ПЛЕБІСЦИТАРНА КОНЦЕПЦІЯ НАЦІЇ Е. РЕНАНА

Abstract

The article analyses the concept of the nation of the French thinker Ernest Renan. The role of objective factors in nation-building processes is considered, the inadmissibility of absolutisation of the role of these factors in the formation of the nation is indicated. The reasons for E. Renan's criticism of the identification of nation and race are investigated. In particular, the anti-scientific and anti-democratic nature of such identification is pointed out. The concept of the nation as a daily plebiscite and its connection with the common history and destiny is analysed. The importance of the national idea in the process of nation formation is pointed out. In particular, the role of national myths, the myths of the "victim nation" and the "hero nation", and historical oblivion in the processes of nation-building is analysed. The results of the study were obtained by applying the following methods: structural and functional - to analyse the role of objective and subjective factors influencing the processes of nation-building, their relationship; comparative - to compare the importance of territory, dynasty, statehood, common interests, race, language, religion and national identity in the process of nation-building; institutional method - for the analysis of the daily plebiscite as a process of mental and socio-political institutionalisation of the collective will, which is the basis for the continuous reproduction of the national community; causal analysis - to reveal the specific historical circumstances of the formation of the plebiscite concept of the nation of E. Renan, in particular the influence on the formation of his views on the consequences of the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. Ernest Renan entered the history of the development of socio-political thought as the author of the concept of the nation, which is a combination of psychological, historical and democratic elements. Renan's concept organically combines national identity as the basis of the nation with the democratic nature of national choice (daily plebiscite). This combination forms nationally conscious citizens who together make up the nation and embody its collective will. The existence of nations as the collective wills of nationally conscious individuals is the key to the law in domestic politics and international relations.