Hobsbawm's Invention of Tradition

Eric Hobsbawm’s "The Invention of Tradition" argues that many customs and practices we consider ancient or natural are actually recent creations designed to serve specific political, social, or cultural purposes. These traditions are often invented or deliberately constructed to foster a sense of continuity, legitimacy, or identity, even if they have little genuine historical roots. Hobsbawm shows how societies use these "invented" traditions to reinforce authority, unity, or national identity, making them appear timeless when they are, in fact, relatively modern creations.