ABSTRACT
Modern states can be distinguished from other territorial entities by the fact that they demand at least a minimal degree of commitment and loyalty from their citizenry. In contrast to prior governing units such as the Ottoman Empire or Hapsburg Empire in which local languages, cultures, and religions could exist with little government interference and in which the only demand was obedience to the sovereign and its laws, the modern state, in its quest for ultimate commitment and loyalty, has undertaken numerous activities to alter factors like language spoken and perceptions of community. Specifically, most modern states have adopted a single language which serves as the official language of the state and which is taught in schools, used in official government proceedings, including legislative debates, official addresses, and court cases.1 States have also participated in the development of common myths to try to further the impression of community amongst the citizenry (Hobsbawm 1990; Anderson 1991; see also the collection of essays in Hutchinson and Smith 2000).
