Nation

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]


External links[edit | edit source]

Nation Resources

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD