Countries Aren’t Real, Here’s Why

Intro (0s)

• Our world is built on an idea that is so powerful we fight and sacrifice for it, and it shapes our politics and forms the basis of our identities, or who we think we are (13s).
• This idea is so universal that it may have gone unnoticed, but it is completely made up and not as old as it may feel (21s).
• The idea is called a country, which is not just a piece of land with drawn boundaries, but a massive community united by traditions and identity (46s).
• A country is often seen as being one with its people and land, making the concept of nationality a defining characteristic, such as being American, Brazilian, Japanese, Mexican, Egyptian, Nigerian, Dutch, or Micronesian (1m5s).
• The origin and story of how this idea took over will be explored, as understanding it can make many things in our world suddenly make sense (1m16s).

Nations Are A Myth? (1m22s)

• The concept of nations being fabricated feels contradictory to what is known about the world, as it seems to go against the idea that countries are a natural part of human society and its fundamental laws (1m27s).
• Max Fischer, a columnist for The New York Times and podcast host, introduced the idea that countries are not as real as they seem, sparking an exploration of this concept (1m41s).
• The notion that countries are natural and have always existed is challenged by the fact that they are often built around a story that creates a shared culture, ethnicity, and connection to the land, as seen in the example of France (2m23s).
• The idea that France has always been a fixed entity with a common culture and people is incorrect, as the country's borders and government have changed over time, and the concept of a unified French people is a constructed narrative (2m44s).
• The formation of borders, such as those of France, is a complex process that challenges the idea of a country being a fixed, natural entity (2m47s).

France Becomes A Nation (2m48s)

• The concept of countries is often associated with a shared ethnicity, language, and culture, but this is not necessarily the case, as seen in the example of France, where different regions have stronger genetic connections with neighboring countries than with other parts of France (3m8s).
• Research suggests that people from certain areas may have common characteristics, such as red hair, but these traits do not align with national borders, as shown on a map of red hair distribution (3m38s).
• The idea that countries are defined by a shared language is also not accurate, as seen in the example of France, where many different languages were spoken throughout the country until the 19th century (3m57s).
• The concept of a unified French identity did not exist for people living in the countryside, who identified more with their local village or town than with the idea of a French nation (5m2s).
• The borders of countries have always been in flux, and changes in rulers did not necessarily change a person's identity, as seen in the example of a town switching from French to British rule (5m48s).
• The idea that countries are a natural or ancient concept is also not accurate, as seen in the example of China, where a strong imperial government and cultural identity existed, but only among the political elite, and not among the general population (6m38s).
• The concept of a unified Chinese identity did not exist among the majority of the population, who did not speak Chinese and did not consider themselves Chinese (6m44s).
• The borders of ancient empires, including China, were constantly changing, and there was no fixed understanding of what constituted the Chinese people or Chinese territory (6m53s).
• The modern concept of countries as we know it today is a relatively recent development, and the process of becoming an empire was a key step in the formation of modern nation-states, as seen in the examples of France and China (7m16s).
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The National Idea Takes Over (9m35s)

• The concept of a nation is not real, but rather a product of our imagination, and France only recently became a unified country (9m37s).
• The French Revolution in the late 1700s seemed like a turning point, but people at that time did not speak French, and they did not have a common French identity (10m6s).
• The revolution marked the beginning of a long process of building a French identity, unifying fragmented communities under a single narrative (10m19s).
• The revolution introduced a new idea that the legitimacy of government comes from the people, not from God or natural rights, and people were no longer subjects of the monarchy but citizens (10m35s).
• Napoleon Bonaparte played a significant role in turning France into the France we know today, promoting a new patriotic idea and emphasizing French greatness through symbols, songs, and art (11m3s).
• Napoleon's military recruitment from all over the country further solidified the idea of a unified France, making people feel part of a glorious national struggle (11m34s).
• Napoleon also spread nationalist ideas throughout Europe and marginalized the power of the Catholic Church by crowning himself instead of swearing allegiance to the Pope (11m54s).
• By the end of Napoleon's rule, the scattered and loosely connected kingdoms that had ruled the land for many years were no longer recognizable as Napoleon's France, which looked more like a unified nation (12m28s).
• However, many things still needed to be done before France was unified as we imagine it today, and the revolution and Napoleon's wars did not achieve complete success (12m31s).
• Industrialization played a significant role in physically uniting France, bringing factories, railroads, and new transportation networks that connected distant communities (12m42s).
• The growth of factories and industry required people to read and write, leading the government to establish a national school system that taught French and promoted French national pride and values (13m29s).
• As literacy rates improved, mass media and newspapers emerged, allowing people to read about current events and feel part of a larger community (13m50s).
• The central government was able to rule the entire country through a unified system, rather than relying on local lords and officials, and required all interactions to be conducted in French (14m12s).
• The modern French identity, as we know it today, did not emerge until the 1870s or 1880s, and some historians argue that it was not fully established until the 1910s (14m39s).

