What is chauvinism

Chauvinism is the thoughts and ideas that preach the dominance of one nation and neglect of others, recognition of their nationality above all others. This aggressive ideology has nothing to do with patriotism. The most terrible manifestation of chauvinism was fascism, which resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of people.

This word is of French origin, formed on behalf of Chauvin. That was the name of Napoleon’s army soldier, who was an ardent supporter of Bonapartism. Nicola Chauvin remained faithful to his emperor, despite persecution, poverty, and insults. He idolized Napoleon and was ready to fight for it with the whole world. Chauvin was so distinguished by his patriotic mood and love for the emperor that he became the prototype of the hero in the play The Soldier the Tiller and in the comedy The Three-Colored Cockade, thanks to which his name became a household name. Thus, the name of a simple soldier turned into a term widely used not only in French, but also in many other languages.

Chauvinism in the modern sense is an ideology of aggressive nationalism, a policy of national exclusivity and superiority. Chauvinists, exalting their nation, allow themselves to humiliate representatives of other nationalities, they come to the forefront of hatred of strangers, and not love of their own. The ideologists of chauvinism, in contrast to the adherents of nationalism, who recognize the equality of all peoples, always give their own nation special rights.

Chauvinistic policies are especially common in underdeveloped countries and regions in which peoples absolutize their national interests and sentiments. The absence of a political and common culture makes such chauvinists a very dangerous participant in social and political life. Chauvinism is most dangerous when it becomes the official ideology of the ruling party or even state policy, for example, Germany in 30-40 years.

This term can also be used to refer to the theory of gender superiority. These are social stereotypes, beliefs that claim that one sex is better than the other, and thereby justify the inequality of men and women. Recently, these views are often called sexism. Male chauvinism is the most common form of sexism. It is based on the following principles: a man is always right only after he is born a man; a man is more important and smarter than a woman, since men's logic is based on reason; a man’s word is a law for a woman. Especially common is male chauvinism in the East, where a woman has never had equal rights with a man.