An undoubted sign of education is the ability to use complex words of foreign origin appropriately.
One of these words is the definition of “chauvinism” regarding the position of a person, political party or public organization. Do you know what this word means and in what cases it is used? If not, let's figure it out together.
Origin of the word "chauvinism"
Word "chauvinism", unlike most similar terms, did not come from Latin or Greek words, but from the surname of a simple French soldier, Nicolas Chauvin. He was an honored veteran of Napoleonic army, infinitely devoted to his emperor even after his deposition, exile and death.
Chauvin zealously defended Napoleon and his activities, extolling the “Invincible Army” and the French nation, placing them above other armies and nations. Because of this, the old soldier served as the prototype for several characters in plays staged in Parisian theaters. The image turned out to be so recognizable and characteristic that the name Chauvin very quickly became a household name.
Modern meaning of the word
Today, the word “chauvinism” refers to the unrestrained praise of any one nation or group of people, its exaltation over other nations or groups. As a rule, the chauvinist himself belongs to the very nationality or group that he praises.
The chauvinist believes that it is his nation that is worthy of all praise and honors, and is also called upon to lead other nations, which should only be grateful to it for this, since they themselves are incapable of self-government.
Of course, such views do not contribute to peace and mutual understanding between people of different nationalities, so chauvinists rarely get the opportunity to express their point of view in public places. Some people confuse chauvinism with patriotism, but no patriot will praise his people at the expense of humiliating other peoples and nationalities.
What is chauvinism?
In every people and every nation there are individuals and even political movements based on chauvinism. They are generally not successful and are not supported by most people. If a party or social movement of a chauvinist direction gains popularity, the consequence of this is such terrible things as war and genocide.
A manifestation of extreme chauvinism was Hitler's power in Germany in the 30s and 40s of the 20th century. In Britain, the chauvinistic worldview gained popularity in the 70s of the 19th century and was called jingoism. In Russia, the definition of “great power chauvinism” was introduced into political terminology by V.I. Lenin, contrasting it with proletarian internationalism.
At the beginning of the twentieth century, representatives of the feminist movement began to use the word “chauvinists” to describe men, arguing that male chauvinism is present in the overwhelming majority of family traditions and customs.
Indeed, at that time a woman was deprived of voting rights, often did not have the right to dispose of her property without the permission of a man, and could not go to study or go to work if her husband, father or brother was against it. Today, male chauvinism remains predominantly in Muslim countries.
The causes of chauvinism
Chauvinism as a political position became widespread in Europe in the 19th century. This was a period of people's awareness of their unity and the role of the nation in history. For many centuries before this, the actors on the stage of history were individual representatives of the highest nobility - kings, emperors, dukes, etc.
The people were relegated to the role of background, sometimes “cannon fodder”, from whom no one asked consent to start or end a war, unify countries, etc. After the French Revolution, representatives of many nations gradually began to understand the power of unification along national lines.
Sometimes this understanding took on an exaggerated form of chauvinism and led to sad results. It took humanity to survive two world wars and witness the horrors of Nazism to understand the benefits of internationalism and cultural tolerance.
Chauvinism as a personality quality is a tendency to be an adherent of the ideology and politics of an extreme form of militant nationalism, preaching the national and racial exclusivity of one people, hatred and contempt for other peoples and inciting national and racial enmity.
A Chukchi, a nationalist and a chauvinist are walking along the shore... The usual layout is a bottle, a removed cork, a genie - and one wish for each. - I want the rivers of my Chukotka to be teeming with fish! - says the Chukchi. Genie: - Ready, they're already swarming... Ukrainian nationalist: - There are so many zombies around Nenko-Ukraine that not a single Muscovite can sneak in! - Done, there is a wall around Ukraine... Chauvinist: - Is this wall strong? Genie: - Very durable... - And thick? - 50 meters... - And high? - 100 meters... - It'll do... Fill it with water to the brim!
A chauvinist is a person who constantly displays extremely heightened national exaltation. He is distinguished by a radical worldview, professing superiority in some area, as a rule, in the national sphere, of his nation over other peoples. He exalts and praises his own so much that it is pointless to have any conversations with him. Akin to a fanatic, a chauvinist does not accept any reasons or arguments.
The word "chauvinism" owes its origin to the French soldier Nicolas Chauvin. In the article “Chauvinism,” Pierre Larousse writes: “This old warrior invariably showed such innocence and such immoderation in expressing his feelings that his comrades eventually began to laugh at him. Gradually, Chauvin became famous not only among the military, but also among the civilian population, and the word “chauvinism” began to be used whenever it came to the worship of Napoleon and, in general, about any immoderate expressions of feelings, especially in the political sphere.”
