The Debate between Tradition and Modernity in the Shaping of a Romanian Identity

Abstract

The creation of the Romanian Uniate (Greek Catholic) Church in Transylvania in 1700 made Western centres of Roman Catholic learning accessible to a small number of Romanians and produced the leading figures in the Scoala Ardeleană (Transylvanian School). This educated élite brought their fellow countrymen into contact with the Enlightenment and stimulated the development of Romanian national consciousness by publishing studies which emphasised the Roman origins of the Romanian people. In the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia the impact of the Transylvanian School was evident in the early years of the nineteenth century. Different conceptions of the nation and national identity dominated the debate on Romanian identity after the formation of a Romanian state in 1859. A consistent feature of that debate has been the conflict between tradition and modernity and this chapter is devoted to this conflict.