Към въпроса за етническото и националното самосъзнание
On the Question of Ethnic and National Self-consciousnes

Summary/Abstract: This article discusses in a critical aspect the opinions of Soviet authors on the interrelations, functions, content and volume of these conceptions. The ethnic and national consciousness and its relations to the communities in which such a consciousness appears, as well as its importance to the said communities are also discussed. In connection with these aspects in considering ethnic and national forms of consciousness and selfconsciousness a methodological system of analysis on three levels is suggested: philosophical-ethnographic, ethnosociological and ethnopsychological. The contribution made to the approach in differentiating various forms of ethnic and national consciousness and selfconsciousness is shown and so are the specific features, functions and structures which delimit them. In the light of this approach a classification of men's macro-communities is offered founded on a qualitative typology of the consciousness of belonging to any of them, the author availing himself of Soviet experience in this respect. The question of the objective bearer of ethnic and national selfconsciousness is dealt with, together with the decisive role of the intelligentsia in shaping them. The author also offers his own views on the specifics of the functions, structure and certain features of ethnic consciousness and selfconsciousness by comparisons between them; he also discusses the opinions of individual authors. In the second part the structures, features and importance of national consciousness and selfconsciousness are discussed. Opinions on their place in national psychology are reviewed. An attempt is made to disprove the argument that national selfconsciousness cannot serve as an indication of a nation, because it disunites people in a social-class respect.

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