A Brief Note on Nation-States and Sovereignty

Scholar of nation-states and nationalism Anthony Smith is widely considered to be one of the most influential academics in this field. Argued that a state is only a nation-state if and when it is inhabited by a single ethnic and cultural population, and the boundaries of that state are coextensive with the boundaries of that ethnic and cultural population; in other words, a state cannot be a nation-state under any other circumstances. This is an extremely narrow definition that presupposes the existence of the model known as “one nation, one state.” As a direct consequence of this, fewer than 10% of the states in the world satisfy its requirements.

The presence of minorities, particularly ethnic minorities, whom cultural and ethnic nationalists consider to be outside the purview of the majority nation is the most glaring example of this model’s significant departure from its ideal form. The treatment of Jews and Roma in Europe is perhaps the most instructive historical example of how certain groups have been singled out specifically as outsiders in the region. In legal terms, many nation-states in today’s world accept specific minority groups as being part of the nation. This generally implies that members of the minority group are citizens of the given nation-state and enjoy the same rights and liberties as members of the majority nation in that nation-state. On the other hand, nationalists and, as a direct result of this, symbolic narratives of the origins and history of nation-states frequently continue to exclude minorities from both the nation and the nation-state.

A Nation-State

A nation-state is a type of state that joins the political entity of a state with the cultural entity of a nation, from which it seeks to derive its political legitimacy to rule and potentially its status as a sovereign state if one accepts the declarative theory of statehood as opposed to the constitutive theory of statehood. According to a wider working definition, a nation-state is a type of state that conjoins the political entity of a state with the cultural entity of a nation A state is an entity that is specifically concerned with politics and geopolitics, whereas a nation is an entity that is concerned with culture and ethnicity. The term “nation-state” gives the impression that these two entities are synonymous with one another, in the sense that the state has made the conscious decision to adopt and support a particular cultural group as being associated with it. The idea of a nation-state can be compared and contrasted with that of a multinational state, city-state, empire, confederation, and other state formations with which it may overlap. These comparisons and contrasts are possible because all of these state formations share similarities and differences. The most important distinction is the linking of a specific people to a particular polity within a nation-state.

Origins

There is much debate regarding the beginnings and early histories of nation-states. There have been two significant theoretical questions that have been discussed. The question that needs to be answered first is, “Which came first, the nation, or the nation-state?” The second question is, “Is the concept of a nation-state more modern or more ancient?” Some academics have advanced the hypothesis that the nation-state was an unintended consequence of intellectual discoveries made during the 15th century in political economy, capitalism, mercantilism, political geography, and geography combined with advances in map-making technologies. For some, the nation existed first; subsequent nationalist movements for sovereignty gave rise to the need for the nation-state; and finally, the nation-state was established to fulfil the demand for sovereignty. Some “modernization theories” of nationalism view it as a product of government policies that were implemented to unify and modernise a state that already existed. According to the majority of theoretical frameworks, the nation-state is a modern European phenomenon that was made possible by developments such as compulsory education, widespread literacy, and widespread media (including print). On the other hand, there are those who search for the origins of nations in more distant times.

The concept of a nation-state was and is most commonly associated with the development of the modern system of states, which is frequently referred to as the “Westphalian system” in reference to the Treaty of Westphalia. In this context, “Westphalia” refers to the international agreement that established the modern system of states (1648). The delicate equilibrium of power that prevailed within that system was dependent on the existence of empires or nation-states that were clearly delineated, governed from a centralised location, and independent of one another. These entities had to acknowledge the sovereignty and territory of one another. The concept of the nation-state did not originate with the Westphalian system; however, the nation-state does satisfy the requirements set forth by the system for its constituent states.

This map of Europe, which outlines borders in 1815, demonstrates that at the beginning of the 19th century, most of Europe was still divided into empires, kingdoms, and confederations. The map was created in 1815. Almost none of the entities depicted on the map would qualify as a nation-state according to its definition.

Characteristics

Nation-states are distinguished from pre-national states by a number of distinguishing features, many of which are now regarded as essential components of a modern state but which emerged independently in each case. Their land is regarded as semisacred and cannot be sold or given away in any way. In economic, social, and cultural life, nation-states utilise the state as an instrument of national unity through the use of the state. Nation-states, being smaller and less diverse than their imperial ancestors, typically have a public administration that is more centralised and uniform than their imperial ancestors had. After the rise of the nation-state in Europe during the 19th century, regional identities were typically relegated to a secondary status to national identities. The regional administration was frequently subordinate to the central (national) government as well. Since the 1970s onward, a variety of different types of regional autonomy have been implemented in states that were previously centralised, which has resulted in a partial reversal of this process (e.g., France).

The establishment of a consistent national culture by means of state policy is the effect of the nation-state that is most readily apparent when compared to the non-national institutions that preceded it. The concept of the nation-state assumes that the people living within its borders form a single cohesive entity known as a nation. This nation is characterised by a shared ancestry, language, and various aspects of culture. When there was an absence of the implied unity, the nation-state frequently attempted to create it. Typically, the popularisation of nationalist narratives is closely linked to the establishment of national systems of primary education that are mandatory for all children. Even in modern times, primary and secondary schools all over the world frequently teach a version of national history that is heavily mythologized.

Although a number of nation-states originated in Europe over the course of the 19th century, the end of World War I marked the demise of the continent’s empires. They were all eventually divided up into a number of smaller states. However, it wasn’t until the tragedy of World War II and the post-war shifts of borders and population resettlement that many European states became more racially and culturally homogenous, bringing them that much closer to the concept of the ideal nation-state.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that the Peace of Westphalia did not put an end to the war in Europe, it did set a precedent for peace to be achieved through diplomatic congress and it did usher in a new system of political order in Europe that was predicated on the idea of sovereign states coexisting with one another. In addition to this, it is supposed to have the ability to select its own government. It is expected that the people living in a Nation State will have unity, strength, and cooperation among themselves.