Nation

The term “nation” has several meanings, depending on the context. It usually refers to a large group of people who share a common origin, history, culture, language, and specific territory defined by boundaries. It may also refer to a people or a confederation of peoples. In general, the concepts of “nation” and “national identity” are strongly linked. These terms refer to a group of characteristics that identify a common origin and culture—and, in more homogenous societies, a common ethnicity as well.

People are usually born into a nation; however, membership can also be voluntary. Most societies exhibit a degree of attachment or loyalty toward the nation to which they belong. The term “nationalism,” however, usually entails the belief that the nation to which a people or an individual belongs is superior and must take precedence, in all instances, over all others.

Background

Modernist approaches study nations from their origins in the early modern era and the birth of capitalism, treating them as relatively recent entities. There is no widespread consensus on the definition of a nation; the idea has typically been tied to concepts of state, peoplehood, and nationalism. In a traditional sense, territorial sovereignty has been regarded as an essential element of the self-governing state and therefore necessary for a nation to exist, a view supported by philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679), John Locke (1632–1704), and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78).

Territorial sovereignty and control over one’s economy, resources, and people have been considered core elements of the nation since the inception of the early nation-states. In the classical nationalist view, the ownership of a territorial state by a particular ethnocultural group is considered particularly essential to nationhood. This idea of nation was most prevalent in the nineteenth century, especially in Europe and, eventually, Latin America. The classical nationalist view spread across continents and was the origin of many forms of contemporary nationalism.

Many scholars agree that the most extreme types of nationalism espouse a deep sense of territorial sovereignty and the supremacy of that nation’s interests over all other local and international claims, including individual claims and allegiances. Usually, however, nationalism relates to ethno-cultural groups and the ways in which they organize themselves politically. At a more sociological level, it involves both individual and group attitudes that members of a nation express in reference to national identity. These go beyond patriotism, as patriotism refers solely to the civic duties and loyalties that individuals feel in relation to their country.

With the rapid spread of globalization and the end of the Cold War, the notion of a nation’s claim to absolute territorial sovereignty has gradually fallen out of favor, and contemporary systems favor international agreements. In the post-World War II era, nongovernment organizations, such as the United Nations, and international corporations have begun taking over the political and economic powers of traditional nation-state entities.

Overview

In some modern views, nation formation relates to voluntary membership. A nation is a group of people who share a common ethnicity or ethno-culture. When the group establishes a state, the loyalties of the group’s members shift away from their peoplehood or ethnicity and become civic allegiance.

A nonvoluntary view of nationhood defines a community as one that shares a common origin, culture, and language. A group may build a nation strongly rooted in its ethnicity rather than its civic loyalties. An individual’s ethnicity, then, determines their membership. In short, people cannot elect to become members of this nation, as it is a matter of chance (i.e., having been born into that ethnic group). Often, these sentiments foster mythic narratives of national origins. In this context, essentialist beliefs emerge, as in the case of nations that claim their ethno-culture has existed “since the beginning of time.” Another view is that a nation is formed by a group of people who share, by choice or by birth, a common culture, although they might not share a common origin.

Before World War II, many scholars espoused the views that nations had specific characters or traits, such as those of biological organisms. These traits would establish the national ethos and goals for that group of people. Most modern scholars have abandoned such views, and it is more common to talk about a national identity and refer to a central culture, used for both group identity and social identity. Modern scholars consider elements such as community, group membership, social identities, culture, and other social factors when referring to the composition of a nation and its people.

Some view nations as imagined yet powerful constructions created by groups of people that dominate those who claim membership in them. Other scholars claim that nations are real entities, with real norms, institutions, and moral obligations. Still, others claim that these two definitions are not incompatible and can, in fact, coexist.

The multicultural and pluralist nature of nations worldwide continues to increase due to the growth of immigration, multinational business operations, and the expansion of the Internet. This has brought about the phenomenon of multiple identifications within one nation. When an individual arrives in a new country, they might seek communities of their original ethno-cultural group to feel more comfortable. Common language and customs ease the transition for new arrivals. However, new immigrants and their descendants become acculturated and integral nation members, often among the most patriotic citizens. However, some theorists question this, pointing to severe ethnic conflict within nations. The layers of cultural membership in the modern world make nationality and the composition of a nation a very complex phenomenon.

Bibliography

Anderson, Benedict. Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. Rev. ed., Verso, 2006.

Brinkley, Alan, et al. The Unfinished Nation: A Concise History of the American People. 10th ed., McGraw Hill, 2023.

Gellner, Ernest. Nations and Nationalism. 2nd ed., Cornell UP, 2008.

Gilbert, Felix, and David Clay Large. The End of the European Era, 1890 to the Present. 6th ed., Norton, 2009.

Hart-Davis, Adam. History: The Definitive Visual Guide: From the Dawn of Civilization to the Present Day. DK Publishing, 2023.

Hobsbawm, Eric J. Nations and Nationalism since 1780: Programme, Myth, Reality. 2nd ed., 29th version, Cambridge UP, 2022.

Roberts, J. M., and Odd Arne Westad. The History of the World. 6th ed., Oxford UP, 2013.

Smith, Anthony D. The Ethnic Origins of Nations. 1986. Blackwell, 2008.

Wallerstein, Immanuel. The Second Era of Great Expansion of the Capitalist World-Economy, 1730s–1840s. 1989. U of California P, 2011.