Nation State: liberalism, territory and democracy

Abstract

This paper examines in depth two links: i) the one existing between territory and democratic citizenship, and ii) between state, nation and democracy; both of which were not usually studied by liberal democratic theory, which assumes the existence of a political community hosted within a nation state. To do this, the main ideas of political liberalism, the theoretical framework that links liberalism with democratic systems and the theoretical contradictions of the link between liberalism and nation-states are analyzed. Then, the paper shows how states have defined a democratic citizenry (demos) through their territory. Finally, it analyzes the interdependence between democracy and nationalism showing why democratic regimes have been developed and consolidated into culturally homogeneous territorial units (nation states).