Random Historical Quote #4
April 23rd, 2007 by ThunderDragon
This one is less of a quote about about a specific historical event or issue and far more of an analysis of how and why a European identity has not developed - and if it does, that it will take time. There is no historical European identity, but lots of fragmented national and cultural identities. Forcing the emergence of a European identity will not work. If one is to emerge, it will take time for one to develop from within.“Yet there is no cultural self-identity without history. One will not perceive European culture without stories and legends ab urbe condita that we once heard from our ancestors, without having learned from our tutors how Europe had been established by gods, demi-gods and heroes; without experienceing in our formative years the Other which is not Europe. For without all of these aspects there is no European culture. The project termed ‘Europe’ or ‘the West’ requires a cultural backing and a brand new cultural mythology.”
Agnes Heller, ‘Europe: An Epilogue?’ in B. Nelson, D. Roberts and W. Veir (eds.) The Idea of Europe (Oxford: Berg Publishers, 1992) p. 13-14
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Europe is indeed an artificial concept.
It is hard to cenceptulise. I feel European, but my husband feels English. A lot of Brits only fell that way, they cannot identify with Europe - and today that includes Lithuania and Romania.
James, one of my hobby-horses is that all national affiliation is artificial. The loyalty felt by the titular nationalities to the post-Soviet states - which was deliberately fostered by Stalin’s regime - is evidence that national belonging is a construct, however “natural” it may seem.
It would be possible to create a pan-European identity, but given that we are still in thrall to the concept of the nation-state, it seems unlikely to happen. Myself, I feel a Yorkshireman first, British second, European third. Oh, and part of me feels Russian, and I’ve a fondness for Vietnam. Rootless cosmopolitan, that’s me. Englishness, I’m afraid, doesn’t come into it…
I don’t think that we’re in “thrall” to the nation-state. All modern national identity was developed during the nineteenth century based on myths and false information as much as anything - just like any European identity would have to be.
A big problem with creating a European identity is that there is no common experience. The twentieth century was torn by internal war, so that doesn’t really work (though some have tried to make it) and Europe is simply too historically split. To create a European identity we would have to “forget” far too much for it to be possible.
A European identity can develop, but it will take a very long time - at least a century. We are moving in that direction, which is all to the good, but we won’t get there within most of our lifetimes.
Also - is Turkey to be included as “European”? if so, that stretches any concept of European identity even further, and way beyond breaking point.
Well, I think maybe we still are in thrall to the concept: as far as I’m aware, most independence movements seem to be based around autonomy, if not full-blown independence (statehood), for groups defined in terms of ethnicity/culture (nations), rather than in other terms. Maybe the reason why a European identity seems so far off is that we are too conditioned into viewing both people and countries in terms of their national affiliation.
But a concerted effort could bring about a sense of European identity - 50 years or so was plenty of time for the invented traditions of the Soviet Union Republics to take root - and, given this artificial nature, there seems no reason why including Turkey should be beyond design.
I’m intrigued by my reaction to your suggestion that some kind of European identity would be “all to the good”. I think I ought to agree, but somehow, and for reasons I’m not yet sure of, it troubles me. I’ll refer myself to the preceding two paragraphs, and ponder some more.