eric hobsbawm: mass-producing traditions
TRANSCRIPT
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Eric Hobsbawm
• 1917-2012• British Marxist historian, University of Cambridge
• Very rich academic career• Industrial capitalism, socialism, nationalism
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Context
• 1870-1914• Political and Social invented traditions• Political and social changes during 19th century
• State as framework: “peasants into Frenchmen”
• Modernization – new political order – legitimacy back to the roots
• Rise of mass politics: socio-political challenges expressed in vote
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Invented Traditions in France
Three major innovations:•Primary education as secular equivalent of Church: Republican principles and content embedded•Public ceremonies•Mass production of public monuments
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
French National Symbols
• Democracy and the image of the Republic: Marianne
• Visible link between electorate and nation• History divisive force• Other symbols:
– Flag– Republican motto– Marseillaise– 14th of July
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Invented Traditions in Germany
• Unification no historical legitimacy• Era of Wilhelm II• Goals:
• Establishing continuity between First and Second German Empires
• Stressing historical experiences that linked Prussia-Germany (Franco-German War became central)
• Means: – Concept of national enemy– Concept of cultural, political, and military
supremacy
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
France - Germany
France Germany
Stress founding acts of new regime
Stress founding acts of new regime
FR (Bastille) only point of historical reference
Franco-German War
Established nation Nation defined by what is was against (Social-Democrats/Jews as internal enemies). mobilization of masses who felt threatened by both groups
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Invented Traditions in U.S.A.
• Heterogeneous mass: Americans had to be made• Immigrants encouraged to accept rituals commemorating the history of the nation (4th of July, Thanksgiving Day)
• Nation absorbed collective rituals of immigrants (St. Patrick’s Day)
• Education as machine for political socialization (worship of flag,…)
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
The Social Invented Traditions
• Mass movements: socialist labour movement and May Day (1890)
• Became symbolically charged because coincided with ‘Moving Day’
• Internationalism (symbols of red flag/flower)
In between ‘political’ and ‘social’ traditions
• Football/soccer as proletarian cult (but governing institutions led by middle class)
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
The Middle Class
• Limited to their area of living elites• Neither elite nor ‘the masses’: how to establish a middle class identity?
• Wanted to create a new community to play an important role in
• Education as important criterion• Sport and institutionalization of sport
– political: form a ruling elite – social: draw a line between classes + medium of identification
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Other Examples
• Daughters of American Revolution (non-profit organization for women who are direct descendants of founding fathers, promoting historic preservation, education and patriotism)
• Olympic Games• Football Cup Final• Tour de France
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Conclusion
• State and politics dominant factors • Invented traditions to reinforce feeling of nation/belonging
• Every nation has his own invented traditions• Some invented traditions last, others do not:
– Symbolic public buildings peaked 1870-1914– Ceremonies, parades,… proved lasting
In how far are these invented traditions pliable/manipulable for social and political functions?