Patriotism in thomistic ethics

St. Thomas Aquinas did not actually take the subject of patriotism in his deliberations. However, in Summa theologiae he discussed the virtue of piety, which is expressed in love, and estimates love for one’s parents and one’s homeland. Thus, it can be concluded that for Thomas piety is patriotism. In the twentieth century, some followers of Aquinas undertook thoughts about patriotism. Significant studies of this topic are the texts of J.M. Bocheński and J. Woroniecki. In their texts they discuss such issues as: the essence of patriotism, patriotic education, difference between patriotism and chauvinism or nationalism. Woroniecki believed that the family is the first school of patriotism. Bocheński however, while developing the concept of patriotism in Woroniecki’s approach, focuses on the issue of education of a patriotic attitude. For this reason, in the educational process, he takes human powers: intellect, will and senses, into account and gives specific suggestions for their „cultivation”