# Are nation states becoming less important? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 22, 2014, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-nation-states-becoming-less-important/684289 "2014-03-22T15:37:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![IMfez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f07891/32.png) [@IMfez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IMfez)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-nation-states-becoming-less-important/684289/1 "2014-03-22T15:37:13Z")
Here’s a question for both the history buffs and the futurists: Are nation states becoming less important? Are we evolving towards larger, regional or continental “states”? Or will the nation-state continue on, unchallenged in its current form? ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-nation-states-becoming-less-important/684289/2 "2014-03-22T16:16:33Z")
> [@IMfez](#): > > Are we evolving towards larger, regional or continental “states”? Or will the nation-state continue on, unchallenged in its current form? We’re currently in transition to a world where large, multi-national alliances are becoming more important. Primarily economic (NAFTA, G8/7, EEC, etc.), with a few anachronistic military alliances left over from the Cold War (such as NATO, and the oh-so-toothless UN.) A large, homogenous country such as China can afford to remain fairly isolated, but smaller nation-states are rapidly reaching the point where they must choose a side or have the side chosen for them – just look at what’s happening in Ukraine/Crimea, who vowed to remain independent but instead were invaded by opposing forces, in a bloodless diplomatic war fought with angry soundbites and billions of dollars in foreign aid packages, instead of soldiers. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-nation-states-becoming-less-important/684289/3 "2014-03-22T17:44:37Z")
And the other big trend is that nations have partly given up on regulating economic activity. Through various trade treaties (GATT/WTO, NAFTA, TPP, etc.) countries have been giving up their ability to favor local companies over foreign ones, etc. Now a company that was founded in Country X can easily move its operations (or just its taxable profits) over to Country Y if its fiscal policies or subsidies are more appealing, and there’s very little country X can do about it. If too many companies leave, the country’s cost of borrowing will increase, etc. The net result is that nation-states have less leeway when it comes to their economic and fiscal policies than they did 40 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-nation-states-becoming-less-important/684289/4 "2014-03-22T17:48:53Z")
Ask the Crimeans. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2014, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-nation-states-becoming-less-important/684289/5 "2014-03-22T18:07:43Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > A large, homogenous country such as China can afford to remain fairly isolated, BWA-HA-HA-HA! **BWA-HA-HA-HA!** BWA-HA-HA-HA! China? 'Homogenous"? BWA-HA-HA-HA! Oh, someone stop me laughin’, before I do meself an injury!