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Cosmopolitanism is the quality or state of being sophisticated and having wide international experience.
In the realms of social and political philosophy, cosmopolitanism is the idea that all of humanity creates a single moral community. For this reason the implementation of a world government would be morally right and ultimately just, and ideologies like patriotism and nationalism would fade away. Cosmopolitan philosophers ascribe differing degrees of power to this hypothetical government, and the loosening of national borders from moderate to extreme.
Cosmopolitans believe there is a burden on all of the people to cultivate and improve humanity as a whole and to provide enrichment in the best way that they can. This ties into ideas of brotherhood of humanity, and how the human race is one entity that humans must all band together to support. Nation-states are in a Hobbseian state of nature, and in order to avoid conflicts and injustices, a "social contract" should be established among them.
Some critics of cosmopolitanism suggest that national affiliations are important to persons' identities, and that cosmopolitanism would strip an important component of social fulfillment and belonging from individuals.
Critics of economic cosmopolitanism argue that the economies of nation-states are necessary for an international economy to function, and a single world economy would fail.
Critics of moral cosmopolitanism argue that the concept of loyalty describes a virtue, and insofar as we do no wrong to people of other nation-states, our priority should be the people of our own.
See also: multiculturalism, cosmopolitan
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