Saga - 2021, Blaðsíða 125

kynslóðanna. Þeim fylgdu líka ný siðferðisviðmið. Hefðbundin kristin
trúarmenning var að láta undan síga fyrir framfaratrú sem megin -
einkenni íslenskrar menningar. Varðmenn dyggðasamfélagsins áttu
erfitt með að standa gegn framfaratrúnni sem hélt einni helstu
dyggð þess (vinnusemi) ákaft á lofti — en á forsendum samtaka-
máttar og einstaklingshyggju í stað undirgefni og heildarhyggju.
Stigveldisskipting dyggðasamfélagsins var um aldamótin 1900 að
missa sín helstu úrræði við að halda samfélaginu í skorðum og gæta
þess að hver þekkti sinn sess.
Abstract
hrafnkell lárusson
ICELANDIC VIRTUE SOCIETy
AT THE END OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURy
Characteristics, influence and decline
Icelandic social structure in the nineteenth century was characterised by widely
accepted virtues to which all inhabitants were expected to conform and ensure
compliance by others. These virtues moulded people’s interactions, and they
created norms and barriers against conduct that was considered to violate them. The
social philosophy of rural Nordic societies in the nineteenth century was based
on the Lutheran hierarchy: in local communities it was the role of priests to main-
tain the true faith and its correct understanding, and to ensure that farmers did
the same within their homes. Co-operation between officials and heads of house-
hold was considered vital for maintaining peace and order in each community,
but it also had the function of keeping subjects quiet. The last quarter of the nine-
teenth century was a time of rapid transformation which included changes in the
social structure as well as to moral standards. Some of the causes can be described
as natural and social disasters — several unusually cold years, a major volcanic
eruption and mass migration from the country — while other factors included
rapid developments in industrial structure, education, urbanisation, democratic
reforms, and more. By the turn of the nineteenth century the previously dominant
moral standards were being challenged and had already started to shift. This article
is about these changes.
Early in his academic career, the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu (1930–
2002) used the theoretical concept of doxa in his research of societies in Algeria and
Béarn in southwest France, both pre-capitalistic holistic societies with a strong
emphasis on virtue. Doxa can be described as a collection of basic views and
beliefs in how society should be, and what is acceptable behaviour and conduct.
The term refers to default social habits and interactions — versions of reality that
will not be questioned. The greatest threats to doxa are disasters. This includes
íslenska dyggðasamfélagið 123