this post was submitted on 27 Apr 2025
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I feel this isn't quite the same though. When a country has a complete change in politics/ruling of the nation, then it really isn't the same country anymore. (French Revolution ending in 1799 shouldn't be still considered the same country, even though the name is the same. England still allowed the royal family to have power over the people and politics until 1957 so wasn't a "full" democracy, Bavaria I became part of Germany in 1949, etc....) The US has for its entire time listed has always been an elected government that followed the constitution, meaning it's been the same country.
Total rubbish. In the 1700s only landowners could vote. Truly universal suffrage wasn't enshrined until 1965, so by your reckoning America is only 60 years old.
Changes of government don't mean an entirely new country, there's continuity like how France refers to the 1st republic or the current 5th republic. It's still France.
Exactly. By that logic, every time a new political party takes over, America is a new country.
Although, with MAGA taking power, and completely throwing out the Constitution, the case can be made that we have become a new country.
White, male landowners - I'm just guessing here.
Obviously
Yeah, it kinda does. The words "Country' and "Nation" aren't full synonyms even though people tend to use them interchangeably. A a Country is a political entity while a Nation is focused on the collective identity and shared values of its people.
In short the Nation of France is old while the Country of France is much younger.
The definitions honestly feel backward to me but I'm not the person in charge of these things.
That's just semantics, not any practical distinction.
Do you feel there is no "practical distinction" between 1730 France and 1930 France?
It's like saying there's no practical distinction between Red and Scarlet. The fact that they are different is why there are separate words. Its the same with Country and Nation.
Pointless argument. Is there no difference between the US in 1776 and now? Every country is changing constantly. Because they're full of people.
So you mean the usa never modernise? Checks out...
You are basing that on the Constitution, which has changed considerably over America's history.
You're talking about "a country", the guy in the OP talks about "a nation". Pretty vast difference between the two.
You're entirely right but Bavaria became a part of Germany in 1871.
Sorry about that, I just had done a quick check on Wikipedia which declared (and I quickly accepted):