Nation-State

Autonomous area inhabited by a people sharing a common culture, history, and/or language. The term nation-state (or nation-state), although often used interchangeably with the terms unitary state and independent state, refers to recognized authorities, or states, in which a single nation is dominant. Spain, Ireland, and France are examples of nation-states. A nation-state can be a federal state at the same time (for example, the Federal Republic of Germany, the United States of America, and, previously, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics).

The origins of the modern nation-state are traced to the Treaty of Westphalia, which most historians believe shaped subsequent relations between countries. The Treaty of Westphalia is a collective name given to the two treaties concluded on October 24, 1648, which ended the Thirty Years War, one of the most destructive conflicts in European history. The war initially pitted Protestant Germany against Catholic France and Spain, but it eventually drew in Swedes, Danes, Poles, Russians, Dutch, and Swiss. Commercial interests and rivalries played a part, as did religion and power politics.

The Peace of Westphalia established the principle of national sovereignty—the notion that states should have control of their own internal affairs without outside interference. One of the factors that sparked the war was the Holy Roman Emperor's attempt to impose Protestantism on the various kingdoms and duchies in Germany. The Peace of Westphalia recognized each state's right to choose its own religion. The German states also won the right to exercise independent foreign policies, but not to declare war on the emperor. Before the Peace of Westphalia, most European wars were sparked at least partly by religious matters. Afterward, wars became rooted in state self-interest rather than on purely religious grounds. From this point on, European powers instigated conflict in accordance with their perceived political and commercial interests.

The nation-state remains the main organizing principle in international relations, but its status has weakened in recent years. The formation of nongovernmental organizations such as the United Nations and of supra-national bodies such as the European Union (EU) have raised challenges to the ultimate authority of the nation-state. Multinational corporations have become so large and influential that they also rival state governments as sources of power and influence. In today's era of globalization, porous borders, and powerful nonstate participants, there is some debate about whether the concept of the nation-state will soon become obsolete.