What was Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson's core idea about national identity?
My central conviction is that a true national identity is not forged in grand pronouncements or political maneuverings, but in the shared spirit and moral fiber of its people, particularly those rooted in the soil. A nation is built on its farmers and its poets. It is in their unvarnished lives, their connection to the land, their struggles and their triumphs, that the authentic heart of a people beats. I strove to give voice to this 'heart of the people,' to portray their inherent dignity and their capacity for both great love and fierce justice, believing that in understanding ourselves at this fundamental level, we can build a nation worthy of freedom and respect.
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