The World Nationalism Made (14m53s)

• The concept of a nation is a relatively new idea, but leaders often create a national myth to make it seem like the nation has always existed, as seen in France where the ruling elite constructed a narrative that France had been around forever to evoke loyalty and patriotism among its people (15m10s).
• This idea of a nation being eternal and fixed was successful in France and spread throughout the continent, with other European countries adopting similar national myths to create a sense of unity and identity (15m42s).
• The process of nation-building can be both top-down and bottom-up, as seen in the cases of France and Italy, where leaders like Napoleon and Giuseppe Garibaldi played a significant role in spreading nationalist ideas and creating a sense of shared identity among their people (16m9s).
• Italy's unification in 1861 is a prime example of how a nation can be created, but the process of creating a shared identity among its people can take much longer, with only 2% of Italians speaking Italian at the time of unification and many identifying with their local languages or cities instead (16m50s).
• To create a sense of shared identity, Italy and France used various tools such as schools, national administration, industrialization, and national myths, which helped to create a sense of loyalty and patriotism among their people (17m9s).
• The process of creating a shared identity can take a long time, as seen in Italy where it wasn't until the 1960s, with the advent of national television, that a significant shift towards a shared Italian identity occurred (17m40s).
• The idea of a nation can have a profound impact on modern history, influencing wars and conflicts around the world, and can be seen in the case of Germany, which unified in the 1860s and 1870s and inspired other nationalist movements across Europe (18m16s).
• The redrawing of national borders after World War I, based on the idea of one nation per state, led to the rise of extreme nationalist movements in Europe, which promised to conquer territories they believed rightfully belonged to them, ultimately contributing to the outbreak of World War II (19m11s).
• The concept of a nation can have a dark side, as seen in the extreme nationalist movements that arose in Europe in the early 20th century, highlighting the importance of understanding the complexities of national identity and its impact on modern history (19m25s).
• The concept of a nation can lead to the persecution of minority groups, as those who do not belong to the majority identity are seen as outsiders and a threat to the nation's character (19m45s).
• National identity, ethnic character, and racial identity are all constructs that people have come to believe are real, despite being invented (19m52s).
• The idea of a nation has led to the murder of millions of people in the name of nationalism, with fascists being a prime example (19m57s).
• The concept of a nation is a relatively recent invention, dating back around 70 years (20m4s).
• The idea of a nation has spread globally, often being adopted by communities that were previously connected by language or historical ties (20m13s).
• In many cases, communities were forced together by arbitrary imperial borders drawn by Europeans, leading to the formation of new national identities (20m27s).
• The concept of a nation has become a unifying idea that has inspired people to rise up against colonial powers and fight for their own national ideals (20m35s).
• The world is now defined by the concept of a nation, with solid borders, centralized governments, flags, and a sense of national pride (20m49s).
• However, the concept of a nation is inherently imperfect, as people's identities and affiliations do not always fit neatly into one box (20m56s).
• Many conflicts and violent disputes in the world today stem from our beliefs about nations, including wars over territory and debates over who belongs to a national community (21m23s).
• The question remains whether there is a better, more peaceful way to organize ourselves, or if we are stuck in our current nation-based system (21m32s).

Nations Live On (21m36s)

• National identities seem to be becoming more rigid and intense every year, but the good news is that they are not as fixed as they appear, and national identities can change (21m51s).
• In France, for example, it has become more accepted that anyone can be French regardless of their race or religion, but there is also strong opposition to this idea, with some people insisting that France is only for the French (21m57s).
• People need a collective identity to maintain, and national identity is what we currently have, but it is possible to have identities that are fixed around land and borders yet can expand and become more inclusive (22m19s).
• The idea of being European is an example of a collective identity that is real but does not have the same dangers of exclusion, racism, competition, and war as national identities (22m33s).
• Internationalized identities, such as those of people living in global cities like New York, Hong Kong, London, or Singapore, who absorb different cultures and are global travelers, can also replace national identities (22m49s).
• There are many places where people can find a sense of belonging and community, such as in their religion, profession, or local community, and people are becoming more aware of the need for community and are thinking more constructively about it (23m23s).
• The question is whether we want to reinforce a strong national identity that emphasizes who is in and who is out, or create a more inclusive way of thinking about our roles in communities and our identities (23m54s).
• Humans may need an enemy to define themselves, especially in the context of nationalism, but it is possible to have identities that do not rely on having an enemy (24m8s).
• Research suggests that our brains are more easily drawn to identities that are defined by fighting, resisting, and fearing certain groups, but this just means we need to be aware of this and think more critically about it (24m46s).
• The idea of nations and nationalities is something that the world is still learning to navigate, and it is possible to change the way we draw boundaries and who is included and excluded (25m12s).
• Nations are just an idea, and they are flexible and malleable, just like our thoughts, and we can change the way we organize the world and its 8 billion people (25m24s).