Political systems

Nation State

A nation-state is a state, or country, that has defined borders and territory. It is additionally a country in which a nation of principally the same type of people exists, organized by either race or cultural background.

Nation State

In the nation-state, generally, everyone would speak the same language, probably practice the same or similar types of religion, and share a set of cultural, “national,” values.

Contd…The nation-state is a State that self-identifies as deriving its political legitimacy from serving as a sovereign entity for a country as a sovereign territorial unit. The state is a political and geographical entity; the nation is a cultural and/or ethnic entity.

History and origins

The origins and early history of nation-states are disputed. A major theoretical issue is: "which came first — the nation or the nation state?”

History and origins

For nationalists themselves, the answer is that the nation existed first, nationalist movements arose to present its legitimate demand for sovereignty, and the nation-state met that demand.

History and origins

Some "modernization theories" of nationalism see the national identity largely as a product of government policy, to unify and modernize an already existing state.

Before nation-states

In Europe, in the 18th century, the classic non-national states were the multi-ethnic empires, (the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Russian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the British Empire) and smaller states at what would now be called sub-national level.

Before nation-states

The multi-ethnic empire was a Monarchy ruled by a king, empire or sultan. The population belonged to many ethnic groups, and they spoke many languages. The empire was dominated by one ethnic group, and their language was usually the language of public administration. The ruling dynasty was usually, but not always, from that group. This type of state is not specifically European: such empires existed on all continents.

Characteristics of the nation-state

Nation-states have their own characteristics, differing from those of the pre-national states. For a start, they have a different attitude to their territory, compared to the dynastic monarchies: it is semi-sacred, and non-transferable.

A State "S" is a self-governing political entity. The term State can be used interchangeably with country.A nation, however, is a tightly-knit group of people which share a common culture. A nation-state is a nation which has the same borders as a State.

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Nations and Nation-States Nations are culturally homogeneous groups

of people, larger than a single tribe or community, which share a common language, institutions, religion, and historical experience.

When a nation of people have a State or country of their own, it is called a nation-state. Places like France, Egypt, Germany, and Japan are excellent examples of nation-states.