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I think basically, we know what states are, and often use "nation" as a synonym for state. But some people try to use "nation" to mean something else, such as W

I think basically, we know what states are, and often use "nation" as a synonym for state. But some people try to use "nation" to mean something else, such as Wikipedia would have it: "A nation is a stable community of people, formed on the basis of a common language, territory, history, ethnicity, or psychological make-up manifested in a common culture." Although, personally, I'd find language to be the only thing there that I'd care about

squiggleblaz 7y ago
I don't think that's right. I think, for the most part, we're familiar with nation states, so we've changed the meaning of nation to mean "the people of a nation state". But in other parts of the world, for instance in Eastern Europe, you have people who are clearly Russians but citizens of other post Soviet states. There, you have a question about a nation and a state that do not correspond. States speak of administration; nations speak of common bonds. States seek to turn their diverse populations into a common nation because it will create stability. But when some of the people who are subject to your administration feel a common bond with hundreds of millions of people on the other side of a somewhat arbitrary line, this may be an impossible or undesireable task.
- incompatible 7y ago
  Yes, we also have situations where a group of people have decided that they are a nation and really want an independent state: such as in Scotland, Catalonia, the Kurds, or Tibet: supporters of the existing state may even accuse them of wanting to "split the nation". The idea of nationalism, that states and nations should coincide, was only partly implemented. There are numerous groups, including indigenous peoples of the Americas and Pacific or the numerous groups of India which never obtained their own states.
tasogare 7y ago
> ormed on the basis of a common language, territory, history, ethnicity, or psychological make-up Some of these elements are indeed needed but not all them at once. There is the flagrant example of Alsatians who chose in 17th century to integrate the kingdom of France despite speaking a Germanic dialect over a religious matter (they were Catholics and German speaking people Protestants).

squiggleblaz 7y ago

I don't think that's right. I think, for the most part, we're familiar with nation states, so we've changed the meaning of nation to mean "the people of a nation state". But in other parts of the world, for instance in Eastern Europe, you have people who are clearly Russians but citizens of other post Soviet states. There, you have a question about a nation and a state that do not correspond. States speak of administration; nations speak of common bonds. States seek to turn their diverse populations into a common nation because it will create stability. But when some of the people who are subject to your administration feel a common bond with hundreds of millions of people on the other side of a somewhat arbitrary line, this may be an impossible or undesireable task.

incompatible 7y ago
Yes, we also have situations where a group of people have decided that they are a nation and really want an independent state: such as in Scotland, Catalonia, the Kurds, or Tibet: supporters of the existing state may even accuse them of wanting to "split the nation". The idea of nationalism, that states and nations should coincide, was only partly implemented. There are numerous groups, including indigenous peoples of the Americas and Pacific or the numerous groups of India which never obtained their own states.

tasogare 7y ago

> ormed on the basis of a common language, territory, history, ethnicity, or psychological make-up Some of these elements are indeed needed but not all them at once. There is the flagrant example of Alsatians who chose in 17th century to integrate the kingdom of France despite speaking a Germanic dialect over a religious matter (they were Catholics and German speaking people Protestants).