Writer Jules Claretie says: “After retiring, Chauvin returned to Rochefort and became a gatekeeper at the prefecture. During Napoleon's short stay in Rochefort before sailing to St. Helena, Chauvin did not for a minute leave the door of the room where his master rested. The departure of the Emperor and the return of the Bourbons with their white flag brought the old soldier into a state of extreme excitement. He took the old tricolor banner to his home, laid it on the bed instead of a sheet and grumbled: “I’ll die here”; he kept his word.”
Chauvinists consider themselves more perfect than other people. The fingerprints of chauvinism are superiority over other people. A chauvinist does not consider himself a chauvinist. On the contrary, he accuses others of chauvinism and becomes a passionate fighter against the rabid nationalism of his opponents. This feature was noticed by V.I. Lenin. In an article about German and non-German chauvinism, he writes: “One of the signs of German chauvinism is that “socialists” - socialists in quotation marks - talk about the independence of other peoples other than those oppressed by their own nation... The root of the falsehood of the German chauvinists lies in the fact that, while shouting about their sympathy for the independence of peoples oppressed by their military enemy, England, they modestly - even sometimes too modestly - remain silent about the independence of peoples oppressed their own nation."
Chauvinism is characterized by militant preaching of national exclusivity, the spread of national arrogance, national egoism, the dominant superiority of one nation over others, attempts to make them dependent (great-power chauvinism), and to deprive them of sovereignty.
Chauvinism manifests itself in the propaganda of racism in the policy of colonialism, the opposition and separation of different nationalities, the persecution of ethnic minorities, the commission of genocide against entire peoples, etc. The term “chauvinism” refers to various manifestations of national extremism.
Timofey Pecherin writes: “A typical chauvinist, sometimes unconsciously, refuses the Ten Commandments - preferring to make do with just three: 1. Your own means better. 2. He who is not with us is against us. 3. They don’t talk to enemies (they don’t argue, they don’t prove they’re right). Regarding the third commandment, however, I must make a small clarification. A chauvinist is also not inclined to prove anything to his like-minded people. True, he is not inclined for another reason: he believes that proving something to “his own people” is a waste of time. No one undertakes to specifically substantiate such well-known truths as the intoxicating properties of alcohol or the taste of pickled cucumber. Moreover, from the point of view of a true chauvinist, loyalty and doubt are incompatible. Accordingly, a doubting ally immediately falls into the category of “enemies.” And then the third commandment begins to apply to him...
National-racial-state chauvinist. This is a classic type of chauvinist. He considers his country “the most beautiful in the world” (and worthy of envy), his people as “great” (“unique” and even “God’s chosen”), and his race as the only complete one. In milder forms, chauvinism of this variety is manifested in statements such as: “Russia has the best missiles,” “Italy has the most formidable mafia,” “in America all citizens have equal opportunities,” or “Gobo-Mbobo island has the wisest customs.” Some people believe that the best cure for national chauvinism is traveling abroad. However, judging by the behavior of “Russo tourists”, for example, in Turkey, treating a chauvinist in this way is not much more effective than feeding a wolf with meat.
Chauvinism is narcissism at the state level. A chauvinist is extremely discouraged if his people are not shown due attention. He wants other nations to think only about how to solve the pressing problems of his people. He is unaware that every nation thinks, first of all, about its own interests. Interest in his people can be aroused if others have reason for it, if there is some benefit. It is absurd to expect constant admiration from other peoples. A chauvinist seriously shows dissatisfaction with other nations if he discovers facts that his people are not loved. He does not ask himself the question, why on earth should they love your people. Why does an Arab need Arbat?
Surprisingly, the chauvinist does not know his people. Like an idealist, he has created in his fevered imagination some false, illusory ideas about him and, with the persistence of a fanatic, is trying to make his vision accessible to the masses. The phantasmagoric features attributed to the people by their desecrated consciousness distort the true picture and only harm them. Established cliches, false stereotypes and templates appear in the public consciousness.
Having covered quite widely the shortcomings of other peoples, he often cannot see the merits in his own people. Negativism plays a cruel joke on him. Ultimately, he becomes the eternal accuser of the entire planet. By judging others, chauvinists, if there are enough of them, attract the bad fate of other countries to themselves.
