8 ms·

They're not the same though. Even though Americans consider their state identities to be strong and unique, if you look at how states are generally organized in

by pm90 8y ago

They're not the same though. Even though Americans consider their state identities to be strong and unique, if you look at how states are generally organized in the old world, its generally by ethnicity, language or some other very strong form of strong shared identity. So while a person from California and Texas might be very different, the difference is likely much smaller than b/w a French person and a German person (although of course this varies). There is also the very strong belief in, and the common acceptance of, American identity as being the more defining identity, whereas not so much in the EU.

lsc 8y ago
>if you look at how states are generally organized in the old world, its generally by ethnicity, language or some other very strong form of strong shared identity. While true, it is important to remember that this is a 19th/20th century type thing. Germany became unified around cultural/ethnic lines in 1871 (in France! so much of world war one was about the fallout from the wars of german unification, just like so much of the wars of german unification were fallout from the Napoleonic wars.) Italy became unified around cultural/ethnic lines in like 1860. Before this, the individual "german" states were not politically unified in any sort of way; they all belonged to whatever multi-ethnic empire invaded them last, and they were more likely to war with oneanother than, say, with France. My point here is that ethnic nationalism looks like the old-world default today, but this is a fairly recent thing.
- quanticle 8y ago
  I would also point out that, in the US, the idea that American identity trumps state identity is something that really only came into its own after the Civil War. When the Civil War broke out, a large number of the United States' senior officers chose to put state identity ahead of national identity and fight with the Confederate States of America, knowing full well that doing so would cause them to break their vow to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.
  - deleted 8y ago
    [deleted]

by pm90 8y ago

lsc 8y ago

>if you look at how states are generally organized in the old world, its generally by ethnicity, language or some other very strong form of strong shared identity. While true, it is important to remember that this is a 19th/20th century type thing. Germany became unified around cultural/ethnic lines in 1871 (in France! so much of world war one was about the fallout from the wars of german unification, just like so much of the wars of german unification were fallout from the Napoleonic wars.) Italy became unified around cultural/ethnic lines in like 1860. Before this, the individual "german" states were not politically unified in any sort of way; they all belonged to whatever multi-ethnic empire invaded them last, and they were more likely to war with oneanother than, say, with France. My point here is that ethnic nationalism looks like the old-world default today, but this is a fairly recent thing.

quanticle 8y ago
I would also point out that, in the US, the idea that American identity trumps state identity is something that really only came into its own after the Civil War. When the Civil War broke out, a large number of the United States' senior officers chose to put state identity ahead of national identity and fight with the Confederate States of America, knowing full well that doing so would cause them to break their vow to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States of America.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]