الشعورُ بالوطنية شعورٌ لا أخلاقي، إذ بدلًا من أن يعترف الإنسان بأنه ابنٌ لله، أو حتى إنسانٌ حرّ يهديه عقله، فإنه تحت تأثير الوطنية يعترف بأنه ابنُ وطنه وعبدُ حكومته، فيأتي بأفعال تناقض عقله وضميره.

“The feeling of patriotism - It is an immoral feeling because, instead of confessing himself a son of God . . . or even a free man guided by his own reason, each man under the influence of patriotism confesses himself the son of his fatherland and the slave of his government, and commits actions contrary to his reason and conscience.”Leo Tolstoy — I Cannot be Silent: Writings on Politics, Art and Religion by Leo Tolstoy (1989)