Cosmopolitanism is an ideology that considers the inhabitants of the whole world, regardless of their nationality, citizenship or involvement in a particular family. In a literal translation from ancient Greek, cosmopolitan is "citizen of the world." Also, this concept has other interpretations, depending on the political orientation, time. Some of them contradict each other, but we will consider each separately.
Cosmopolitan is…
According to the dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron, a cosmopolitan is a person who shares the idea of the Fatherland on the whole Earth. The basis is the consciousness of the unification of all mankind and the solidarity of the interests of individual countries and peoples as components of a single human race. It is wrong to oppose this teaching to patriotism. This ideology does not exclude love for one's own people and country. In other words, a cosmopolitan is one for whom the public good isthe highest standard for evaluation and corresponds to the universal interests. A striking example is the teachings of the Christian religion.
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia gives the following definition of the concept: a cosmopolitan is a person who denies national and state sovereignty, renounces national and cultural heritage, traditions, and patriotism. TSB calls this ideology reactionary and bourgeois. According to the social sciences dictionary, cosmopolitanism is an ideology and theory that justifies the rejection of the culture and traditions of one's people. A cosmopolitan is one who denies state isolation in the name of the unity of the entire human people.
Modern definition of the concept
Currently, the following interpretation is generally accepted: a cosmopolitan is an independent person, free from local influence and ambitions, who is sympathetic to any passions and preferences of other people, thus respecting the individual, and not the national or territorial accessories. A cosmopolitan in international law is one who does not recognize racial, political, national and other similar privileges. For an adherent of this ideology, humiliation, persecution and infringement of rights based on skin color (hair, eyes), religion, mental or physical disabilities, delusions or beliefs, personal preferences (unless, of course, they have a negative impact on other people), traditions and hobbies.
Such a person rejects outdated traditions, but accepts new, more progressive and convenient ones, while not imposing his opinion. Basically, cosmopolitanism manifests itself in a society with different cultural traditions or with pronounced features of separation from an obsolete heritage.
Neo-Nazism and cosmopolitanism
However, there is also such a category of adherents of this ideology - militant cosmopolitans. These people impose their point of view in a rather aggressive way on those who, in their opinion, are not civilized enough, are influenced by national traditions, the idea of statehood and racial theories. They do not promote their priority, but vehemently defend the ideas of renunciation of everything that is outdated, in their opinion. As such, the concept of "violent cosmopolitanism" does not exist. Therefore, it is often used and replaced by the concept of "neo-Nazism".
One form of cosmopolitanism is the globalization of intellectual property and business. It also implies the availability of information for every person anywhere in the world, free residence and movement, the unification of countries.
The history of the emergence of cosmopolitanism
The most ancient manifestations of this current can be seen in the non-violent association of clans, tribes and communities. This was carried out on the basis of religious, economic, geographical, ideological signs for survival in the aggressive environment of the outside world. This was a kind of opposition to the deceitful formation of principalities,states and empires. Diogenes was the first historical figure to declare himself a cosmopolitan. He promoted the idea of the prevalence of personal interests over the state. It should be noted that this was facilitated by the decline of Greek cities, which led to the rejection of the ideas of small-town patriotism in society. People who are perceived as citizens of their city, with the loss of the significance and independence of individual cities, began to refer to themselves as citizens of the whole world. This ideology was developed by the Stoics, but was previously voiced by the Cynics (the same Diogenes). In Stoic philosophy, a cosmopolitan is a citizen of an integral world state.
The real tangible expression of cosmopolitanism was in the theocratic politics of the Pope, as well as in the idea of creating a world monarchy. Although it was far from perfect. Also during the Enlightenment and Renaissance, this ideology was directed against fragmented feudalism and encouraged the freedom of the individual. Cosmopolitan (word meaning) has been used as a concept since the 18th century.
Patriotism and cosmopolitanism
Some adherents of this theory refuse patriotic sentiments in relation to the country, replacing them with similar ones in relation to the whole world. The main idea, the slogan is the unity of all people. According to cosmopolitans, at this stage, humanity has entered the phase of formation of an integral planetary civilization. Putting the rights and interests of the individual above the state, cosmopolitans do not associate the concept of the Motherland with the foundations of the state orpolitical regime. According to this ideology, the state as an apparatus of power should serve the protection and interests of its citizens, and not vice versa. In other words, the population of a single country should not sacrifice anything for the interests of the state.
Rootless cosmopolitan
This is the man who lost his homeland, often not of his own free will. This expression first appeared in the 40s of the last century. It was applied mainly to intellectuals who expressed "anti-patriotic ideas", according to the leadership of the USSR.
