Dragan SIMEUNOVIC

VIOLENCE AND SACRED IMAGE-THE KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF NEW NATION STATES ON THE BALKAN

The key characteristics of the majority of new nation states, and particularly in the territory of former Yugoslavia, are violence and the perception of the nation state as something sacred. Therein lie a lot of the roots of their current problems.

Bearing all this in mind research is being done on the potential conflicts of ethnically complex Balkan societies. There is an attempt to explain the violence introduced by these states, as well as, their selfcreated sacred image. In the tradition of the belated national development, a number of human lives is being victimized for the foundation of this new state. All this should create an impression of importance, as well as, the sacredness of such an endeavor.

We can notice an increasing importance of religion and myth, in particular, the myth of the nation, state, leader and the traitor.

It is relevant to point out that the new national states are often lacking in democratic approach and their law system seems to be unstable.

back