PATRIOTISM AS SOCIAL REALITY OF BELARUSIAN SOCIETY (SOCIOLOGICAL DIMENSION)

The article explores one of the most significant human values, i.e. patriotism, from the viewpoint of the Belarusian tradition of patriotism, practice of patriotism, modern problems and evolution prospects; it proposes theoretical and scientific basis for patriotism as social reality, identifies stages of genesis and comprehension, and the place of patriotism in the civilizational paradigm of Belarusian society, and sets socio-philosophical, spiritual and moral imperatives. Within the framework of the civilizational code of Belarusian society and based on the analysis of the state and development trends of patriotic consciousness in a nation state, the article identifies main approaches to understanding the most important factors and priorities in the patriotic education policies and ensuring security of the Republic of Belarus, as new risks, challenges and threats to its security have emerged. For Belarus, patriotism becomes the most important factor in ensuring independence and identity, virtue and prosperity, security and domestic political stability, strength and power. Patriotism as a system of fundamental values and ideas, goals and interests of society determines the unity of value orientations for both an individual and the state as a whole, and integrates multiple meanings of various social, confessional, ethnic and other groups as social reality. Loosing patriotic qualities and values leads to loosing national identity and uniqueness, the meaning and purpose of the state development, and justice and morality in the state. 

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