Petr Kovalev 2014
A chauvinist is a person who supports the aggressive ideology of nationalism. Followers of the ideology believe that a person’s personality not only does not rise above the nation, it will not be formed at all outside the nation.
Who is a chauvinist: definition
According to the dictionary, this word means an active, aggressive person. Its target topicality is determined entirely by the social dominant ideology, permeated and changing the entire semantic basis of nationalism. In modern Russian, for example, the meaning of the word “chauvinist” is brightly colored by contemptuous or even negative expression.
Story
In fact, back in the mid-19th century, the word itself was unusual. And the definition could only be found in the dictionaries of the radical intelligentsia. A commander named Chauvinet served Napoleon. He argued that everything important in the world is exclusively French.
From that moment on, the concept of “chauvinism” became a household word. The idea of human rights was proposed by the Freemasons and turned out to be very promising, but it cannot be said that today it is the ultimate truth. It requires development: it is enough just to add the responsibilities of the individual and the nation to the rights. Previously, those who considered rights absolute asserted the primacy of the individual over society and over the entire nation.
Chauvinism and nationalism
First of all, nationalism is a completely natural pride in one’s nation and devotion to one’s people.
This feeling refers to the subjective feeling of a person. Without it, no nation can survive. Previously, Russian liberals constantly tried to eradicate this feeling. It should not be confused with patriotism, which is actually a hoax, since patriotism is just healthy nationalism. Conservatives would say: “Let a Russian be proud of his nation, let a Chechen be proud of his nation, let a Jew be proud of his nation.” Liberals would argue that nationalism and chauvinism are one whole.
What exactly is chauvinism? A chauvinist is a person who despises other nations. There is his nation, but he does not want to tolerate others. Everything he does is only for the glory of his nation.
Signs
Firstly, a chauvinist is a passionate fighter against chauvinism, blaming everyone for it except himself and the people. He does this with obvious naivety, unconsciously and always.
Secondly, such a person believes that he himself is freed from nationalist prejudice, which is undoubtedly absurd. The Russian chauvinist shows this especially often. If this is truly a prejudice, it is not subject to conscious control. It makes no sense to fight the sexual instinct, but the biological behavior of the same Chikatilo and a respectable resident is very different in its consequences for those around him. The difference is frighteningly small.
Fourthly - characteristics of temperament. Communication between peoples is unemotional and vaguely reminiscent of a sleepy market on a calm border. There are no celebrations of life or moments of truth here. There is no admiration or hatred visible here. This is just the curiosity of a tourist who is bored.
Male chauvinist
Male chauvinism can be called the most common form of sexism (a social stereotype, belief or belief that asserts and is confident in the superiority of one sex over the other, thereby justifying social inequality between women and men).
If a person has settled on a low level of spirituality, the typical characteristics that he develops, regardless of his “feminine” or “male” character, will also remain at a low level. If this is a man, he is characterized by brutality, rudeness, aggressiveness and toughness. And if a woman - weakness, capriciousness, touchiness. At the very first stages of spiritual female and male development, both sexes are characterized by differences in character that are quite pronounced, so each of them can neither understand nor appreciate the other half. This is when the first manifestations of mutual claims and accusations, as well as attempts to prove personal superiority over an opponent, come. Now this is called “gender chauvinism”.
Everyone is accustomed to the fact that in ancient times a man went hunting or to battle, and at that time a woman was waiting for him in a hut or in a cave. That is why it is easier for the first to navigate in large open areas, and for the second in a confined small space. Men, for example, can quickly find the right street in an unfamiliar city using a regular map than women. And a woman never forgets which shelf in the closet this or that thing is on.
Women's feminism
The female chauvinist is the embodiment of the struggle to achieve sexual equality. But it is also impossible to say that these two concepts are antonyms.
Simply put, a chauvinist considers himself smarter than the weaker sex, whose place is in the kitchen, and feminists claim that women and men are equal, but at the same time they do not seek to humiliate men or deprive them of any rights. These are practically equal concepts. And again, it all depends on temperament: both sexes have completely different internal goals and priorities.
A woman who has gone through a rather thorny path of male incarnations will not be absurd. She has coherent logical thinking and a wide range of interests, and is quite independent and active. Such a representative of the fair sex respects men, while successfully doing things that are characteristic of her: caring for her family and home.
Men's preaching of sexual exclusivity and superiority is based on certain psychological stereotypes. Male chauvinism is based on the social inequality of women and men. Many people are familiar with the formula: “All women are fools and their place is in the kitchen.” Time sets accents and priorities, dictates new rules of the “game”. Is a man always right and is it a woman who echoes him in response?
