Humans as social beings who need other people in living their daily lives. Therefore, humans live in groups, both in small groups such as families, to large groups such as joining an organization, community, or group in an environment.
In a country, the word nation is often associated with our lives. However, what is the meaning of the nation itself? A nation can be defined as a group of people who live or inhabit an area, have a similar identity, use the same language, and much more. This group of people gathered because of the awareness to unite because they have similar ideals which become a unit. Consider the following information regarding the meaning, factors, elements, characteristics of a nation.
Definition of Nation
According to the Big Indonesian Dictionary or KBBI, a nation can be defined as a group of people who have the same ancestry, customs, language, and history, and have their own government.
In addition, Otto Bauer defines a nation as a group of people who have similarities in nature and character, this is due to the similar fate and history in the past that grew and developed in a country.
According to Hans Kohn in his understanding, a nation is the result of a process of struggle for human life in history. A nation can include a pluralistic community that cannot be expressed in mathematics. In addition, there are also markers from the nation itself, namely objective factors that become the background and become the identity of a nation such as race, religion, region, culture, and customs.
Meanwhile, Friederich Ratzel defines a nation as a group of people formed based on their desire to unite which arises from a sense of unity between humans and the environment in which they live.
According to Lothrop Stoddard, the nation is a belief that belongs to a group of people who declare themselves as part of a nation.
According to Rawink, the notion of a nation is a group of people who are united in a certain area and have a bond or relationship with that area. Territories in this context can be associated with certain geographic or territorial areas.
Nation’s Goals
A nation, in its achievement, has the same goals as a country. In Indonesia itself, the goals of the nation are listed in the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution, paragraph IV. These are the goals of the Indonesian nation.
- Form a government in the country of Indonesia.
- Protect the entire Indonesian nation and all of Indonesia’s bloodshed.
- Promote the general welfare of the people.
- Enrich the life of a nation.
- Participate in carrying out world order that has the basis of independence, eternal peace, and social justice.
The Forming Factors of a Nation
In the country of Indonesia itself, there are several important factors that have shaped the Indonesian nation to this day. The following are the factors for the formation of the Indonesian nation.
- Having the same fate, where the Indonesian nation is under the same suffering, namely the colonization of foreign nations that lasted for 350 years.
- Having a shared desire to gain independence and break free from the shackles of existing foreign colonialists.
- There is a unified residence, in this case the territory in the country of Indonesia which stretches from Sabang to Merauke.
- Having common aspirations in achieving prosperity and justice for all people in it as a nation.
Meanwhile, according to the basis of identity, the factors forming a nation are divided into five, as follows.
- Have views that hold firmly, which are included in this factor are kinship, ethnicity, race, region, language, and customs
- Having a holy attitude, which is included in this factor is having or adhering to the same religion by every member of the community, so that especially in this context it can form a strong ideology in society.
- Numbers are one of the factors in determining a nation as a society, leaders who serve as role models in achieving goals and carrying out the mission of a nation.
- History is one of the factors, namely the existence of a nation’s founders who bring history and experiences from the past as suffering that must be passed will bring a spirit of solidarity that can shape the determination and goals of every member of society to achieve goals.
- The word economic development is one of the factors in developing a growing nation and is one of the needs of society that makes it interdependent and will indirectly trigger the formation of a unity within the nation to meet the needs of one another.
Factors Encouraging the Creation of Indonesian National Unity
The State of Indonesia which is a country that has diversity in it both in terms of ethnicity, religion, race, culture, language, and many more, continues to prioritize the value of unity and unity to be achieved.
The following are the factors that encourage the creation of unity in the Indonesian nation, see the following information.
1. Historical factors that can give rise to a sense of shared fate and struggle
The first driving factor is the historical factor, in which the Indonesian nation itself has a long history of struggle. Therefore, the emergence of feelings of shared destiny and struggle for each individual so as to create a spirit of unity to achieve the goal of independence in the interests of the Indonesian nation.
2. The desire to unite
The second motivating factor was the desire to unite which was grown by young Indonesian fighters in pledging the Youth Pledge which took place on October 28, 1928.
The Youth Pledge symbolizes the pledge and embodiment of the determination of Indonesian youths who are one of the elements of the struggle carried out by the Indonesian people against the colonialists and achieve independence together.
In the contents of the Youth Pledge there are several main values, which consist of one homeland, one nation, and one language, namely Indonesia. With the existence of the Youth Pledge, it was like a reminder of the sense of awareness of the Indonesian youth at that time to fight against the invaders and defend the Indonesian nation to achieve independence.
3. A sense of love for the motherland among the Indonesian people
The third motivating factor is the attitude of loving the motherland which is applied through ways of thinking, behaving, and acting that can show concern and loyalty to the Indonesian nation itself.
4. Willingness to sacrifice for the common good
The fourth motivating factor is having a sense of self-sacrifice to leave personal interests. This is shown by the heroes, who abandoned their personal interests to fight for common interests and goals, namely achieving independence.
Having the attitude and feeling to be willing to sacrifice for the sake of the nation will become a big capital for the Indonesian nation in realizing its ideals, namely achieving unity and unity.
5. Pancasila
The fifth driving factor is Pancasila which is the basis of the Indonesian state. Pancasila is used as a way of life, unifying, forming the personality of a nation.
By applying the values contained in Pancasila to everyday life, it can be one of the driving factors for creating unity in a nation. In addition, the values contained in Pancasila are very diverse and apply to all Indonesian people without exception and regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, language and culture.
