I’m serious. I don’t understand why humans draw imaginary bidders. I don’t understand why humans fight and lose their lives defending those borders. It’s not “cultural identity”. For example, people in either side of Punjab are more similar to each other than say people in the South of India. And further, i don’t understand how countries can be bought and sold like the “Louisiana purchase”. I mean who’s paying for what? It would be great if someone could recommend some books about the idea of nationhood.
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Any abstract entity or concept—be it currency, laws, or nations and borders—requires two things:
* Recognition and acceptance from all parties affected
* The power and will to *enforce* said recognition and acceptance, and/or defend against those who disagree
Different groups of people often have different wants, needs, and values. And oftentimes, these groups and their wants/needs/values clash. Even before nations existed, one group of primitive people would drive off competing groups from their claimed territory. Over time, these groups would come to an agreement: “We stay on this side of the river, you stay on your side, and if we can both do that, there will be no more bloodshed.” This eventually gave rise to recognized territories, then recognized nations.
But times change, wants/needs/values change, and this sometimes creates disputes despite previously agreed-upon borders. If disputes can’t be resolved peacefully, then one nation may invade another nation, either to topple the latter’s leadership and install a friendly regime (aligned with their needs/wants/values), or to seize the territory and impose their wants/needs/values onto the seized territory and its populace.
If the war drags on too long and both sides decide to talk again, they hold a conversation over a map: “On this side of the line is our land, and on that side is your land.” If both sides agree where those lines should be drawn, and neighbors accept that agreement (they have an interest in this, because current/future disputes affect them as well) then the borders are recognized and accepted.
Nations generally hold onto a territory because it has value to them. But sometimes, they decide that a certain territory isn’t as valuable to them anymore, and/or they would rather have money to do something else.
So France sold Louisiana, so Napoleon could raise money to fight the British. And Russia sold Alaska, because the Tsar wasn’t in the mood to negotiate with Great Britain and/or have the latter taking that territory, and found a willing buyer for Alaska in the United States. (Thus denying Alaska to Great Britain.) When this happens, national borders are redrawn, then recognized and accepted. (Sometimes grudgingly.)
*Edits: For brevity/clarity*
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