> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.nationalism.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.nationalism.io/nationalism/decisions-that-shape-a-nation-state.md). # Decisions that shape a nation-state Government decisions can have varying levels of significance for protecting the interests, identity and continuity of a nation’s population. Some decisions have limited impact on the long-term direction of the nation-state, while others can strongly influence who belongs to the political community, how the state is governed, how culture is transmitted and how the nation evolves over time. The most significant decisions are those that affect sovereignty, citizenship, voting power, culture, education, security, public spending, law and the long-term composition of the nation. ## **1. Sovereign and constitutional decisions** Sovereign and constitutional decisions are among the most significant decisions a nation-state can make. These decisions determine who belongs to the political community, who has voting power, who can hold office, how the state is structured and how political authority is exercised. These decisions are especially important because they shape the future decision-making power of the nation-state itself. **Migration, settlement and citizenship** Migration and citizenship policy includes immigration quotas, visas, asylum policy, refugee policy, border entry rules, permanent residency, naturalisation, citizenship rules and passport eligibility. These decisions directly affect the demographic, cultural and political composition of the nation-state. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists define membership primarily through citizenship, law and shared institutions. They may accept people from many backgrounds if they follow the civic order and become loyal citizens. Civic nationalists may still support strict borders, controlled immigration and demanding naturalisation rules, but they are less likely to treat ancestry as the basis of political membership. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists are especially concerned with whether migrants can assimilate into the nation’s language, culture, norms and way of life. They may support immigration from culturally similar countries or require stronger language, civic and cultural assimilation before citizenship is granted. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists are concerned that large-scale migration and broad naturalisation could change the ancestral composition of the citizenry and electorate. They may oppose giving citizenship and voting power to non-ancestral communities if they believe this would weaken the long-established population’s self-determination. **Citizenship, voting rights and eligibility for office** Citizenship and voting power determine who can participate in the political future of the nation. Eligibility for public office determines who can govern, legislate and represent the state. This often determines who can vote, who can stand for office, who can serve as a judge or join the senior civic service and who can become president, prime minister or head of state. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists generally believe that all citizens should have equal political rights, regardless of ancestry. Once someone is a citizen, they are part of the civic nation. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may support equal political rights for citizens, but they may want stronger requirements before naturalisation, such as language ability, cultural integration and loyalty to the national culture. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may argue that voting rights and office-holding should remain primarily with the long-established ancestral population. **Constitution, basic law and division of powers** The constitution and basic laws determine how the nation-state is structured. This includes the division of power between national, regional and local governments, the protection of rights, the role of courts, emergency powers and the amendment process. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists want the constitution to represent the whole citizenry and protect equal rights, democratic participation and common institutions. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may support constitutional protections for language, heritage, national symbols, cultural institutions and historic traditions. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may want constitutional protections for the self-determination and continuity of the long-established ancestral population. They may be concerned that demographic change could lead to constitutional amendments that reduce the ancestral group’s political control. **Elections and democratic governance** Election administration, voting systems, electoral boundaries, political finance rules, voting transparency, districting, referendums and public accountability all shape who gains political power. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists generally support equal voting rights for all citizens and impartial election administration. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may support the same democratic structures but want the electorate to be culturally integrated into the nation’s shared identity. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may worry that non-ancestral communities could vote as blocs, alter political priorities or support constitutional and migration policies the ancestral population rejects. They may prefer that any non-ancestral communities are not involved in the democratic process entirely. **Judiciary, courts and constitutional interpretation** The judiciary interprets laws, reviews government action, protects rights and determines how constitutional principles apply. Judicial appointments and constitutional review can have major long-term consequences. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists usually emphasise equal treatment before the law, judicial independence and rights protections for all citizens. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may want courts to respect national traditions, cultural continuity and inherited legal principles. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may be concerned that courts could reinterpret rights, citizenship or equality in ways that weaken ancestral self-determination. They may prefer judges who understand and prioritise the historical nation’s continuity. **Federalism, devolution and regional autonomy** Decisions about federalism, devolution and local autonomy determine whether power is concentrated nationally or distributed to regions, provinces, states, municipalities or distinct communities. This can be especially important in multinational states or states with indigenous peoples, historic minorities or regional identities. