A nation-state is most often defined by its twin attributes of sovereignty and

Please begin by reading Chapter 4 of Flint, C. (2016). Introduction to geopolitics (3rd ed.). London: Routledge.

What is a State?

A State is an independent, sovereign government exercising control over a certain spatially defined and bounded area, whose borders are usually clearly defined and internationally recognized by other states.

  1. States are tied to territory
    • Sovereign or state as absolute ruler over territory
    • Have clear borders
    • Defends and controls its territory within those borders
    • Is recognized by other countries (diplomatic recognition, passports, treaties, etc.)
  2. States have bureaucracies staffed by state’s own personnel
    • Has a national bureaucracy staffed by government personnel (legal system, educational system, hierarchical governmental units, etc.)
  3. States monopolize certain functions within its territory (sovereign)
    • Controls legitimate use of force within its territory
    • Controls money at national scale (prints currency; collects taxes)
    • Makes rules within its territory (law, regulations, taxes, citizenship, etc.)
    • Controls much information within its territory

States try to form nations within their borders (through symbols, education, ‘national interest,’ etc.).

So, what is a Nation?

A nation is a group of people who see themselves as a cohesive and coherent unit based on shared cultural or historical criteria. Nations are socially constructed units, not given by nature. Their existence, definition, and members can change dramatically based on circumstances. Nations in some ways can be thought of as “imagined communities” that are bound together by notions of unity that can pivot around religion, ethnic identity, language, cultural practice and so forth. The concept and practice of a nation work to establish who belongs and who does not (insider vs. outsider). Such conceptions often ignore political boundaries such that a single nation may “spill over” into multiple states. Furthermore, states ≠ nations: not every nation has a state (e.g., Kurds; Roma; Palestine). Some states may contain all or parts of multiple nations.

And what about a Nation-State?

A Nation-State is the idea of a homogenous nation governed by its own sovereign state—where each state contains one nation. This idea is almost never achieved.

Each person has a sense of attachment to a nation. Nationalism takes the shared sense of attachment to a particular nation and uses it to justify political action.

We frequently misuse the terms nation, state, and nation-state. States are defined by sovereignty over territory and a group of people. They are what we commonly call countries. [1] The United States, Great Britain, and Nigeria are all examples of states. Nations generate identity and loyalty. They are named groups who share common histories, myths, culture, economy, and rights. Ethnic groups also have a common ancestry and solidarity within the group, but they do not engage in the politics of nationalism. Americans are encouraged to sing the national anthem rather than the state anthem in order to become more integrated with the idea of a nation, even though it should be called the state anthem.

A nation-state would be a sovereign territory with one group of individuals who share a common history. Today, a true nation-state in the academic sense of the world does not exist. Nearly every state (country) in the world contains more than one national group.

A nation-state is most often defined by its twin attributes of sovereignty and

National Identity

Our definition of place included a form identity; how people view the place in which they live, or their sense of attachment to a larger place. National identity builds upon this definition and applies it to a specific nation.  Namely, it is the idea that each person has a sense of attachment to a nation.  In other words, they feel as though they belong to one nation more than any other. This attachment is formed by living in this nation and in doing everyday things that support the existence of this country — for example paying taxes, maintaining national armed forces, celebrating national holidays, and cheering on national teams in the Olympic Games or the World Cup. These types of actions create a sense of belonging, or identity, for a nation’s citizens.  So, a person who has grown up in the United States attending fourth of July celebrations, cheering for the United States’ Olympic team, memorizing the national anthem, and paying taxes most likely has developed an American national identity. 

It is important to recognize that each individual has a national identity, or an attachment to a particular nation. It is also important to note that when people do things in the name of their nation (such as singing a national anthem), they are really identifying with a state. This is why the misuse of the terms nation and state is such a powerful form of geopolitics: It generates a loyalty to the state through a national identity.

Nationalism

Nationalism takes the shared sense of attachment to a particular nation and uses it to justify political action. Nationalism is the belief that every nation has a right to control a piece of territory. Basically, if a group of people has a shared sense of nationalism, they form a “nation.”  The idea of nationalism believes that once a group has defined itself as a nation they have a “natural right” to territory necessary to live in and govern in.  In other words, nationalism is the belief that a nation should have its own state.

The ideology of nationalism claims that a nation is not complete without territory. It also says that the geopolitical situation is unjust, or unfair, if a nation does not have, or is not allowed to have, its own territory.  Many people use nationalism to justify conflict, as each nation fights for its right to territory in which to live and govern. 

The geopolitics of nationalism have resulted in millions of deaths as people fought to establish a state for their nation. For example, the United States of America was formed when a group of people had a shared sense of belonging (nationalism) that was separate from the government they lived under (the British crown). They fought, using their shared nationalism as the justification, to gain control of territory to call their own state, or country. Ultimately, they were able to gain their territory and form a state that reflected their sense of nationalism.  

The United States continues to use nationalism as justification to protect the current territory it now holds. This pattern of people with a shared sense of nationalism fighting to gain control of territory is seen often throughout history and into contemporary times.|

What are two characteristics of a nation

A nation state must have a shared national identity, physical borders, and a single government. This makes it different from other forms of states, like the city-state, which did not have firm borders, and kingdoms, which did not have a shared culture.

How is a nation

: a form of political organization under which a relatively homogeneous people inhabits a sovereign state. especially : a state containing one as opposed to several nationalities.

What are the 4 features of a nation

The four characteristics of a nation-state are sovereignty, land, population, and government. Brazil, Greece, and Australia are examples of nation-states.

What is the attributes of state and nation?

A State (note the capital "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.