Abstract

This article analyses the meanings of the concept of the nation in the nineteenth-century Transylvania. The theories of the nation were elaborated in several stages. This process attested the dynamism of a concept that changed during that period, and became increasingly intricate and complex. We consider as a starting point Simion Bărnuţiu’s Speech from Blaj, a moment from which, at the theoretical level, the nation received its modern meaning. In the next stage, the theory of Vasile Maniu mainly exploits the cultural element and the Latinity, by becoming increasingly complex and modern. The theory of A. C. Popovici brings paradigmatic changes, laying the emphasis on the ethnical and racial perspective, while the theories of Vasile Goldiş elaborated in the last decade of the century, emphasizes the issue of rights and the democratization of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy’s political life. This theoretical evolution, that I will present, reflects the emergence of the concept of the nation, which by the end of the nineteenth century receives its modern meaning. The article points out that as a type, Transylvanian Romanians identity, as outlined by the intellectuals, is founded on the organicist model, particularly the herderian model of the ethno-cultural nation. The attachment of the Transylvanian elite to the organicist model of the nation allowed the development of their coherent and structured theories containing elements such as language, history, and tradition. Structuring the theories of the nation, these concepts motivate the national pride; they are valorized from a new perspective, according to the national goals. There are a number of recurrent themes, such as language, history, culture, and national consciousness. National consciousness (which can also be found in Pascal Mancini’s theories) is prominent within the Transylvanian Romanians’ theories on the nation, giving their specificity.