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists may support federalism if it improves democratic representation and administrative efficiency. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may support regional autonomy where it protects local languages, customs and cultural traditions. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may support autonomy for the long-established ancestral population, especially if they believe national-level politics has become demographically or culturally misaligned with that group’s interests. ## **2. Identity-forming decisions** Identity-forming decisions affect how a nation understands itself, what it teaches future generations, which symbols it honours, what language it uses and which cultural traditions are preserved. These decisions are highly significant because culture, heritage and identity are transmitted through institutions over time. **Culture, heritage and national symbols** This includes national events, sports, holidays, heritage protection, cultural arts, music, official symbols, national honours, commemorations, state ceremonies, archives, museums and cultural protections. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists may support a shared public culture and national symbols, but they are generally more open to cultural pluralism and freedom of expression among citizens from different backgrounds. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists are strongly concerned with preserving the nation’s historical culture, language, festivals, traditions, arts, symbols and inherited way of life. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists often see the nation’s culture and heritage as closely tied to the long-established ancestral population. They may believe that preserving the ancestral group is the most reliable way to preserve the culture that this group historically created and sustained. **Language policy** Language policy includes official language status, school language, public signage, court language, translation services, language requirements for naturalisation, public broadcasting and government communication. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists may support a common national language as a tool for integration, equal participation and shared public life. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists see language as one of the most important carriers of national culture, literature, history and identity. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may see the ancestral population as the historic carrier of the national language and may worry that demographic change could weaken that language’s dominance over time. **Education and curriculum** Education is one of the most important identity-forming institutions. Curriculum standards, teacher training, history education, literature, civic traditions, language instruction and national heritage subjects all shape future generations. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists usually want education to create informed citizens who understand constitutional values, democratic institutions, rights, responsibilities and national history. Civic education may be unifying but not narrowly ancestry-based. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists see education as a way to transmit the nation’s language, traditions, historical memory, customs, literature and inherited way of life. They may worry about curricula becoming too globalised, rootless or detached from national heritage. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may want education to emphasise the lineage, settlement, continuity and achievements of the long-established ancestral population. They may object to curricula that present all groups as equally constitutive of the nation or that emphasise historical wrongs in ways they believe undermine ancestral legitimacy. **Religion and state authority** Religion-state relations include religious education, religious holidays, religious dress, blasphemy laws, religious courts, public funding of religious institutions, secularism and the relationship between civil law and religious law. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists may prefer a neutral civic state where all citizens can practise religion privately while public law remains common and secular. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may support the historic religion of the nation if it is deeply connected to national culture, holidays, architecture, rituals and moral traditions. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may see the historic religion of the ancestral population as part of the inherited identity of the nation, even if not all members of the ancestral population remain religious. **Media, public broadcasting and information policy** Media policy includes public broadcasting, national cultural media, foreign media ownership, misinformation policy, censorship, free speech, internet regulation and media funding. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists may prioritise media pluralism, informed citizenship, public debate and protection from foreign manipulation. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may support national media that protects the language, culture, stories and historical memory of the nation. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may worry that media institutions controlled by non-ancestral or foreign-linked groups could reshape national identity against the preferences of the long-established population. **Census, identity classification and demographic data** Census categories and demographic data shape how the state understands ancestry, ethnicity, religion, language, nationality and citizenship. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists may prefer categories that emphasise citizenship, residence and equal legal status. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may want data on language, religion and cultural practices to understand whether national culture is being preserved. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may want detailed demographic data on ancestry, fertility, migration, intermarriage and citizenship to track the continuity of the long-established population. **Family law and demographic policy** Family law and demographic policy include marriage law, divorce, inheritance, adoption, child benefits, parental leave, childcare, reproductive technology, abortion law and family reunification. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists may focus on equal rights, child welfare, gender equality and stable family policy for all citizens. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may be concerned with whether family norms transmit the nation’s culture and way of life. