Can you be seen as being "patriotic" ; if you support one political party no matter what they do to the country as a whole?

I was brought up to see myself as a 'citizen of the world'. I love many things about my country (England) but none of them is connected to the politicians who have ruined both it & Great Britain as a whole.

I don’t trust Labour, promise everything deliver nothing, borrow up to the hilt and put money in obscure causes, but so disappointed with Tories, in particular Liz Truss, the damage she did in a few weeks (and she gets a pension) is a disgrace, that is the reason we are in such a financial mess. She should not be allowed to get away with it and certainly doesn’t deserve a pension, that should be removed. She didn’t act in this countries best interest quite the reverse.

nanna8

You can strongly disagree with the politics in your country but still love your country with a passion. Politics isn’t the people, just a bunch of people who are supposed to , but don’t, represent the people.

Absolutely agree.
After all, politicians come and go but my county will always be my county, nothing can change that.

DaisyAnneReturns The question is, who decides that harm is being done. Everything is a matter if opinion. Someone can dee that the party they support has a policy that is clearly going to cause problems, but argue, with complete justification, on their part that the other party's policy is even more damaging.

Alternatively they may disagree with their party on one policy but be happy that the rest of their policies are good and on balance less harm will be done if they continue voting for them, than let the alternative party in.

As i said it is a matter of opinion and just because you support one party and think with very cogent reasons that the other party's policy will be disastrous for the country, they think the same of your party, and while you think all your arguments against the other party prove how dreadful their policies are , they think exactly the same of your party and your argumenys.

It is all a matter of opinion.

In my head patriotism is separate to politics. It’s about a sense of belonging to your county, with its specific traditions, customs and values, its uniqueness. Cymru am byth!

Poor government erodes the economy, and our sense of well-being, but it’s transitory. I’m not slavishly devoted to a party, because it only takes a change of leader and direction to move away from my own beliefs, but I could never espouse Tory values.

I don’t see patriotism as linked to politics. In fact, doing so can lead to extremism, to parties like UKIP and Britain First, who do not represent me, or the majority.
I feel connected to my English history, identify as English before British despite having Scot’s, Welsh and Irish in my DNA (and Northern European). I’m not a royalist but I enjoy the rituals and seeing all the kings horses and men.

I could never vote Tory, my northern roots and experience especially of the past 12 years rule that out.

Patriotism has some to do with which party is in power, but not all. Neither of the two mainstream choices fill me with any hope. Nathan 1997 claims " there are 4 main components, a special affection towards one country, defining yourself through his or her country, being interested in counrys welfare, and sacrificing for the sake of same,." The main parties are globalist, and will sacrifice us to meet those ends. I despair.

I feel very fortunate to have been British but I'm not sure I am particularly patriotic and I certainly don't see a link between patriotism and political parties. tbh I am sickened by some of the things that have been done in my name by democratically elected governments. I will of course, do my duty as a member of British society eg pay my taxes, respect the law, vote in elections and if necessary, fight to protect our right to exist as a self governing country Nothing to do with Brexit I might add but that is nothing really to do with "Patriotism" per se. I don't think political parties can claim to be patriotic either. They live or die by creating divisions in society, not by healing them, short term policies designed to keep them in power rather than to do the best for society as a whole. Gosh I've become very cynical!

It depends what you mean by 'patriotic'. I want the best for my country and its people though that will mean different things to different people. I support Scotland at rugby and - thanks to my English sons - England at cricket. In many ways, I'm a patriotic Scot, and a patriotic Brit, but can see many shades of right and wrong in both.

Casdon

In my head patriotism is separate to politics. It’s about a sense of belonging to your county, with its specific traditions, customs and values, its uniqueness. Cymru am byth!

Poor government erodes the economy, and our sense of well-being, but it’s transitory. I’m not slavishly devoted to a party, because it only takes a change of leader and direction to move away from my own beliefs, but I could never espouse Tory values.

I started to write on those lines yesterday Casdon.

I would have said that I think, and I'm encouraged by what I read here to think, that patriotism is to do with country not politics and parties.

But if that is the case we really ought to be very wary of parties who try to userp it.

I have always felt Scottish but not in a Scots Nat way. More that I identify with the country and its people and customs (mainly)

I am not that sure what patriotism is apart from supporting the right team an having a preference for the physical attributes of the country I live in. Many people of different nationalities, born and brought up here, feel alien in what might be defined as their 'own' country. The same applies to expats who have lived most of their lives in another country. and then come back to the UK.

Patriotism -v- politics.
We were friendly with a German woman whose family loved Germany but despised Hitler, as did so many.

I’m not sure that patriotism means the same thing to everybody. Some people who have been born overseas fully embrace their new country, learn the language and customs, are proud to be part of their new country and make it their home in every sense of the word. Some don’t. Some expats are fiercely patriotic to their original country even generations after their family have moved overseas, some aren’t. Perhaps it’s more about the person. Perhaps it’s about how nationhood is instilled in you in your youth. All I know is that I’ve never met a Welsh person, anywhere in the world who isn’t patriotic - and it’s not about the government at all, although it is about the rugby, the singing, and the hiraeth.

I feel patriotic in the sense that I love the landscape, many of our traditions, the tolerance of people. But I am also ashamed of the way our political system (first past the post) produces built-in division. I'd feel more patriotic if we had proportional representation. And if the house of Lords could be abolished and replaced by an elected body.