Coined by Ludwig von Mises in his work Omnipotent Government , Statolatry is literally worship of the State analogous to idolatry as worship of idols. It 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 aggressive war and colonial adventures. It far exceeds the wholesome patriotism of those who recognize the rights of people other than themselves to self-determination, and might best be described as super-patriotism or nationalistic chauvinism.

"Nation", of course, is often closely associated with race or culture, and with tradition associated with the ostensible superiority that a statolater associates with the dominant race or culture is to be 'offered' to 'inferior' peoples, usually at the cost of their subjection and exploitation, and often contrary to the will of those of other nations. That the tradition is obsolete or otherwise controversial outside of one's State and its dominant people matters little. An attempt may be made to recreate or even fabricate some lost era of national glory, such as the Roman Empire under Benito Mussolini or the First or Second Reich under Adolf Hitler. Mythologization of history typically plays a vital role in statolatry. In more recent times, Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath dictatorship attempted to attribute to itself the glories of ancient despotisms such as those of Hammurabi and Nebuchadnezzar in what is now Iraq.

Statolatry could be a part of the doctrine of almost any political ideal, but especially under fascism or national socialism. It is probably least consistent with liberal and libertarian ethics that hold that national entities and cultural affiliation are at best voluntary associations.

Claims of any national superiority on grounds of race have caused militaristic regimes to wage wars that end in catastrophic defeat when leaders who attempt to exploit the supposed inferiorities, cultural or 'racial', of their intended victims.