Nation

Nation

A nation is a community of people formed on the basis of a common language, territory, history, ethnicity, or a common culture. A nation is more overtly political than an ethnic group; it has been described as "a fully mobilized or institutionalized ethnic group". Some nations are ethnic groups (see Ethnic nationalism) and some are not (see Civic nationalism and Multiculturalism).

Definition

The word nation comes from the Old French word nacion – meaning "birth" (naissance), "place of origin" -, which in turn originates from the Latin word natio (nātĭō) literally meaning "birth".

Nation and Ethnicity

While an ethnic group possesses unique cultural traits and a historical experience, a nation further possesses a political consciousness. In this way, a nation is more overtly political than an ethnic group. It is often called a "fully mobilized or institutionalized ethnic group".

Nation and State

A nation should not be confused with a state. A nation is a community of people with common cultural attributes, while a state is a political entity with a high degree of sovereignty. While many states are nations in some sense, there are many nations which are not states, and many states which are not nations.

Nation and Nationalism

Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates nations.

See also

• Nation state
• National identity
• National myth
• National symbol
• Nationalism
• Self-determination

External links

• Britannica - Nation

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