Characteristics of the Nation-state
The creation of nation-states or countries was a deliberate effort. Nations (groups of people with a common sense of national identity) had to be controlled by a state (a system of government).
This involved 5 developments: national consolidation of power; creation of national feelings of loyalty; the transition from a religious to a secular (non-religious) leader; a system of national laws; and, the concept that all nation-states were equal in terms of sovereignty. Let’s look at each in detail