What does, formimg a nation,within a nation really mean?

Question

Is this a form of separation, from a country?
Does it affect our tax base?
What are all the particulars ?

Answer 1

It means whatever the speaker wants their hearers to think it means. It is a political propaganda phrase with no agreed universal meaning.

A quick google on the phrase gives referrences within the top ten to Quebequois separatism, the Kurds in Iraq, the Cree (a Native American people), the "Nation of Islam" movement among black Americans, and the Moravians in the Czech republic.

Clearly the one common thread is that it refers to a group of people who consider themselves simultaneously united with each other by and separated from the rerst of the country they live in by something. Except for the self-styled "nation of Islam", the above examples are all peoples who have the attributes that were typically found in a nation state as these emerged out of kingdoms and colonies during the past 200 years: a distinct culture and/or language in a geographically contiguous homeland, one that has evolved over centuries or millennia-long time.

Similar "nations" have become separate independent countries in modern times, e.g. Eritrea, Slovakia, Slovenia, so it is clearly possile that ones like Kurdistan and Moravia will too. Others, such as Scotland and Catalunya (in Spain), have settled for partial autonomy within the country they belong to, as for the time being seems also to be so for Quebec. Likewise, there could be renegotiated political settlements for various Native American nations (not that this is high on the current political agenda) -- just as there has been some renegotiation between the European-descended majority (the more-recent immigrants) and the Pacific Islander-descended (prior immigrants) Maoris in New Zealand. And yes, such renegotiation might well affect Americans' tax base, just as devolution has changed taxation in Scotland.

The exception to all this basically sensible political speculation is the spurious entity "nation of Islam", who come across as a bunch of racist, hate-filled, hellfire-preaching fanatics who are neither a nation in any normal sense of that word nor adherents to the worldwide faith of Islam as understood by any substantial body of Muslims. The kind of separation they preach, and indeed their faith, has more in common with the Branch Davidians of Waco infamy and with the Unification Church (the 'Moonies') than with the worldwide socio-political phenomenon of nationalism.

Answer 2

A Nation Within A Nation

Answer 3

Sounds like a simplistic idea created by politicians to solve problems brought about by the fact that people don't really make an effort to understand each other or communicate and actually listen to anyone except themselves...I'm not going to look this one up because this is all to clear to begin with...I recognize dialog like this...I've been listening to it all my life and it is starting to bore me truthfully...when people actually find it w/in themselves to lay down the particulars and grasp lifes importance then I will take notice...until then I will continue to do my best to make the best of my life and try to tolerate such phrases as "a nation within a nation"