Disputes on the concept of people: A contribution to de-construction of a de-construct

Abstract

In this paper we want to point out the limitations of the most important moments in the ruling (sceptical )notion of people/nation, where, at least when it comes to criticizing/ destruction of the term, converge outlook of Marxism, political liberalism, and postmodern/ de-constructivism. The main critical theses against, we hold, one-sided criticism towards the concept of people are placing an overemphasis on arbitrariness and the fact of being-constructed in it, and overlooking the peculiarities of the process of crystallization in the history of what was first a matter of sheer accidentallity. In dialogue with the disputed topoi in the perception of the people are at the same time indicated the guidelines to reflect this problem.

U ovom radu želimo da pokažemo ograničenja najvažnijih momenata u vladajućem (skeptičkom) poimanju naroda, u kojem, makar kada je riječ o kritici/destrukciji toga pojma, konvergiraju nazori marksizma, političkog liberalizma, i postmodernog dekonstruktivizma. Glavne kritičke teze spram, držimo, jednostrane kritike spram pojma naroda jesu pretjerano naglašavanje arbitrarnosti i konstruisanosti u njemu, te previđanje osobenosti procesa kristalizovanja u povijesti onoga što je najprije bilo samo slučajnost. U dijalogu sa spornim mjestima u poimanju naroda istovremeno se ukazuju i smjernice za promišljanje ovog problema.