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may be especially concerned with fertility, intermarriage, family formation and policies that affect the long-term continuity of the ancestral population. ## **3. Security-sensitive decisions** Security-sensitive decisions concern defence, intelligence, law enforcement, border security, foreign influence, cyber systems and strategic assets. These decisions can affect the survival and independence of the state. Because these areas involve sensitive information and national security, they often require stronger vetting, citizenship requirements, conflict-of-interest checks and security clearance. **Defence and national security** This includes military policy, defence spending, conscription, military leadership, national intelligence, cybersecurity and strategic defence planning. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists generally believe any citizen can serve the nation if they pass relevant security checks and demonstrate loyalty to the state. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may have a similar view but may also expect military and security institutions to reflect the nation’s cultural values and traditions. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may prefer sensitive military and security roles to be held by members of the long-established ancestral population. They may worry about foreign ties, divided loyalties or coercion risks among communities with close connections to other states. They will be most concerned with using robust security clearance and conflict-of-interest checks and looking for any risks around foreign influence. **Policing and internal security** Policing and internal security include crime enforcement, public order, counter-extremism, gang enforcement, surveillance, protest policing and community safety. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists prioritise equal enforcement of law and protection of all citizens. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may see policing as a way to preserve public order, inherited norms and the cultural expectations of the nation. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may worry that policing institutions could be influenced by group favouritism or political pressure from non-ancestral communities if they are to fill those positions. **Border security and immigration enforcement** Border security concerns border policing, visa enforcement, asylum processing, deportation rules for non-citizens, customs enforcement and illegal migration. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists may support strong border enforcement while maintaining fair legal procedures and humanitarian obligations. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may emphasise border control as a way to ensure cultural integration is manageable. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may see strict border control as essential for protecting the demographic and political continuity of the ancestral population. **International relations, trade, customs and diplomacy** This includes treaties, international agreements, sanctions, international aid, tariffs, trade agreements, export controls, import restrictions, customs enforcement and diplomatic representation. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists seek agreements that benefit the citizenry, national prosperity and security. They usually believe citizens from any background can loyally represent the state. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists also seek national benefit but may expect diplomats and officials to represent the cultural interests and traditions of the nation. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may worry that people with strong foreign ties could favour other countries in diplomacy, trade or international agreements. More targeted safeguards could include conflict-of-interest rules, restrictions on foreign funding, disclosure of foreign ties and security vetting. **Foreign influence and strategic assets** This includes foreign ownership of land, ports, energy infrastructure, media, telecommunications, critical minerals, farmland, defence industries and major corporations. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists may restrict foreign ownership where it threatens national security or democratic independence. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may worry that foreign ownership and globalisation could erode local traditions, cultural industries and national autonomy. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may want land, wealth, jobs and strategic assets to remain under the control of the ancestral nation rather than external groups or foreign-linked communities. ## **4. Distributional decisions** Distributional decisions concern how resources, wealth, land, jobs, welfare, housing and public services are allocated. These decisions can create disputes because they determine who pays, who benefits and which communities receive support. **National budgeting and public spending** National budgeting includes spending on welfare, housing, healthcare, education, infrastructure, defence, culture, debt, borrowing and public investment. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists usually support budgeting that benefits all citizens and promotes equal opportunity. This may include redistribution between more successful and less successful communities. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may support broad public spending but also want sufficient funding for cultural initiatives, heritage protection, national language, arts and historical institutions. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may want the ancestral population prioritised in public spending, especially if they believe their group is disproportionately subsidising other communities or losing access to housing, education or services. **Taxation and tax policy** Taxation policy determines how the state raises revenue, who contributes, which activities are taxed, which groups receive relief and how the cost of government is distributed across the population. Taxation includes income taxes, land taxes, consumption taxes, corporate taxes, capital gains taxes, inheritance taxes, tariffs, wealth taxes, corrective taxes and other levies. Tax policy is technically complex, but it is also politically significant because it reflects judgments about fairness, contribution, ownership, productivity, redistribution and national priorities. