Chauvinism

Chauvinism is often extreme and unreasoning partisanship on behalf of a group to which one belongs, sometimes when the partisanship includes malice and hatred towards a rival group. Jingoism is a similar term of British derivation. A frequent contemporary use of the term in English is male chauvinism, which refers not so much to the belief that males are superior to females, but to many instances throughout history in which males have either taken precedence over females in certain fields, or in which males believe that females do not belong in certain positions, or doing certain jobs or activities. Examples of male chauvinism include the exclusion of women from jobs in politics and in offices. Other examples include the exclusion of women from recreational and professional football and baseball. A less common term, female chauvinism usually refers to the opposite of male chauvinism, in which females hold similar truths regarding their believed areas of natural superiority, to male chauvinism. Examples of extreme female chauvinism can be seen in Ariel Levy's book, Female Chauvinist Pigs.

Etymology
The term is derived from the undocumented Nicolas Chauvin, whose legend made him out to be a soldier under Napoleon Bonaparte. He served in the Wars of Revolution (1798-1800) and the Napoleonic Wars and was wounded seventeen times and severely disabled. Despite its unpopularity in Restoration France, he was an ardent Bonapartist and was often seen wearing a violet in his lapel, the symbol of his deposed Emperor. He remained fanatically loyal despite his poverty and disability and the abuse he suffered.

Many writers and historians falsely attribute to Chauvin the exploits of other Bonapartists. It is claimed he served in the Old Guard at Waterloo (unlikely considering his age and the severity of his disabilities). When the Old Guard was surrounded and made its last stand at Le Belle Alliance, he supposedly shouted in defiance to a call for their honorable surrender: "The Old Guard dies but does not surrender!", implying blind and unquestioned zeal to one's country [or other group of reference]. {This apocriphal phrase is actually attributed to the Old Guard's commander, who was also supposed to have answered "Merde!" ("Shit!"). Recent historical research has revealed that the Old Guard were never asked by the British and Allied forces if they wanted to surrender and never asked for quarter, so both quotes are believed false.}

The origin and early usage indicate that chauvinisme was coined to describe excessive nationalism, and the original French term retains this meaning today. The term entered public use due to a satirical treatment of Chauvin in the French play La Cocarde Tricolore (The Tricolore Cockade).

Chauvinism as nationalism
In "Imperialism, Nationalism, Chauvinism", in The Review of Politics 7.4, (October 1945), p. 457, Hannah Arendt describes the concept:


 * Chauvinism is an almost natural product of the national concept insofar as it springs directly from the old idea of the "national mission." ... (A) nation's mission might be interpreted precisely as bringing its light to other, less fortunate peoples that, for whatever reason, have miraculously been left by history without a national mission. As long as this concept did not develop into the ideology of chauvinism and remained in the rather vague realm of national or even nationalistic pride, it frequently resulted in a high sense of responsibility for the welfare of backward peoples.

(See, for example, white man's burden.)

The word does not require a judgment that the chauvinist is right or wrong in his opinion, only that he is blind and unreasoning in coming to it, ignoring any facts which might temper his fervor. In modern use, however, it is often used pejoratively to imply that the chauvinist is both unreasoning and wrong.

Male chauvinism
Male chauvinism is a term used to describe the belief that males are superior to females. The word "chauvinist" was originally used to describe one who has a fanatical loyalty in one's country. The word was later applied by the "women's liberation movement" in the 1960s and used to describe men who believe women are inferior, speak to them as inferiors, or treat them negatively based solely upon their gender. The slur "chauvinist pig" has been reclaimed by some men as a jocular personal rebuttal or tolerance of such accusations.

Female chauvinism
Female chauvinism can refer to two things. It can be the belief that females are superior to males. It can also refer to women who replicate male chauvinism and sexist stereotypes.

According to popular writers Nathanson and Young, what they see as 'ideological' feminism is chauvinistic as well as misandric. They assert that many so-called 'ideological' feminists have claimed that "women are psychologically, morally, spiritually, intellectually, and biologically superior to men". They also assert that these feminists consider knowledge created by women to be superior to that created by men.

Wendy McElroy claims that in some "gender feminist" views, all men are considered un-reformable rapists, wife-beating brutes and useless as partners or fathers to women. McElroy and other authors such as Camille Paglia claim that gender feminists view women as innocent victims who never make irresponsible or morally questionable choices. Other feminists such as Kate Fillion have started questioning the idea that women are always innocent victims of relationship problems and men always the guilty victimizers.

Ariel Levy uses the term in another sense in the title of her book, Female Chauvinist Pigs. She claims that many young women in the United States are replicating male chauvinism and sexist stereotypes about women in their embrace of "raunch culture" and traditionally masculine attributes.