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Why isn't Russia a nation? Its a large group of people ruled by a single government. Isn't that a nation?

lottin 5y ago
A nation is about a shared identity that binds people together, not necessarily ruled by a single government. For example, the Kurdish nation is spread across several states, so not ruled by a single government but a nation nonetheless. Whereas states can encompass various nations. In short, the Russian nation is different from the Russian state, and calling the Russian state a nation-state can be misleading.
- galangalalgol 5y ago
  American Heritage says a nation is a large group of people with one government. Merriam Webster says a nation is an area of land with one government. Leaving people out entirely. Cambridge dictionary has the combination of those as the first definition, but adds the cultural definition second. It seems like this word is flexible enough in common usage to cover both uses with context necessary to distinguish usage. Dieing on that hill seems excessive.
  - lottin 5y ago
    It depends, I think the distinction is more important if you're a member of an endangered, stateless nation, because in that case the term nation-state implies that your people does not exist as a nation, whereas if you belong to the dominant nation within a state, then it's the other way round, it's in your interest to reinforce the idea that there's one nation (as opposed to multiple ones), and therefore prefer the term nation-state.
Mountain_Skies 5y ago
Sounds more like a country than a nation. Nations are more cultural which is why there can be a Navajo nation or a Kurd nation without there being a Kurdistan and the Navajos being part of the United States with limited autonomy. As is the case with anything in this sphere, the edges can be a bit fuzzy and not everyone agrees on the definition of nation.
WastingMyTime89 5y ago
A nation is a loosely defined concept popularised at the end of the nineteenth century by the French and German with each a different definitions relating to a mostly fantasied shared history and vague appeal to a common identity and whose usefulness diminishes quickly when it’s not about justifying war and persecution. Meanwhile what you are talking about is a country: a sovereign legal entity which actually exists.

A nation is about a shared identity that binds people together, not necessarily ruled by a single government. For example, the Kurdish nation is spread across several states, so not ruled by a single government but a nation nonetheless. Whereas states can encompass various nations. In short, the Russian nation is different from the Russian state, and calling the Russian state a nation-state can be misleading.

galangalalgol 5y ago
American Heritage says a nation is a large group of people with one government. Merriam Webster says a nation is an area of land with one government. Leaving people out entirely. Cambridge dictionary has the combination of those as the first definition, but adds the cultural definition second. It seems like this word is flexible enough in common usage to cover both uses with context necessary to distinguish usage. Dieing on that hill seems excessive.
- lottin 5y ago
  It depends, I think the distinction is more important if you're a member of an endangered, stateless nation, because in that case the term nation-state implies that your people does not exist as a nation, whereas if you belong to the dominant nation within a state, then it's the other way round, it's in your interest to reinforce the idea that there's one nation (as opposed to multiple ones), and therefore prefer the term nation-state.

Mountain_Skies 5y ago

Sounds more like a country than a nation. Nations are more cultural which is why there can be a Navajo nation or a Kurd nation without there being a Kurdistan and the Navajos being part of the United States with limited autonomy. As is the case with anything in this sphere, the edges can be a bit fuzzy and not everyone agrees on the definition of nation.

WastingMyTime89 5y ago

A nation is a loosely defined concept popularised at the end of the nineteenth century by the French and German with each a different definitions relating to a mostly fantasied shared history and vague appeal to a common identity and whose usefulness diminishes quickly when it’s not about justifying war and persecution. Meanwhile what you are talking about is a country: a sovereign legal entity which actually exists.