A Nation: Some Sort of Summary

The most interesting questions posed this week, in the reading and then in class, were the ones that we never really did answer. For example, what is a nation? Considering we all allegedly are, as David puts it, “members” of the club that is the United States of America (with the possible exception of Andra), it is perhaps surprising that we all seem to have different opinions of what in fact makes a nation. It has been suggested that a nation must be made up of a group of similar people, although whether they must be of the same racial and cultural background or just like-minded and working toward a common aim is debatable. At the same time, it might be not who is included in a nation, as some have suggested, but who are not. The boundaries, after all, are what define a nation on the map. Oftentimes, like Mazzini argues, these boundaries seem arbitrary, even ridiculous. Alaska is part of the United States, yes, but why? It doesn’t look as if it should be. But if a nation is so defined by its place on a map, then what happens when the territory enclosed within those boundaries shrinks or grows? Of course the chunk of land could still be a nation, but why is that the case? Not that every nation will necessarily undergo the same disappearing act that Poland did once upon a time, but changes of territory do occur, and that might not seem like a big deal, but then again, around this same time, territorial expansion was very nearly ripping the infant United States apart at its seams. Then what are the permanent characteristics of a nation that define it as such? Maybe a certain, almost inexplicable ideal, a belief in the “American Dream,” and a land of opportunity. But while Mazzini might appreciate that, others who debated the concept of nationhood, especially Bismarck, would surely see ideals as a basis for a nation as ephemeral and weak. Ultimately, then, what are we left with? As things that seem to define this country change, just as the 13 colonies expanded to 50 states, it might seem hard to articulate exactly what makes us all a part of this nation. On the other hand, maybe, as some have suggested, we don’t need to articulate it. Maybe it’s the vague sense of what it means to be an American, founded in emotion and the ideal more than reason and pragmatism, that keeps us together, at least for now. As long as we change together, move forward together, maybe we don’t have to remain stuck in the past, or exclusive of people who are dissimilar, and perhaps that will strengthen us as a nation.