Abstract

The content of the Ukrainian national idea in the era of transition from industrial to post-industrial type of society is revealed. It is demonstrated that in the transition to a post-industrial society, the national idea as a product of an industrial society requires a significant transformation. In a post-industrial society, the national idea should be focused on the production of post-economic values and active social regulation, the maximum use of the creative potential of members of the national community, the formation of a new type of family and new forms of social partnership, the increasing role of knowledge and changes in the education system. It is determined that the national idea, taking into account the etymology of the components of this construct, acts as a key idea in understanding the nature of the nation and the prospects for its development. It is determined that the national idea must be understood in the context of the special conditions of life of the people throughout its history. It reflects the deep level of national consciousness, advocates all forms of reflection of the nation over issues of the essence of the national community and the meaning of its existence. Throughout its history, Ukraine has sought to build its own state on a democratic, legal and social basis and, having gained independence in 1991, these value dominants were entrenched at the constitutional level. At the present stage of nation-building, the key direction in the formation of a national idea is to determine the optimal model that should underpin state-building – ethno-cultural or civic. It is proved that the Ukrainian national idea, having passed the difficult historical path of aging and formation, today requires substantial modernization, adaptation to the realities of the transitional society, civilizational, geopolitical, economic challenges of the 21st century. The national idea should take into account the changesthat occur in the social and economic structure of society, and incorporate into the body of the nation-building strategy those goals and ways to achieve them that actualize post-material values, pay attention to the needs of self-development and self-improvement of the individual. The formula of the Ukrainian national idea is proposed, which consists of strategic and operational-tactical components, designed for different time periods – short, medium and long term. The strategic components of the modern Ukrainian national idea include the slogans ‘Ukraine is a conciliar, European, decent state and a nation’, ‘Equality of all citizens before the law, freedom of life strategies, respect for the national and cultural traditions of the Ukrainian people and ethnic communities living on its territory’, ‘Democracy in all spheres of public life, the embodiment of moral standards in social relations’. The operational-tactical components of the modern Ukrainian national idea include the slogans ‘Knowledge, information, movement ’.