The Ossian Forgery (1760s): Where It Begins

The faked Ossian stories published by MacPherson inspired a Europe-wide movement whose result is our modern nation state.

Source: Ways of Seeing Disinfolklore II

James Macpherson’s literary forgery — presenting his own compositions as ancient Gaelic poetry — triggered a continent-wide hunger for folk identity. The paradox is foundational: a fabrication launched a movement whose positive outcome was the creation of democratic nations.

← Back to History of Disinfolklore | Next: Herder 1777: The Call to Arms →