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists are usually concerned with a tax system that treats citizens according to equal legal rules and funds public goods for the whole political community. They may define fairness in terms of ability to pay, equal opportunity, universal public services, social mobility and reducing poverty across the citizenry. A civic nationalist tax system would generally avoid ancestry-based distinctions and would prioritise revenue for shared institutions, infrastructure, education, healthcare, security and equal civic participation. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may support many of the same fairness principles as civic nationalists, but they would also be concerned with whether the tax system helps preserve the nation’s culture and way of life. They may support tax relief, grants or spending priorities for culturally important families, institutions, historic towns, religious or cultural sites, traditional industries, national media, language preservation, heritage protection and local businesses. They may view fairness not only as equal treatment of individuals, but also as sustaining the inherited cultural life of the nation. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists are likely to evaluate tax policy by how it affects the long-established ancestral population. They may be concerned about whether the ancestral population is disproportionately taxed to support newer or non-ancestral communities, whether public benefits are flowing away from the ancestral group, or whether foreign owners, migrants or external investors are accumulating wealth while the ancestral population carries the tax burden. They may prefer tax rules that prioritise the ancestral population’s access to housing, land, family formation, business ownership and intergenerational wealth. From this perspective, a fair tax system is one that protects the material continuity and self-determination of the ancestral population rather than treating all residents or groups as equally entitled to the nation’s accumulated wealth and public resources. **Economy and industrial policy** Economic growth strategy, industrial policy, competition law, business regulation, foreign ownership, innovation strategy and labour demand all influence how the nation develops. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists prioritise economic policies that benefit citizens as a whole and promote social cohesion through opportunity. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may support sectors seen as culturally important and resist forms of globalisation or consumer capitalism that weaken local traditions. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may want national wealth, jobs, land and assets to remain primarily under the control of the ancestral population. They may support migrant labour in some cases while still prioritising the ancestral population for employment, ownership and leadership. **Housing, settlement and regional development** Housing policy, social housing, urban planning, refugee settlement, regional development and neighbourhood integration can affect demographic concentration, assimilation, segregation and local identity. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists may prioritise housing access based on need and equal citizenship. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may worry that settlement patterns could create parallel societies that weaken cultural assimilation. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may be concerned if the ancestral population is priced out of key areas or if migration-driven settlement changes the demographic character of towns, cities or regions. **Labour markets and employment law** Employment policy includes worker protections, workplace safety, labour relations, wage policy, unions, migrant labour rules, occupational licensing and anti-discrimination rules. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists generally want fair labour protections for all workers and equal opportunity across the citizenry. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may want labour policies that preserve local industries, traditional skills and community stability. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may prefer the ancestral population to be prioritised for jobs, apprenticeships, ownership and leadership before positions are offered to external groups. **Healthcare and public health** Healthcare and public health include healthcare access, vaccination, elderly care, disability support, pandemic policy, genetic screening, mental health, chronic disease prevention and public health rules. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists usually want healthcare systems that serve citizens equally. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may be concerned with health practices that affect social norms, family structure or cultural continuity. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may want public health and family policy to support the long-term wellbeing and continuity of the ancestral population. ## **5. Technical and administrative decisions** Technical and administrative decisions are often best handled through expertise, evidence, transparency and professional standards. These decisions can still be politically important, but they are usually less directly tied to national identity than citizenship, culture, education or constitutional law. The key distinction is between political goals and technical implementation. Experts can help determine how to achieve goals efficiently, but elected or constitutionally authorised institutions usually decide the goals themselves. **Infrastructure standards and engineering** This includes sewage, water, drainage, aviation, power generation, construction standards, transport safety, agriculture systems, food systems and utilities. These decisions can often be handled through technical expertise and universal standards. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists would prioritise safety, efficiency and equal access. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may be less concerned with technical standards unless infrastructure design affects heritage, architecture or public culture. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may accept non-ancestral participation in these roles where decisions are transparent, technical and aligned with public need. **National functional infrastructure** National highways, rail networks, airports, ports, bridges, water systems, energy grids and telecommunications infrastructure can be evaluated using public need, engineering expertise and economic data. However, strategic infrastructure can also become security-sensitive if it affects sovereignty or foreign control. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists prioritise national benefit and equal access. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may focus on how infrastructure affects historic towns, landscapes and cultural sites. