Patriotism as one of the key values of public consciousness

In this part of the study-guide the authors analyze the literary sources devoted to the problem of the formation of a sense of patriotism as one of the key values of public consciousness; considered the essential foundations of the concept of «patriotism» and its substantive aspects. Separately, the phenomenon of patriotism and its features are considered in the context of the modern development of Kazakhstani society.

The interrelation of the ethnocultural heritage and the continuity of generations is the key to the preservation of the ethnic community. At the present stage of the development of society, the spiritual heritage of the people, its philosophical wisdom are not only sources of creative inspiration for scientists, writers, poets, but also serve to educate the younger generation.

Patriotism, love for a small homeland, as integral elements of people’s consciousness, have educational and didactic functions and play an important role in the formation and development of the national self-consciousness of an individual as a subject of a certain ethnic group.

The task of forming Kazakhstani patriotism is the basis of the national idea of Kazakhstan, the vitality, viability and implementation of which depends on the healthy spirit of the nation, the presence of the spiritual core of society. In the Message N.A. Nazarbayev «Nurly Zhol - the path to the future», the idea of «Mangilik El» as a unifying force of the country, an inexhaustible source of power of Kazakhstan was declared as national idea. The meaning of the expression «Mangilik El» includes the past, the present, and the future.

A special line in this message marked the new Kazakh patriotism. To love the Motherland means to respect, preserve the great heritage of the ancestors, develop and contribute to this heritage in order to pass it on to future generations. The main task of all Kazakhstanis is to strengthen the unity of the country for the benefit of «Mangilik El» [48].

The idea of patriotism at all times has occupied a special place in the mental sphere of society, has a deep theoretical tradition that goes back centuries, starting from antiquity: Platon, Aristotle, Socrates, Cynics. The philosophers of the Enlightenment reflected in their works their views on the state, on the attitude of citizens to the Fatherland. So, for J.-J. Rousseau Motherland is not just a place where a person lives and to which he is attached, «... the Motherland will reveal itself as a common mother of citizens; let the benefits they enjoy in their homeland make it dear to them» [49, p. 124].

K.D. Ushinsky believed that patriotism is not only an important task of education, but also a powerful pedagogical tool: «Just as there is no person without pride, so there is no person without love for the fatherland, and this love gives education, the right key to a person’s heart and a powerful support for fighting against his bad, natural, personal, family and tribal inclinations» [50, p. 56].

To the problem of patriotism and its education the works of modern scientists K. T. Abilgazieva, A. A. Bayserkeev, A. A. Beisembaeva, G. Zh. Dzhumanova, Sh. M. Mukhtarova, E. O. Zhumataeva, A. A. Uyzbaeva, P M. Rogacheva, M. A. Sverdlina, Zh. G. Golotvina, M. N. Rosenko, A. A. Antsiferova are devoted.

The word «patriotism» is of Greek origin: «parties» means «fatherland». The philosophical dictionary gives the following definition of the concept of «patriotism»: «a moral and political principle, a social feeling, the content of which is love for the fatherland, faithfulness to it, pride in its past and present, the desire to protect the interests of the motherland» [51, p. 358].

This concept includes a whole range of feelings: it is love and duty, and pride, and respect. But the main element of the phenomenon under study is still the emotional component (N. A. Berdyaev, D. D. Muretova, P. Struve, E. N. Trubetskoy, A. F. Losev.) or the feeling of love (A. A. Uyzbaeva). The basis of patriotism is the problem of the relationship between personal and public good. The works of the founders of Marxism K. Marx, F. Engels [52] and their followers were the first ones to offer coverage of the concept of «patriotism» in relation to the definition of «internationalism».

The fundamental development of the problem of patriotism and patriotic education, methodological approaches to their study were obtained in the Soviet period (the works of A. G. Agaev, A. I. Ismailov, R. A. Vital, I. F. Anoshkin). Here we note that these studies have still their scientific potential.

In Kazakhstan, the problem of patriotism was considered from different positions. In the Soviet period, it was seen as the main component of the task of building socialism.

Along with the concept of «patriotism», the definitions «internationalism», «Soviet patriotism» were used as synonyms. The interests of socialism and the communist ideology came to the fore. The interests of the individual were deliberately relegated to the background, the individual was primarily the bearer of socialist ideals. In the post-Soviet period, other approaches and criteria began to form towards the main intellectual values of society. The concepts of «patriot», «patriotism», «ideology» were associated with the politics and ideology of the Soviet Union and therefore began to be rethought.

That difficult and ambiguous period in the history of the country is characterized by rejecting from former values and attitudes. Many Kazakh researchers have asked themselves the question of building a new state, in connection with which a new concept of «Kazakhstani patriotism» is being formulated, which is characterized as the most important factor in consolidation of our society at the stage of independence [53].