Season 2 · Episode 568
The Birth of the Border: How Countries Were Invented
How did we go from sprawling empires to rigid borders? Explore the history of the modern country, from Westphalia to the French Revolution.
My Weird Prompts · Daniel Rosehill
February 10, 202627m 5s
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Show Notes
Have you ever wondered why the world is divided into neatly colored shapes on a map? In this episode, Herman and Corn trace the evolution of the modern country, from the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 to the rise of the nation-state during the French Revolution. They explore the crucial differences between a nation, a state, and a country, while debating whether our 17th-century organizational model can survive the global challenges of the 21st century. Join the conversation as they unpack how "imagined communities" and international law created the world we live in today.