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may allow technical management by experts but still want strategic oversight to remain aligned with the ancestral population’s interests. **Standards, regulations and consumer protection** Business regulations, food safety, product standards, aviation rules, consumer protections, environmental standards and workplace safety can often be applied universally. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists support universal standards for all citizens and residents. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may support standards that protect traditional industries, food practices or local customs where relevant. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may be less concerned with ancestry in these technical roles if the rules are transparent, accountable and applied equally. **Science, technology and innovation** Science and technology funding decisions often require deep expertise. Areas may include medicine, engineering, AI, defence technology, energy systems, agriculture, biotechnology and computing. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists may support funding that improves public welfare and national competitiveness. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may support innovation while resisting technological change that undermines national culture or social cohesion. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may support expert-led innovation if it benefits the nation internally and does not transfer strategic advantage to external groups. **Administrative oversight, audits and anti-corruption systems** Audit systems, ethics rules, freedom of information, ombuds institutions, procurement rules and anti-corruption laws are important for keeping government accountable. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists prioritise impartial institutions, equal treatment, transparency and rule of law. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may see honesty, trust and low corruption as part of the national civic culture. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may worry about favouritism among external communities, but transparent rules, independent oversight and individual accountability could be sufficient as strong safeguards. ## **6. Local decisions** Local decisions affect neighbourhoods, towns, councils and regions. These decisions can often include a wider range of residents because they concern day-to-day services and local preferences rather than national sovereignty or constitutional identity. However, local decisions can become nationally significant if they affect heritage sites, strategic land, demographic settlement, religious infrastructure or major cultural symbols. **Local budgeting and public spending** Local budgeting includes spending on council services, local roads, waste collection, parks, community services, libraries and maintenance. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists may support participation by all local citizens or residents. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may allow local flexibility while protecting national cultural priorities. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may allow residents to participate in local budgeting where the decisions do not threaten ancestral continuity or national identity. **Local public infrastructure** Local infrastructure includes streets, sidewalks, community halls, local bridges, waste facilities, parks, playgrounds, libraries, public toilets, local markets, fire stations, clinics, schools, sports fields and recreation facilities. These are often used by all residents and can usually be governed with broader local participation. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists favour equal access and local democratic participation. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may protect historically significant local buildings or culturally important sites. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may accept wider participation in routine infrastructure decisions while wanting oversight over heritage-linked infrastructure. **Land use and zoning** Land use and zoning decisions include housing density, commercial zones, religious buildings, heritage protection, parks, industrial land, agricultural land and urban expansion. These decisions can be local, but they can also become highly significant. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists may focus on housing supply, public need and equal treatment. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may want zoning to protect historic architecture, landscapes and cultural sites. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may be concerned if land use decisions change the demographic or cultural character of ancestral towns, regions or heritage areas. **Local government and public administration** Local government decisions include sanitation, permits, homelessness strategy, disaster management, relief coordination, resilience planning and community services. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists support local administration that serves all residents fairly. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may want local government to respect national customs, language and public norms. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may allow broader participation in routine local administration, provided major identity-forming or demographic decisions remain protected. **Local education decisions** Some education decisions can be local, such as teaching methods, extracurricular activities, school events and optional community projects. However, national curriculum, history, language and civic education remain identity-forming decisions. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists may allow local flexibility while maintaining national civic standards. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may support local cultural education where it reinforces national heritage. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may allow local autonomy in non-core subjects while keeping national control over ancestry, history, heritage and civic identity education. **Culture, sports and recreation** Local sports, recreational facilities, festivals, gatherings and community events can often be managed by local residents. * **Civic nationalism** — Civic nationalists may support pluralistic local cultural life. * **Cultural nationalism** — Cultural nationalists may support local events while protecting historically significant national traditions. * **Ancestral nationalism** — Ancestral nationalists may allow flexible local events but protect cultural and heritage events tied to the ancestral population.