6. Unity in Diversity
The sixth driving factor is Unity in Diversity which is an important value for every Indonesian. Bhinneka Tunggal Ika means that even though every Indonesian has ethnicity, religion, race, nation, culture, and languages that are diverse and different from one another, they still have one ideal and goal, namely Indonesian independence.
Therefore, even though Indonesia is a plural and multicultural country, every member of its society still respects one another and is not divided to achieve unity and common unity.
Elements of the Formation of a Nation
In the formation of a nation, there are elements that compose it. Here are four opinions regarding the elements of the formation of a nation. Check out the following information.
1. Elements of the formation of a nation in the socio-anthropological sense
First, the element of forming a nation in the socio-anthropological sense is meant as a group that has ethnic or natural characteristics. The example is the Batak and Sundanese tribes.
Where, the Batak tribe who have a place to live and come from North Sumatra has Batak customs, language, and culture. Meanwhile, the Sundanese who have a place to live and come from Bandung, have Sundanese customs, language and culture. Therefore, the elements that make up a nation in a socio-anthropological sense are:
- The same place of residence or homeland as well as the land of birth.
- Have similarities in culture, customs, language, and religion.
- Equation of blood that a person has, a family relationship, and descent or heredity.
2. Elements of the formation of a nation according to political meaning
Second, the element of the formation of a nation according to the political sense that has an ethical nature. In this case, what is meant is that the existing elements are deliberately made based on general agreement. Following are the elements that make up a nation according to political meaning.
- There is a shared desire to be able to get or gain progress and peace in life.
- Have an equal fate and care for every member of society.
- Existing community members inhabit a common area that belongs to the territory of the related nation.
3. Elements of the formation of a nation according to Benedict Anderson
Third, the elements of forming a nation according to Benedict Anderson are divided into three, namely:
- A good nation has sovereignty.
- A good nation has clear territorial boundaries.
- A good nation has desirable territorial communities.
4. Elements of the formation of a nation according to Friederich Ratzel
The fourth, the elements of forming a nation according to Friederich Ratzel are divided into three, namely:
- Willingness to gain national unity, which is divided into several aspects consisting of political, cultural, economic, religious, social unity, and solidarity.
- The desire to gain independence and national freedom as a whole, which means that a nation is free from interference by foreigners who enter its nation.
- The will of a nation to be independent, to have individuality, superiority, and originality that differentiates it from other nations.
Based on the various elements that have been mentioned, it can be concluded that a nation is neither an institution nor an organization that officially has a structure within it. Based on these conclusions, the following are some of the elements that form a nation.
- A good nation has citizens or a group of people who have one unit in it.
- A good nation has similarities in character, which means that every member of its community has characteristics that distinguish it from other nations.
- A good nation has a territory where the members of the community live.
- A good nation has a leader who is used as a figure from a nation to show the superiority of a nation that is owned.
Characteristics of a Nation
- The first characteristic of the nation is having a sense of togetherness or self-belonging in a group and a sense of unity that occurs within a country.
- The second characteristic of the nation is having a nationalist attitude which means that every group member in it has a national attitude.
- The third characteristic of a nation is having a special identity which can be in the form of a religion, culture, race, ethnicity, and language. It is used to distinguish between one nation and another.
- The fourth feature of the nation is that every member of the community has the same desire to form a government and its own scope in an environment.
- The fifth characteristic of a nation is that a nation has an area that can be used as a meeting place for each member of its community.
- The sixth characteristic of a nation, a good nation must have government institutions in it.
- The seventh characteristic of the nation is that every member of society has a sense of one fate and a shared responsibility so that unity and an independent nation can be formed.
- The eighth characteristic of a nation, a good nation must establish a system of government and laws that can be used to regulate the members of the community within it.
Difference between Nation and State
Because they are related to each other and are quite familiar in everyday life. The meaning of nation and state is often considered the same, even though the two terms are two different terms. The following are the differences between nations and countries that we can see through several elements, as follows.
1. Differences between nations and countries based on their constituents
The first, namely the difference between the nation and the state lies in its constituent elements. A nation will initially be formed through the existence of a group of individuals who have something in common with one another, where each member has some similarities such as religion, race, customs, and language.
Meanwhile, a country is a group of individuals who exist in a certain area and are governed by a government and the laws that apply to that area.
2. Differences between nations and countries based on the members in it
The second, namely the differences between nations and countries that we can see through the group members in it. In general, members of a nation are only bound because they have certain similarities, and there is no evidence in the form of documentation or identity.
Meanwhile, each of its member countries has something in common, namely clear proof of identity, as in Indonesia itself every citizen is required to have an ID card or identity card.
3. Differences between nations and countries based on territorial boundaries
The third, namely the differences between nations and countries that we can see through their territorial boundaries. This factor is the most striking factor, in which a nation has territory that is not agreed upon or recorded in a law.
Meanwhile, a country with the right to own an area is regulated by the existence of clear boundaries and if violated it will deal with the government system of another country that applies.
4. Differences between nations and countries based on their nature
The fourth, namely the differences between nations and countries that we can see through their characteristics. Where, in a nation in general it will give freedom to every member of society in it without any ties or being fully regulated.
Meanwhile, a country has clear rules that must be carried out by every member of society in it. These rules are made in writing and formalized through applicable law so that the sanctions that will be obtained are also clear if they violate the rules that apply in a country.