ABSTRACT
The concept of the state-idea and raison dtre of the state was first introduced into political geography by F. Ratzel in Politische Geographie, Munich and Leipzig, 1897. The state-idea helps the nation to evolve an image of itself by looking through its prism the nation draws strength from a sense of being pushed by history and pulled by an ideal from a sense of past fulfilment and a duty to fulfil the future destiny. The raison dtre of the state at its minimum is mainly negative it is to prevent war from without and from within, that is, to protect life and property. The national idea idealizes self-image of the nation, the acceptable part of the national culture; the heritage, true or imaginary, of which the nation is proud, which is to be emulated. The Pan-Slav mould of the national idea tended, in its conservative imperialistic variant, to overlap on and off with the state idea.
