Nation vs Nation State

When people go to war and die for their nation, what exactly are they dying for? What is a nation? People are grouped by their nationality, but what does it mean to come from a certain nation? Let's discuss.

Nation Definition

Nation has many definitions. Sometimes it is erroneously used as a synonym for state. However, the definition is as follows:

Political scientist Benedict Anderson defined nations as "imagined communities" that are "limited and sovereign."¹ While nations are tied to a specific territory across space and time, nations are not natural. They are human-made; they are imagined.

Members of a nation do not all know each other. With hundreds of thousands, hundreds of millions, and even over a billion, it would be impossible for all members of a nation to meet each other. Yet, by "limited," Anderson meant nations are defined. Not everyone is involved in the same nation; there are certain membership criteria. As for sovereignty, the nation is free from foreign control and can manage its own affairs.

Nation State Definition

Nation-states retain much of the same politics of nations, such as being limited and imagined. However, the nation also has a sovereign territory. It can manage its own affairs without having to accommodate different nations within its borders.

If a nation lacks its own state, it is not a nation-state.

Nation vs Nation State Examples

The use of these terms is confusing. Let's discuss this.

Nation Examples

As a reminder, nation refers to an ethnic or cultural group with a common, defined culture. Nations may have a sovereign territory, or they may not. Nations also include members of a nation who are in diaspora, which means they do not live in their original homeland.

Armenians

While Armenians possess their own state, Armenians are found in diaspora communities all around the world. Armenians fled their homeland due to a genocide in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. The present territory of Armenia is smaller than it once was.

Fig. 1 - A map of the Armenian diaspora. While Armenians have a sovereign state, individuals who identify as part of the nation of Armenia live in diaspora around the world. The darker the color, the more Armenians in the country

No matter where Armenians live, they still share their culture and shared history with Armenians located in Armenia and elsewhere around the world.

Jewish People

The Jewish people are another example of a nation. The members of this ethnoreligious community are found throughout the world. No matter where they live, whether it be Israel, the US, or elsewhere, the Jewish people share history and culture. Throughout history, the Jewish nation has been persecuted, exiled, and the victims of numerous genocides. The Holocaust is an infamous example of the Jewish nation being specifically targeted and exterminated.

Nation State Examples

As a reminder, nation-states refer to countries where the sovereign state's borders match the borders of a nation. Out of the 193 states of the world, only 20 or so can be classified as nation-states.

Iceland

This Scandinavian island is an example of a nation-state. Icelandic culture and language are distinct. The island's population density is sparse and small. The country has only a slim population of refugees or immigrants. The country is also incredibly geographically isolated, as it is a sparsely populated island located in the middle of the North Atlantic. Because most citizens of Iceland are members of the defined Icelandic nation, this island is a nation-state.

Fig. 2 - Iceland has a unique language. Icelandic is directly related to the Old Norse language of Scandinavia. A unique language is a great unifier for a nation-state

Japan

Japan is another example of a nation-state. Japanese are unified by a shared history, culture, and language. Japan does not accept many immigrants, so nearly all the citizens of Japan are members of the Japanese nation. Since the borders of the Japanese nation and the sovereign state of Japan align, Japan is one of the world's few true nation-states.

The United States

A complicated and much-debated example of a nation-state is the US. The US is a diverse and multicultural country. It is famously a melting pot of languages, ethnicities, and races from all around the world who now identify as Americans.

There is nothing innate in being a US citizen--no biological quality that defines someone as "American." By design, the nation has no unifying language, creed, race, etc.

Yet, the 365 million residents of the US are unified: by shared ideals and symbols. Shared ideals include individualism and liberty. Shared symbolism includes the US flag, collective American history, Uncle Sam, and the bald eagle. This shared history classifies the US as a nation-state, even if it is diverse in terms of language, race, and identity.

Fig. 3 - The State of Liberty long welcomed immigrants to the US. It's a symbol of the US as a melting pot of all different nations that once here, become "American"

Multi State Nation vs Stateless Nation

These confusing terms are different. Let's see how this works.

An example is the Korean nation. Koreans share a language, culture, and history, or at least they did until 1948. The Korean peninsula used to be home to one Korean nation-state. However, in 1948 the Korean War split the Korean nation into two separate states: North and South Korea.

Fig. 4 - The Korean nation split into North and South Korea

While a nation may be found in multiple states, sometimes it also may have none.

Nations are essentially ethnic groups. They have a shared and unifying history and culture. Nations can have a sovereign state or they cannot. They can exist within one state or within multiple. When nations have a sovereign state of their own, that is known as a nation-state.

Nationalism

Perhaps George Orwell said it best:

Being a member of a nation unites people with each other, their culture, and their geography.

Nationalism creates a national consciousness that emphasizes the nation and its people, values, and culture as better than other nations and nationalities. This can be beneficial for the state in times of war to gain support for a military response.

A pertinent nationalist military response includes the fight for a nationality's liberation or unification. For instance, before the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861, the peninsula was home to many separate states. Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian general and nationalist who unified the peninsula under one kingdom. As a result, the entire peninsula was unified under a shared language, culture, and history.

In 1871, Otto von Bismarck also similarly made Germany into a nation. He unified separate kingdoms, remnants of the Holy Roman Empire, into one German state. This simultaneously created the German nationality.

Nationalism can also be forged through public education. The education system can create nationalism as the entire population learns the same history, values, and language. For instance, history classes can ignore or gloss over unappealing details from the nation's history.

Types of Nationalism

Nationalism can manifest in different ways.

Ethnic nationalism can be dangerous. It sees an ethnic group and its members as superior to those of other groups. It can alienate and discriminate against individuals that do not fit the mold of the nation's exalted nationality. Nazi Germany proved how dangerous this can be, as all the internal and neighboring nations that it saw as inferior to its nation were violently persecuted.

While ethnic nationalism is focused on ethnic identity, civic nationalism is focused on other concerns.

Civic nationalism is seen as inclusive because there is no narrow definition of a citizen. All citizens, no matter what nation they come from, can be welcomed into the group if they share the same values as other citizens of the country. Thus, the US is an example of a state with a high degree of civic nationalism.

Patriotism

Patriotism differs slightly from civic nationalism.

Patriots feel pride in their country. In the US, manifestations of patriotism include displaying the US flag on your property or singing the national anthem. Patriots love their country, but that does not necessarily mean they think their country is superior to all other states.

A civic nationalist places importance on shared values among citizens, while a patriot is simply loyal to their country.

Fig. 6 - The celebration of the US holiday of the Fourth of July is an example of patriotism. Depicted here is a parade celebrating the holiday and country