Is a multi ethnic nation, an oxymoron ?

[Visage pâle]

A nation is an historical community in a definite territory and who share same ancestors, culture and history. So basically, it seems contradictory with a multi ethnic society. What's your opinion ?

[Aldaris]

The term nation is used very loosely, there is no precise definition everybody would agree with, so it depends. According to your definition, multiethnic nation is indeed a contradiction.

[Visage pâle]

The term nation is used very loosely, there is no precise definition everybody would agree with, so it depends. According to your definition, multiethnic nation is indeed a contradiction.

Well my definition is the most consensual.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation

'A nation is a stable community of people, formed on the basis of a common language, territory, economic life, ethnicity or psychological make-up manifested in a common culture. '

'A people, or aggregation of men, existing in the form of an organized jural society, usually inhabiting a distinct portion of the earth, speaking the same language, using the same customs, possessing historic continuity, and distinguished from other like groups by their racial origin and characteristics, and generally, but not necessarily, living under the same government and sovereignty.'

[Mikula]

IMHO Swiss nation is a unique case.

[Aldaris]

Well my definition is the most consensual.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation

'A nation is a stable community of people, formed on the basis of a common language, territory, economic life, ethnicity or psychological make-up manifested in a common culture. '

'A people, or aggregation of men, existing in the form of an organized jural society, usually inhabiting a distinct portion of the earth, speaking the same language, using the same customs, possessing historic continuity, and distinguished from other like groups by their racial origin and characteristics, and generally, but not necessarily, living under the same government and sovereignty.'

Consensus of politologists and sociologists doesn't mean much, the context in which the term is used by the common people is much more important regarding it's "actual" meaning, assuming there is one (at least for our purposes). I know I'm being rather nitpicky, but setting the definitions straight is necessary. Not doing so is the main problem with loosely defined concepts. I have no exact definition of the term "nation" myself, but again, if I'd accept yours, your conclusion is absolutely correct.

[gıulıoımpa]

1000 years of a given homogenity makes a nation imo.

[Gold-Shekel]

In modern times we use the word Nation to say Country sometimes while in fact a Nation is just an ethnic group with political goals-> Nationalism.

[Papa]

A nation is an historical community in a definite territory and who share same ancestors, culture and history. So basically, it seems contradictory with a multi ethnic society. What's your opinion ?


In order for the actual nation to remain just the same for eternity, it needs to avoid all kinds of "multi", of course. But then again, which nation did not end up becoming something else in contact of another one? The conservative effort has its own reasons and rights, though.

[Tooting Carmen]

Needn't be, depending on how strong the civic culture is and whether there is at least a unifying language that most citizens do speak.

[Blondie]

It's not an oxymoron, Hungary was multiethnic and many non hungarian person had hungarus identity which was connected to the statehood. Something similar existed in the Habsburg Empire too.

[Centurion]

In France, the population of the various territories unified under the Capetian rule, and which occupied the lands between France's natural frontiers or in French-speaking Switzerland was multi ethnic. And it remained as such during the contemporary time, despite the harsh jacobinism. Even during the 1960s, and while France was still mostly White, an Alsatian was an alien for a Gascon, who himself was an alien for a Breton, who himself was an alien for an Auvergnat, who himself was an alien for a Corsican, who himself was an alien for Picard, etc.

[Tooting Carmen]

In France, the population of the various territories unified under the Capetian rule, and which occupied the lands between France's natural frontiers or in French-speaking Switzerland was multi ethnic. And it remained as such during the contemporary time, despite the harsh jacobinism. Even during the 1960s, and while France was still mostly White, an Alsatian was an alien for a Gascon, who himself was an alien for a Breton, who himself was an alien for an Auvergnat, who himself was an alien for a Corsican, who himself was an alien for Picard, etc.

And not to mention the large Polish, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian migrations that France had before 1960.

[Arūnas]

Государственным языком Российской Федерации на всей ее территории является русский язык как язык государствообразующего народа, входящего в многонациональный союз равноправных народов Российской Федерации

[Faklon]

Nation itself is an oxymoron.

Empires still rule the world but modern hegemony (money) is well hidden. Empires can very well be multi-ethnic.

[Centurion]

And not to mention the large Polish, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian migrations that France had before 1960.


Yes, but I was only talking about the ethnic French, or Français de souche or Français de sang, those whom the majority of the ancestors were already Caucasoid living in the regions I've mentioned during the 11th Century.