The Wondrous Growth of Nation States in the Age of Globalisation

Abstract

Currently, the view is widely held that in the era of Europeanisation and globalisation, the nation state is no longer in keeping with the times. Even so, just shortly before the end of the twentieth century, more states with a national legitimisation were created in Europe than ever before within such a short period of time in history. Since the unification of numerous small states in Switzerland, Italy and Germany and the Berlin Congress of 1878, the number of states in Europe and the world has risen continuously, increasing in Europe from 22 states in 1900 to 50 today, and from 50 to 195 states throughout the world. During the twentieth century, a new state was created every 9 months. In the twenty-first century, also, there is ongoing demand for an own nation state, and the number of states continues to rise, albeit more slowly.