To be a nation state you need (among other things) to be able to rasie taxes and have a standing army. This is why the EU and UN could never (in my view) be nation states.
To be a nation state you need (among other things) to be able to rasie taxes and have a standing army. This is why the EU and UN could never (in my view) be nation states.
Hi FL,
As a note, Hamas raises taxes and has a standing army, the EU and the UN have provisions for gaining revenue (taxes on governments in the EU case and "contributions" for the UN) and raising military forces. Right now, at least three nation states do not have standing armies: the Vatican, Lichtenstein and Monaco.
Marc
Sic Bisquitus Disintegrat...
Marc W.D. Tyrrell, Ph.D.
Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies,
Senior Research Fellow,
The Canadian Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies, NPSIA
Carleton University
http://marctyrrell.com/
A rather longer list of countries with no standing armies.
I would not count Hamas as having a standing army as opposed to a militia force. Hizbullah comes much closer.
A far better non-state example than either as far as success in levying taxation and progress towards a professionalized army would be the LTTE, which also has a small navy and air force. The LTTE also does not enjoy state sponsorship in the way that Hamas and Hizbullah do.
Thanks, Tequila!
I've got to agree with you on the LTTE as well.
I think the entire point behind this pat of the discussion is really to look at the question: what defines a nation state and are their entities that have all the core characteristics that are not nation states.
Marc
Sic Bisquitus Disintegrat...
Marc W.D. Tyrrell, Ph.D.
Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies,
Senior Research Fellow,
The Canadian Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies, NPSIA
Carleton University
http://marctyrrell.com/
Sic Bisquitus Disintegrat...
Marc W.D. Tyrrell, Ph.D.
Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies,
Senior Research Fellow,
The Canadian Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies, NPSIA
Carleton University
http://marctyrrell.com/
Sorry I worded myself wrong.
Being ABLE to have a standing army.
These countries could (i seen the swiss guards protecting V City) but they dont.
Hi FL,
I'l admit to playing socratic games here, but let's look at this a bit more. If having a standing army is not a requirement for being a nation state, only the ability to raise one, then all sorts of organizations that are not usually considered to be nation states share that ability, including trans-national corporations (which, historically, I should point out often had the right to tax as well).
It still brings us back to the point hat nation states are just one type of organization amongst many that provide the same "services".
Marc
Sic Bisquitus Disintegrat...
Marc W.D. Tyrrell, Ph.D.
Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies,
Senior Research Fellow,
The Canadian Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies, NPSIA
Carleton University
http://marctyrrell.com/
Bookmarks