The State and National Holidays: The Question of Seeking Social Legitimacy A Socio-Historical Approach

Abstract

The modern state is a Western phenomenon that emerged and developed within Western society as it transitioned from a religious order to a secular one, in which human production and activity became central to the organisation of society and the management of human affairs. Nevertheless, the modern, or civil, state has largely reproduced the practices of the religious state, replacing them with practices and rituals characterised by a human and civic dimension. This transformation has been undertaken in pursuit of legitimacy and social acceptance, while also seeking to strengthen collective belonging, consolidate national unity, and construct a new identity. Although this identity bears similarities to religious identity, it differs in its frame of reference. The modern state draws upon a human-centred and civic frame of reference, organised around conceptions of what ought to be and positioning human beings at the centre of the social and political order. National occasions and commemorative celebrations, for instance, contribute to the construction of collective identity by defining society's heroes, establishing representations of its past, and transmitting its historical legacy. These issues constitute the central concerns of the present research paper.