On June 6, Sweden celebrates National Day. But is Sweden a nation? What does the word "nation" really mean. What is meant by the concept of "state"?

The word nation derives from Latin and means "birth, tribe" i.e. a place of origin. Traditionally, a nation is defined as a group of people that has a common historical background, has or has had its own language, has a culture that is different from the surroundings and is often territorially defined.

Nationality is therefore a quality that grows out of a cultural (and territorial) community. Within a state, citizens can be of different nationalities.

Today's European state formations are of a fairly late construction. Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 established state borders, often by force and armed conflicts. The concept of "sovereignty" was established as a form of interaction between states. The Treaty of Westphalia was a practical agreement between states – each to define its borders and not to interfere in the other's internal affairs.

With Westphalia as its foundation, the French revolution of 1789 brought a concentration of political power from the autonomous regions that existed in France at that time. to the capital of the state. A new state model emerged – one language, one culture, one parliament, one currency, one military, one legal system and so on. The new regime in Paris opposed cultural diversity, local traditions, language variations and regional self-government.

The basics began to be questioned. While the state binds its citizens with the help of the law, the military and the central public administration, the nation is, in its basic understanding, a product of cultural evolution in a specific place. It is therefore not correct to equate state and nation.

The new regime in France soon discovered the power of nationalism and began to use it as a tool to centralise political power. State nationalistic statues were erected, nationalistic plays were staged and pompous buildings were constructed in the state capital. The state claimed to be a nation – an ideology based on the notion that the state is or should be a nation even if it is not.

France's claim to be a nation demanded that loyalty outweigh other individual or group interests. The citizens were forced to swear allegiance to the state (motherland.) They were sent out to kill or die at war in the name of the state.

"The Swedish Flag's Day"
Img: Wikipedia

The Swedish state preferred a low profile on the issue of national day celebrations. Instead, they celebrated the Swedish Flag Day. It was not until 1983 that a National Day Sweden's was introduced, despite being aware that Sweden was not a nation in the original meaning of the word.

Just as in France, autonomous regions do not fit well into the Swedish nationalistic self-image – all powers to the state. Despite the fact that within Sweden's borders there are a number of historical, cultural and linguistic regions which due to state politics have difficulties asserting their existence and thus hope for cultural and linguistic survival.

The Swedish state's national day celebrations from 1983 have had difficulties gathering larger audiences. The support was so low that the state in 2005 made it a holiday, presumably so the citizens have a day off work and thus make it easier to participate in the celebration.

Despite efforts in 1983 and 2005, it is still seems hard for the state to gather the masses for the national day celebrations.

But most likely the majority of the citizens would not have particular hesitations rallying around the Swedish Flag's Day.

Göran Hansson

Interest Group: Regional Future in Europe

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