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Classical philosopher Socrates was both hated and admired in Athens. Authorities resented him because he regularly embarrassed the political elite by making them appear ignorant and foolish in a society where they were supposed to be revered.

He opened the eyes of his army of young followers by teaching them disobedience against unreasonable authority. He taught young people, directly or indirectly, to question authority.

 For instance, he would ask: Is it patriotic to pay taxes to a bad king?

He had a dim view of democratic dictatorship and was associated with members of the Thirty Tyrants who briefly overthrew Athens’s democratic government in 404–403 BCE.

Because of his teachings, he was arrested and charged with impiety and corrupting the youth, for rejecting the city’s gods and inspiring disrespect for authority among his youthful followers. He was convicted and sentenced to death by poison. His main crime was enlightening the youth to question rulers who demanded blind obedience from their subjects. Such rulers see payment of taxes without query and duty in the security services as acts of patriotism.

Socrates’ teachings have been a major cog in debates about patriotism, obedience to authority, constitutionalism and good governance. Many governments tend to impose certain obligations on citizens while the rulers abrogate their reciprocal responsibilities.

In his New Year speech, President William Ruto, who is under heavy criticism for intolerance and abduction of young Kenyans opposed to his rhetoric, asked young people to be patriotic.

It appears that his understanding of patriotism is unwavering support for his botched policies without scrutiny, fact-checking and demands around transparency and accountability.

Last year, the President described young people who stormed Parliament pushing for the fall of punitive tax laws as “criminals” and their acts as “subversive”.

According to Ruto, the protesters faced police brutality because they were violating the rights of other Kenyans – and probably deserved what befell them. It is unfortunate that the President perceives forces raising concerns about his judgment and temperament as criminal and unpatriotic.

In November, he dismissed Kenyans who had integrity worries about a cement manufacturing project in Taita Taveta as lacking patriotism. The President should stop seeking blind faith in the name of patriotism.