Cosmopolitanism is called an ideology that considers the inhabitants of the whole world regardless of their nationality, citizenship or involvement in a particular genus. In literal translation from ancient Greek cosmopolitan is a "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, 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 contrast this teaching with patriotism. This ideology does not exclude love for your native people and country. In other words, cosmopolitan is one for whom the public good is the highest measure for evaluation and corresponds to universal interests. A vivid example is the teachings of the Christian religion.
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia gives the following definition to the concept: 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 interpretation of the dictionary on social sciences, cosmopolitanism is an ideology and theory that justifies the rejection of the culture and traditions of its people. 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: cosmopolitan is an independent and free from small-town influence and ambitions person who treats with any preferences and preferences of other people, thus rendering, first of all, respect for the individual, and not national or territorial affiliation. Cosmopolitan in international law is one who does not recognize racial, political, national and other similar privileges. For the adherent of this ideology, humiliation, persecution and infringement of rights in terms of skin color (hair, eyes), religion, mental or physical disabilities, fallacies or beliefs, personal addictions (unless, of course, they negatively affect other people), traditions are unacceptable and hobbies.
Such a person rejects obsolete 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 such a category of adherents of this ideology - warlike cosmopolitans. These people impose their point of view in a rather aggressive manner 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 advocate their priority, but they vehemently uphold the ideas of renouncing everything outdated, in their opinion. As such, the concept of “violent cosmopolitanism” does not exist. Therefore, they often apply and replace it with 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, and the unification of countries.
The history of cosmopolitanism
The most ancient manifestations of this trend can be seen in the non-violent union of clans, tribes and communities. This was carried out on the basis of religious, economic, geographical, ideological signs for survival in an aggressive environment of the outside world. This was a kind of opposition to the fraudulent formation of principalities, states and empires. The first historical figure to declare himself a cosmopolitan was Diogenes. He promoted the ideas of the prevalence of personal interests over state ones. It should be noted that this was facilitated by the decline of Greek cities, which led to the denial of the ideas of small-town patriotism in society. People, perceived as citizens of their city, with the loss of importance and independence of individual cities, began to classify themselves as citizens of the whole world. This ideology was developed by the Stoics, but was previously voiced by the Cynics (by the same Diogenes). In stoic philosophy, cosmopolitan is a citizen of an integral world state.
A real tangible expression of cosmopolitanism was in the theocratic politics of the Pope, as well as in the idea of ​​creating a worldwide monarchy. Although it was far from perfect. Also in the era of Enlightenment and Renaissance, this ideology was directed against fragmented feudalism and encouraged individual freedom. Cosmopolitan (the meaning of the word) 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 the formation of an integral planetary civilization. Putting the rights and interests of an individual above state ones, cosmopolitans do not connect the concept of Homeland with the state system or political 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 particular country should not sacrifice something for the interests of the state.
The rootless cosmopolitan
This is the man who lost his homeland, often not of his own free will. For the first time this expression appeared in the 40s of the last century. They applied it mainly to intellectuals who expressed "anti-patriotic ideas," according to the leadership of the USSR.