What does it mean to be a nation?

The American Heritage Dictionary’s first definition of nation is “A relatively large group of people organized under a single, usually independent government; a country.” That sums up what people require to call themselves a nation, but for others to consider you a nation you need to be more than just a united group of people. For others to consider you a nation, you must have a functioning economy and have something to base that economy on. You also need a military, or allies who will serve as a military for you. Without that you are defenseless when even the first people who try to attack you come. Your government must be stable as well. A nation in a state of anarchy is not a nation because the people are no longer united under a single government. Finally, to be recognized as a nation, you need progress, if you don’t move forward, then you will not be able to defend yourself or keep up with the economic demand put on you.

In my opinion, there is more that is required to be a nation. A nation should not be a bunch of brutes, intellegent people are needed to rule. A nation also should have a reason to exist, something that makes them different from other countries, without this there is no reason for any country to exist in the first place. If any nation is exactly like another, then there should be no reason for those countries not to join together. But, in my opinion, what a country needs most of all is a sense of purpose. America had a sense of purpose in that we were paving a path of freedom. England had a purpose in that they were trying to gain as much power as possible. Even Nazi Germany had a purpose, they sought to spread there "perfect" race throughout the world, they sought revenge. No country can truly exist without a purpose.