European Nation-States

Nation-States and Devolution

Map of the United Kingdom: The red represents the United Kingdom nations (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), the dark gray is the Republic of Ireland. The agrarian revolution and the Industrial Revolution were powerful movements that altered human activity in many ways. New innovations in food production and the manufacturing of products transformed Europe, which in turn impacted the rest of the world. Even before the agrarian revolution was underway, transitions in European political thought were undermining the established empire mentality. The political revolution that transformed Europe as a result of a desire to end continual warfare over territory and to introduce representative government structures. Over time, various treaties and revolutions continued to shift the power away from dictators and monarchs and to the general populace through the formation of nation-states. The term nation refers to a homogeneous group of people with a common heritage, language, religion, or political ambition. The term state refers to the government. Though the political borders of many European countries resemble nation-states, there is too much diversity within the nations to consider the ideal to be a true reality. Various ethnic populations in Europe desire their own nation-states within their countries of residence. They want to devolve or separate from the larger state. Thus, both cohesive cultural forces and divisive cultural forces are active in the European community. These tensions increase as refugees and immigrants come to live in Europe.

The British Isles

The British Isles consists of two separate, independent countries: the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain. The United Kingdom (UK) of Great Britain consists of the regions of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. All four regions are now under the UK government. The Republic of Ireland is independent of the United Kingdom and does not include Northern Ireland. Devolutionary forces in the United Kingdom have increased in Scotland and Wales while decreasing in Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is a place with a violent past. Officially part of the United Kingdom, this small region developed a unique set of cultural problems which many attributed to the religious differences of the people. Citizens of Irish heritage are Roman Catholic, and those of Scottish and English heritages are usually Protestant Christians. But the conflicts were not purely religious issues. The citizens of Irish heritage wanted to see Northern Ireland join with the Republic of Ireland, which received its independence from the British in 1921. The citizens of Northern Ireland of English heritage wanted to remain with the UK parliament. This, unfortunately, led to many years of violence within the country.

Today, the Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. Over time, Northern Ireland became a stable, peaceful part of the British Isles. This change was brought about by Martin McGuinness, a former IRA (Irish Republican Army) member who became an important Republican politician. As a politician, he worked to end the violence between the groups and change the future of Northern Ireland for the better.

Wales

A highland region to the west of England, Wales holds a Celtic, Protestant heritage. The scenic and picturesque landscape of the region, with its many castles, provides a pleasant experience for tourists. As the tourism industry has increasingly replaced coal mining as the main economic activity, the English language has become more dominant over the traditional Welsh language.

Devolution is alive and well in Wales. Welsh nationalism prompted the declaration of a separate parliament in the capital of Cardiff. The break with London provided local autonomy, but Wales is still reliant on the United Kingdom in national and foreign affairs.

Scotland

United with England in 1707, Scotland has been integrated into the United Kingdom while keeping its separate heritage and culture. In the quest to become a nation-state unto itself, in 1997 Scotland received permission to create its own parliament to govern local affairs. Although many in Scotland would like to separate into an independent state, many others do not wish to isolate themselves from the EU or greater Europe. In 2014, Scotland held a referendum in which the people decided that, for now, Scotland will remain under the British Crown as part of the United Kingdom.

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