What is a country?

[tomdemaine]

How would you define a country in a rigorous and provable way? The hypothesis that it is a shared culture is demonstrably false as there are fully legal citizens of my country that don't share my culture. Similar disproofs exist for the hypotheses that it is a group of people with a common value system or a group with similar heritage and traditions. So what is your definition of a country and how can you prove it is a correct one?

[PokrLikeItsProse]

I tend to use "country" as a synonym for "state", generally following Max Weber's definition as an entity with a monopoly on the legitimate use of force. As for proving that definition, I would appeal to experts and poll a random sample of political science professors specializing in international relations to see if they agree or disagree with that definition. Actually carrying out that poll is left as an exercise for the OP.

The "hypothesis' that you give sounds more like the definition of "nation", which is different from a "state" in political science jargon. Nations generally aspire to be states, and those that realize that aspiration are sometimes referred to as "nation-states", but not all nations are states and not all states are nations.

[Nielsio]

Country = territory (thus a dynamic).

Country has a ruling class and subjects.

[VarlosZ]

Why ask the question? Even if you don't know exactly which words to use in describing it, you know full well what a country is, and so does everyone else. And, of course, the idea that any one definition will be 'rigorously provable' is pretty far-fetched.

I've always been partial to the shorthand definition that you're a country when you're generally recognized as such; that is, when other countries start to admit that your territory belongs to you and no one else. Other definitions, pulled straight from the dictionary (under "nation") seem just as helpful:

-- a large body of people, associated with a particular territory, that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or to possess a government peculiarly its own.

-- a. A relatively large group of people organized under a single, usually independent government; a country.
b. The territory occupied by such a group of people

-- a politically organized body of people under a single government

[Nielsio]

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-- a large body of people, associated with a particular territory, that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or to possess a government peculiarly its own.

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Is it voluntary?

[VarlosZ]

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-- a large body of people, associated with a particular territory, that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or to possess a government peculiarly its own.

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Is it voluntary?

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In the sense that if you don't like it you're free to get the fudge out. Otherwise, no, generally not. You know this.

[Nielsio]

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-- a large body of people, associated with a particular territory, that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or to possess a government peculiarly its own.

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Is it voluntary?

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In the sense that if you don't like it you're free to get the fudge out. Otherwise, no, generally not. You know this.

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So the part about "unity to seek or to possess" is a myth, right?

[Dane S]

A mafia and a marketing campaign.

[SNOWBALL]

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A mafia and a marketing campaign.



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I likee

[VarlosZ]

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-- a large body of people, associated with a particular territory, that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or to possess a government peculiarly its own.

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Is it voluntary?

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In the sense that if you don't like it you're free to get the fudge out. Otherwise, no, generally not. You know this.

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So the part about "unity to seek or to possess" is a myth, right?

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No. Whether or not everyone in a nation wants their government is immaterial to the question of whether or not they possess it. Not that it matters at all, of course; if you don't like that definition, pick a different one, because all of us already know exactly what a nation is, even if we disagree about which words best describe it. I'm still wondering what is the point of this thread.