of the bill of indictment we would prefer againstpatriotism?Do they imply that love of the fatherlandseems to have become practically inseparable,in modernlife,from eovetousness of the neighbourland?Do theyassert that patriotism,in its essence a virtue,has beenstrained and twisted,until it has自sumed the shape of aviee—that it has licensed bloodshed and sanctioned war-fare?Legitimate warfare,we call it,thus compla-cently investing the aet of murder with the official stampof re8pectability.The end,we seem to say,justifies themeans,and so patriotism justifies the slaughter of humanbeings by the collective violence of the whole community.And if we rise to shake off the yoke of prejudice,toBcatter the mists that obscure and confuse our betterjudgment,we are denounced and held up to reprobationas unnanly and unpatriotic,as cowards and traitors,That large masses of people,unaccuatomed to the inve-tigation of social probleme,should simply acquiesce inbellicose traditions,as handed down to them from theirforefathere,is not surprising;but it is depressing to findBome of the mos eloquent and influential leaders of publieopinion making themselves the mouthpiece of the anti-8ocial doctrines that still enslave tus.Such,for instance, 一※ ※ | | | --- | | 2 | | is the ca80of the grent German strgtegist.who raises his
powerfu!roice to glorifrwarfre. Not eontent with enln
gisinga progress that has made the art of warpositivel
fascinating,a derelopment of resources allowing us ta
deal out destruetion to one another scientifically,and to
plan and carrv out wholesale slaughter by a procees of
subtle calculations.be must fnintellu“Everlasting Deace
isadream,and thatnot a beantifulone.and warisalink
in the scheme of God's creation."*Another time it is our
English Poet Laureate who crushes our prosaie aspira
tions for peace,with the mighty language of his poetiral | | | | | | | | | | | | | | inspirations.Hesings a"patriotie mong."reminding u
ofancestral prowe,and inviting u in our own time to
vainglorious self-nssertion1- | | “Wasilnd wbererershipcould sall一
We founded many a mighty Stafe;
Pray God our greatnes8may not fail
Tbrough erven fear of bng rest. | | Thenwe faney we henr the exeited enthusiasts join in
the chorus一 | | “Hands all round,Cod the traiton'hope oonfound.” | | In spite of thi tremendon denunciation.we.humhl
claiminr our place in the ranks of the traitors.make bold
to cballenge the wisdom of ch prowocatire ntterances.
We have strong convirtion that our golden dream⁸of
penee will not be visited byDivine wrath.and we will
attempt to give exDression to the“traitors³hone”fear
lesof that annihilation which the Doet ealla dorn unon
our devotedhead. Let us e what mny be anidon th
opposite side of thie Berions guestion,that is.onthecon-
Comitant evil of the patriotig

FAQs

What does the author question at the start of the text?

The author questions whether patriotism has become inseparable from selfishness and whether it has been twisted into permission for bloodshed and warfare.

How does the text interpret “legitimate warfare”?

It criticizes the idea of legitimate warfare as investing murder with respectability, using patriotic justification to make slaughter appear warranted.

What solution does the text call for regarding patriotism?

It urges readers to challenge prejudice and reflect on the civic responsibility behind a healthy patriotism, rather than one fueled by hatred and distorted by appeals to the right of the strongest.

Sep 21, 2026

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