Statolatry is a term formed from the word "state" and a suffix derived from the Latin and Greek wordlatria, meaning "worship". It first appeared inGiovanni Gentile'sDoctrine of Fascism, published in 1931 underMussolini's name, and was also mentioned in Gramsci's Prison Notebooks (1971) sometime between 1931–1932, while he was imprisoned by Mussolini. The same year, theencyclicalNon abbiamo bisogno byPope Pius XI criticizedFascist Italy as developing "apagan worship of the state" which it called "statolatry".[1]
The termpolitiolatry was used to describereason of state doctrine in the 17th century with similar intent.[2]
The term was also used and popularized byLudwig von Mises in his 1944 workOmnipotent Government. Mises defines statolatry as being literally worship of the State analogous toidolatry (worship of idols). Statolatry asserts that the glorification and aggrandizement of 'State' or 'Nation' is the object of all legitimate human aspiration at the expense of all else, including personal welfare and independent thought. Expansion of the power and influence of one's State is to be achieved, if necessary, through aggressivewar andcolonial adventures (i.e.imperialism). It far exceeds thepatriotism of those who recognize the rights of people other than themselves toself-determination, and might best be described as super-patriotism orchauvinism.
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