Abstract:

This text makes a short comparison between the empire and the nation-state based on their definitions, logic of operation, successes, and failures and argues that empires were largely more “heterogeneous”, long-standing political units than nation-states. The nation-state, on the other hand, has been subjected to criticism with reference to the realities of nationalism, racism, imperialism, Eurocentrism, and Jacobinism. As it is known, while empires are mostly based on ethnic differences, nation states often ignored ethnic differences due to the ideology of nationalism that emerged after French Revolution like other ideologies. After a short comparison between the empire and the nation state, this article suggests that nation-states can be seen as exceptions while multinational-states can be seen as a rule, and because Turkey still today is a “de facto empire”, Turkey’s political vision is required to be designated accordingly.

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