What is a Nation? by Tamara Middleton

 A nation is defined by the people that inhabit the land, without its citizens it would be only dead space. Through the collective action of said people, power is yielded in some fashion to create a governing body. There are several forms of government that can come about such as monarchy, democracy, or a dictatorship.

            The purpose of a nation is to provide rights and privileges to the people who legally inhabit its borders. The extent of those rights and privileges varies from nation to nation, and can be debated; however it is undeniable that there are some benefits provided by the governing citizens to the greater nation. The purpose of a nation is also to unite it’s people.  In most flourishing nations, there is some form of patriotism is founded. Whether that be through culture, religion, or mandated by the governing body there is a unifying element that binds the people that coexist in the nation.  This can be achieved through anthems, religion or customs, etc.

How does one know that they belong to a nation? This is a question that perplexes me. I feel that it is easier to “belong” to a country when there are more concrete binding factors. For example, in Asia there is the advantage of having physical resemblances. That is not to say that everyone looks the same, but there is no white/black, brown/tan dichotomy. In nations such as Islam, there are several inhabitants who share the same religion; therefore they are unified in that way. In America, there is a melting pot of everything. There is no one religion, no one race/language, and no one identity, yet we are still bonded as Americans. One could argue that if someone is born in America, they have belonged to America and have an American identity. I would then argue, does that make anyone who later gains citizenship less American? Therefore I would conclude that we decide. You belong to a nation when you legally have rights as a citizen and feel comfortable enough to say, I am proud to be an …….