The Italian Theory of a Nation and Its Influence on Georgia in 1910s

Abstract

The political stage of modern Georgian nation-building began in 1892–1893 with the establishment of the third generation, i.e., the first Marxist unit, in Georgia. Starting in 1892, disagreements arose between proponents of the Georgian national viewpoint and Georgian Marxists due to the national question. Given that Georgia lacked independence, the restoration of autonomy and the pursuit of freedom became the primary aspirations of a segment of the political and cultural elite. To achieve this goal, this part of the political elite established a theoretical basis for the public by interpreting and analyzing European theories on nations. The periodical press played a pivotal role in Georgia as the primary medium for disseminating ideologies and theories. It was through these publications that Georgian nationalists and Marxists engaged in vibrant discussions regarding the national question, with the latter emphasizing the importance of addressing social injustices within Georgian society, despite the fact that Georgian society had been conquered. The nation in its modern form was formed within the context of Tsarist Russia. Georgian Marxists, often adopting a nihilistic stance towards the national question, considered it of secondary significance. The central research question is: what impact did the Italian theory of the nation have on the establishment of an idea of the nation in Georgia in 1910?

The main aim of this study is to illustrate the impact and importance of European theories of the nation, in particular Italian theory, in the political development of the modern Georgian nation from 1893 to 1917. To achieve this goal, several tasks should be accomplished: 1) to examine and analyze Mikhako Tsereteli's conception of the nation, which is influenced by the Italian theory of the nation; 2) to analyze the influential theory of the nation developed by the Italian scholar Pasquale Stanislao Mancini himself; 3) to determine the influence of the Italian theory of the nation in Georgia in 1910; The research methodology employed involves the analysis and interpretation of secondary documents. Furthermore, in the final part of the study, a comparative approach will be adopted to examine the theories of nation proposed by Georgian and Italian authors.

This research [№ PHDF-22-3237] has been supported by Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia (SRNSFG).