What is chauvinism?
Chauvinism (French chauvinisme) got its name from the semi-mythical soldier of the Napoleonic army, Nicolas Chauvin. During the Bourbon Restoration (1814-1830), Chauvin was an ardent supporter of Bonapartism, despite the unpopularity of this party at that time. The soldier wore a violet flower in his lapel as a sign of devotion to the deposed emperor. According to legend, Nikola remained loyal to Napoleon despite persecution, poverty and insults. Chauvin propagated that all the best and good things in the world are associated with the name of Bonaparte and France.
The term “chauvinism” began to be used as a common noun in 1843, after a satirical treatment of the Chauvin myth in the comedy “The Tricolor Cockade” by Theodore and Hippolyte Cognard (1831). Chauvinism in its modern meaning is the ideology and policy of aggressive nationalism, the preaching of national exclusivity and superiority.
Features of male chauvinism
Male chauvinism is based on the following postulates:
A man is always right based on the fact of birth;
A man is more important, more necessary and smarter than a woman, since male logic is built on reason, and not on feelings;
What is proper for a man is prohibited for a woman;
A man's word is a woman's law.
The origins of this phenomenon can be traced to religious teachings. The Bible records the legend of the creation of the world: God first created Adam, and then from his rib - Eve. A woman was born for the pleasure of a man, so that he would not be bored. And it was not Adam who committed the “original sin,” but Eve, who plucked the apple from the tree of knowledge.
Logically, gender differences between men and women exist: nature prescribes a certain role for women in bearing and giving birth to offspring, which men are deprived of. Objective biological differences lead to men occupying a higher position in many areas of life. The sporting achievements of men and women are strikingly different; there are much more men than women in high political and clergy positions; men's achievements in science, literature and art are more significant than women's.
As a rule, chauvinism arises as a result of serious psychological trauma received at an early age. In many cases, chauvinism is naturally formed on the basis of a man's homosexual orientation or is brought up in the family.
From a young age, a girl is prepared for the social role of a wife and mother, a boy for the role of a protector, breadwinner, and head of the family. Male chauvinism is especially widespread in Eastern countries, where women do not have equal rights with men.
Women's response
Women in modern times are fighting back against male chauvinism, advocating for gender equality. Feminism- the women's movement for equal rights and opportunities, arose during the “high Middle Ages”. The word “feminism” first began to be used with the light hand of the utopian socialist Charles Fourier at the end of the 18th century, who believed that “the social status of women is a measure of social progress.”
However, the female response to male chauvinism is not fundamentally disdainful of members of a different gender, race or nationality. Feminists advocate for equality, without seeking to deprive men of any privileges, humiliate or offend the stronger half of humanity.
The meaning of a woman’s life has long been not reduced to the formula “children - kitchen - church”, but gender equality in the mass consciousness still does not exist, even in the civilized world.
Interesting facts
Throughout Asia, there are currently many more men than women: in India and China, two of the world's largest population centers, there is an acute shortage of the female part of society. This gender imbalance is the result of the traditional preference for male children and the selective abortion of girls, which became possible in the early 1980s with the advent of ultrasound. Male chauvinism is so rooted in the East that a family is not considered complete if it does not have an heir.
The shortage of women is particularly severe in India, China, South Korea, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, where there are at least one hundred and eight boys for every one hundred girls. Asian countries are taking urgent action to provide social assistance to families with girls, but time is running out: by 2030, China and India will be missing more than twenty million women aged 20 to 50.
Male chauvinism has turned against the strong half of humanity.
In the United States, the term “glass ceiling” was coined in the 1980s, metaphorically denoting an invisible barrier limiting women’s career advancement. Women face this obstacle, regardless of professional qualifications, only as representatives of a social group. 95% of top managers of large companies are men, while the majority of employees are women.
If a woman had not given birth to a man, breastfed him, raised him, and given him an education, who would he be today? If the modern world becomes dominated by the absolute masculine principle, which is not in harmony with the feminine, where will such a society come from?
Finding a common language, understanding and accepting each other as people were born, without comparing or contrasting, is the key to true love and a sign of high development of the individual and society.
