Most and least patriotic countries? (movies, school, living in)

[Trimac20]

In your estimation/experience, citizens of which countries seem very patriotic, and which don't seem to make a big deal out of it? I haven't visited that many countries, so some of this is based on people I've met. Also some are patriotic in some ways (sport) but not so much in other ways.

Most patriotic:

United States
Australia
China
Japan
South Korea
Vietnam
Thailand
Republic of Ireland
Italy
Greece
Scotland (yes part of the UK)

Least patriotic:

Canada
Germany
France
Sweden

I've heard conflicting things about England. I always thought the English were very proud, but maybe the younger generation have lost that pride of the Empire. I hear it's frowned upon to even fly the Cross of St. George, as opposed to the Union Jack, because it has associations with racist political groups! How they let them hi-jack the flag I don't know.

[SophieLL]

Most patriotic:

USA, withouth a doubt


Least patriotic:
I really dont know how it is in those european countries you mentioned, but i bet ARGENTINA is one of the less patriotic countries ever. Except for futbol fanatism (wich is HUGE, but its futbol -i mean soccer, of course) Argentinians love to criticize their country. All the time, for ever, with every goverment, you will find the argentinians talking their country down and admiring/loving other countries. It is a mistery, cause this country isnt really that bad, but i think it is a cultural thing. We just learned to complain.

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by SophieLL

Most patriotic:

USA, withouth a doubt


Least patriotic:
I really dont know how it is in those european countries you mentioned, but i bet ARGENTINA is one of the less patriotic countries ever. Except for futbol fanatism (wich is HUGE, but its futbol -i mean soccer, of course) Argentinians love to criticize their country. All the time, for ever, with every goverment, you will find the argentinians talking their country down and admiring/loving other countries. It is a mistery, cause this country isnt really that bad, but i think it is a cultural thing. We just learned to complain.

I've heard Argentinians think their country is superior to the rest of South America because it's more European but you can never believe everything you read. Maybe they think Europe is superior?

[SophieLL]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

I've heard Argentinians think their country is superior to the rest of South America because it's more European but you can never believe everything you read. Maybe they think Europe is superior?

Argentinians have quite a reputation among southamericans. But in my opinion it is more their thing than our thing. I will give you examples with Uruguay and Brasil: here we love Uruguayos, we consider them our brothers, since they are very similar to us (in a lot of aspects, but mostly culturally, argentina and uruguay are almost identical) and we always talk good about uruguay and uruguayans. But I learned by talking to some Uruguayos that is a popular thing there to talk bad about argentinians, and to say bad things behind our back. This may be for historical reasons and what they ve been taughted in school (uruguay use to be a part of argentina), but it shocked me when i learned it.

And Brasil, well, they are brasilians, everyone loves them! And then you learned the rivalry is more of their part than on ours. I read A LOT of brasilians talking bad about argentinians in this forums, and it also shocked me. I can assure you here we love Brasilians.


My point is i think a lot of countries dont like argentinians (for a variety of reasons that i could analize in other posts) but argentinains usually like other countries. Specially europeans, yeah, cause argentinians idiosincracy was built over a bunch of snob thinkers that thought europe was the ideal place on earth.

[Davy-040]

Russia, Croatia, Serbia, Turkey...

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

In your estimation/experience, citizens of which countries seem very patriotic, and which don't seem to make a big deal out of it? I haven't visited that many countries, so some of this is based on people I've met. Also some are patriotic in some ways (sport) but not so much in other ways.

Most patriotic:

United States
Australia
China
Japan
South Korea
Vietnam
Thailand
Republic of Ireland
Italy
Greece
Scotland (yes part of the UK)

Least patriotic:

Canada
Germany
France
Sweden

I've heard conflicting things about England. I always thought the English were very proud, but maybe the younger generation have lost that pride of the Empire. I hear it's frowned upon to even fly the Cross of St. George, as opposed to the Union Jack, because it has associations with racist political groups! How they let them hi-jack the flag I don't know.

Canadians are super patriotic. They travel with flags on their back, and half of their conversations while abroad are about Canada. They absolutely eat up anti-Americanism coming from the United States, and devour it as ways to boast about the virtues of being Canadian.

I find Americans to be about half and half. There is the patriotic kind that serves in the military, votes Republican, etc.

Than there are the other half of Americans who constantly challenges their government, their system, and floods the entire world markets with movies, books, documentaries, academia, etc. with their questioning their own country on just about every aspect. Probably 95% of the anti-american books and movies out there are written and made by Americans. The other 5% are just referencing the 95% made by Americans.

Also, as a person who has lived over a decade in Japan and South Korea. Koreans are super patriotic to the extreme. Japanese are not at all. Japanese are some of the most modest, polite, well-traveled, least nationalistic people. Maybe in 1940 they deserved that reputation, but not in 2012. I heard more patriotic things in one day in Korea, than I have heard while living in Japan the last four years.

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by Tiger Beer

Canadians are super patriotic. They travel with flags on their back, and half of their conversations while abroad are about Canada. They absolutely eat up anti-Americanism coming from the United States, and devour it as ways to boast about the virtues of being Canadian.

I find Americans to be about half and half. There is the patriotic kind that serves in the military, votes Republican, etc.

Than there are the other half of Americans who constantly challenges their government, their system, and floods the entire world markets with movies, books, documentaries, academia, etc. with their questioning their own country on just about every aspect. Probably 95% of the anti-american books and movies out there are written and made by Americans. The other 5% are just referencing the 95% made by Americans.

Also, as a person who has lived over a decade in Japan and South Korea. Koreans are super patriotic to the extreme. Japanese are not at all. Japanese are some of the most modest, polite, well-traveled, least nationalistic people. Maybe in 1940 they deserved that reputation, but not in 2012. I heard more patriotic things in one day in Korea, than I have heard while living in Japan the last four years.

Interesting, one gets the idea Japan is super-nationalistic, and I've heard the criticism that they think they are superior to other Asians, are racist etc. I know Koreans have always been a proud tribe.

I guess what you say about Canadians is true. In many ways they are patriotic. Alot of their patriotism/identity is spurred by a need to distinguish themselves from Uncle Sam. My Canadian friend seems to suggest many of them 'forget' they are Canadian. And yeah a lot of Americans actually aren't all that patriotic. Those that are are super patriotic. I think a fair number of younger Aussies aren't all that patriotic, but again the majority who are are very vocally patriotic. They will loudly proclaim Australia is the best country on earth.

[LindavG]

Most patriotic:

- USA
- Turkey
- Serbia
- Russia
- North & South Korea
- Italy

Least patriotic:

- Netherlands
- Germany
- Scandinavia
- Brazil

Belgium is somewhat in between, because I wouldn't describe them as patriotic (many would even prefer to have the country split up) but they do tend to feel superior to their neighbouring countries (Netherlands, France, Germany). It is very common to hear condescending remarks and negative stereotypes about those countries in Belgium (Dutch people are greedy, French are arrogant, Germans are nazis, etc.). So in a way, they are patriotic by distinguishing themselves from their neighbours (Belgians are less greedy, less arrogant, less racist, etc. by default). But I wouldn't say they are among the most patriotic countries either.

[Manolón]

In Europe, the least patriotic countries were the ones that suffered Nationalistic dictatorships, but things are changing. For example, in Spain you see a lot of flag waving lately mostly related with football. A new development here, a few years ago, the Spanish flag was synonimous of Franco.

[Trimac20]

I was very surprised to learn Belgium had a royal family. I always thought they were a bastion of republicanism, like France or Switzerland.