Karol Libelt versus Kazimierz Twardowski
Karol Libelt Versus Kazimierz Twardowski

On Two Concepts of Patriotism

Author(s): Krzysztof Brzechczyn
Subject(s): Philosophy, Political Philosophy
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: Karol Libelt; Kazimierz Twardowski; national philosophy; nation; patriotism; Romanticism; Warsaw–Lviv School; national consciousness
Summary/Abstract: The paper aims to compare two concepts of patriotism, the first one authored by Karol Libelt (1807–1875), the second one - by Kazimierz Twardowski (1866–1938). In the first chapter the short biographies of both philosophers are presented. In the second chapter Libelt’s concept of patriotism is reconstructed. Poznań philosopher characterizes the notion of the love for country by the three triads: material, spiritual and ideological. The material dimension includes sentiment for the place of birth, and political and economic system. The spiritual dimension includes customs, language and culture, especially literature. The ideological dimension includes the institution of state, church and historical consciousness. The state in Libelt’s thought is an institution that merges material and spiritual dimension of a nation and is a basis for its political existence. In the third chapter Twardowski’s approach to patriotism is interpreted. According to him, patriotism begins with the love of one’s local neighborhood. In the next phase – owing to influence of family and school – this feeling includes wider social wholes – a country and a nation. In this process the role of language as a means of communication is very important. Finally, the abstract notion of Poland is discussed. According to Twardowski, spreading the patriotic attitudes should lead to democratization of the society, social equality and solidarity. Finally, in the fourth chapter, Libelt and Twardowski’s approaches are compared.

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