The interests of one nation are the interests of all etc. nations, distribution national swagger, incitement national enmity and hatred. The term "Shch." appeared in France [in 1831 in the comedy of the brothers I. and T. Cognard “The Three-Color Cockade” ("La cocarde tricolore") one of the heroes was the aggressively militant recruit Nicola Chauvin; it is believed that the prototype of this character was a real one - veteran of the Napoleonic wars N. Chauvin (N. Chauvin), brought up in the spirit of admiration for the emperor - the creator of the “greatness” of France]. The word "Sh." began to denote various manifestations of nationalism. extremism. In Great Britain Sh. received con. 70s gg. 19 V. a special name is jingoism.
Opportunist, current in international socialist movement, whose representatives spoke out during the 1st World War in support of chauvinistic. The policies of the bourgeoisie of their countries received social chauvinism.
A variety of Sh. - great power Sh. - and the policy of the ruling classes of the nation occupying the dominant (sovereign) position in the state, declaring their nation the “superior” nation. Great power Sh. aimed at enslavement etc. nations, their discrimination in economic, political. and cultural life. The most extreme Sh. is misanthropic. ideology and fash. states
Marxist-Leninist parties have always considered one of the most important tasks to be the struggle against any variety of Scholastic ideology and its supporters.
Philosophical encyclopedic dictionary. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. Ch. editor: L. F. Ilyichev, P. N. Fedoseev, S. M. Kovalev, V. G. Panov. 1983 .
CHAUVINISM
CHAUVINISM is a transformed form of national consciousness, one of the forms of heteronomy and xenophobia, hostility and even hatred of strangers, atavistic, biologically based rejection of foreigners, people of other faiths, all bodily, color, cultural, national, linguistic differences, even foreign customs, costumes and etc. according to the principle “not like that - stranger - stranger - enemy”. The term “chauvinism” comes from the name of the fanatical Bonapartist N. Chauvin, a soldier of the Napoleonic army, whose grotesqueness became a household name thanks to the comedy of the Cognard brothers “The Tricolor Cockade, an Episode of the War in Algeria” (1831). Subsequently, “chauvinism” became the international designation for extreme, fanatical nationalism bordering on racism. Modern chauvinism can have mass prejudices, even the ideology of extreme right-wing political movements. Chauvinism is especially dangerous if it becomes the de facto or de jure ideology of any ruling party or state policy (Germany in the 30s and 40s).
I. I. Kravchenko
New Philosophical Encyclopedia: In 4 vols. M.: Thought. Edited by V. S. Stepin. 2001 .
Synonyms:
See what “CHAUVINISM” is in other dictionaries:
- (French from his own name Chauvin, a French soldier, an exalted supporter of Napoleon and the empire). At first it meant every boundless surprise felt towards Napoleon after 1815, then in general political self-delusion, self-adoration. Dictionary… … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
- (French chauvinisme) a type of nationalist policy, the content of which is the spread of hatred and enmity towards other nations and nationalities. The main provisions of the political ideology of chauvinism are: assertion... ... Political science. Dictionary.
Cm … Dictionary of synonyms
CHAUVINISM, chauvinism, many others. no, husband (polit.). Extreme nationalism, preaching hatred, contempt for other peoples and inciting national enmity. “...Chauvinism, even in white gloves and with the most sophisticated turns of phrase, is disgusting.” Lenin... ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
chauvinism- a, m. chauvinisme Chauvin Proper name French. soldier N. Chauvin, a supporter of Napoleon's aggressive policy. 1. Initially it meant any boundless surprise towards Napoleon after 1815, then generally political... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language
The primary source was popular prints (“pictures from Epinal”) on military themes, created by the French artist Nicolas Toussaint Charlet. The constant hero of these pictures is the good soldier Sho Wen. Later, this same popular character became the main... ... Dictionary of popular words and expressions
- (French chauvinisme), an extreme aggressive form of nationalism... Modern encyclopedia
- (French chauvinisme, in the English version jingoism) the most odious form of nationalism, the proclamation of national exclusivity, the opposition of the interests of one ethnic group (or superethnic group) to the interests of all other ethnic groups, the spread of ideas... ... The latest philosophical dictionary
CHAUVINISM, huh, husband. Extreme nationalism, preaching national and racial exclusivity and inciting national enmity and hatred. | adj. chauvinistic, oh, oh. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary
A neologism that received citizenship rights in the French language, followed by it in other European languages. Under Sh., of course, a stormy patriotic mood of a warlike nature, supported by a heated fantasy and based on a blind... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
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- State anti-Semitism in the USSR. From start to climax. 1938 - 1953, Based on archival documents and mostly published for the first time, this volume shows how the formation of a policy of state anti-Semitism took place in the Soviet Union. Presented... Series:
