It is known that each new generation addresses the past not only for the purpose of understanding of connections with the past, but also because of the present interests. At any historical stage, there is time when historical figures or events are of great interest. It is noted that most of the peoples pay special attention to the past that obviously coincides with the growth of national consciousness. It has been recently occurred that the attention to the historical past is connected with the judgment of modern realization of the principles of social development. Therefore, from the scientific and practical point of view it makes sense to consider the question about the ratio of historical and national consciousness of the folk. The important place is taken here by the historical memory in the system of historical consciousness. Ethno-social researches allow giving the real vision of the situation in the life of the folk. The vision of the historical past is one of the components of national consciousness if to understand it widely not only as identification of people on the ground of nationality, but also as an image of the folk in general, that is the vision of features of the folk, its culture, past and present and the national interests connected with it. At the same time visions, knowledge of people of this or that community about their past, including mythological knowledge, scientifically got historical data have not been the historical consciousness yet. It is possible to call such knowledge and visions the historical memory. It is an indispensable part of culture in which continuity stabilizes the ethnos. The historical memory is a peculiar spiritual potential of the folk. It can be used, and it is really used sometimes for the benefit of all folk and sometimes of separate social groups.
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