The national movement of Slovenians (circa 1770–1848). Mechanisms of formation of ethnic identity

Abstract

The article is devoted to the origins and development of the Slovene national movement from the late eighteenth century until the Springtime of Nations, as well as to the processes of shaping Slovene ethnic identity. The aim of the author is to explain the mechanisms that led to the national awakening of the Slovenes within the conditions of the Habsburg Monarchy. The research employed the historical method, taking into account the analysis of social, cultural, and linguistic transformations. The author demonstrated that the beginnings of Slovene ethnic consciousness can be traced back to the Protestant tradition of the sixteenth century, but its revival occurred only in the 1770s. Of particular importance were efforts aimed at the development of a literary language, education, and national culture. It was found that the national movement had an elitist character and mainly encompassed intellectual circles and the clergy, while the majority of the population consisted of peasants. The lack of an independent state tradition favoured moderate and loyalist attitudes toward the Habsburg Monarchy. Until 1848, the movement did not formulate far-reaching political demands, concentrating instead on the defence of language and culture. The analysis indicates that the formation of Slovene national identity was a gradual process based primarily on cultural and linguistic factors.