Review article
NATIONS AS CLUBS
Ana Matan
; Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The methodological assumptions of the rational choice theory — methodological individualism and rationality — are not generally considered suitable for analyzing nations. Nevertheless, if we accept that the political process is at least partially rational, and that nation building and change is part of that process, this will provide an opening to look at nations from the unortodox perspective of rational choice. The club theory, as part of the rational choice theory, offers great opportunities for establishing analogies between clubs and nations, and thus for shedding new light on some features of modern polities. Establishing a polity, by the club analogy, entails two basic selections: the selection of the members and the selection of a sovereign territory, that will serve to provide physical protection and material resources for its members. The choice of membership is in general based on the choice of desirable membership characteristics (usually cultural ones). The choice of a sovereign territory is linked to the decision on the part of the members to engage in a collective action in order to acquire the sovereign territory.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
33459
URI
Publication date:
3.6.1998.
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