From Nation States to Network States

Chapter 5

Why Now?

Why now? After almost 400 years of the Westphalian nation state, why do we think the status quo could change?

First, the status quo. What is the modern nation state, anyway? What is a nation, for that matter? How was state formation enabled long ago by technological innovations like mapmaking and print capitalism? When did the political events transpire that led to the rise of the nation state? And what were the historical alternatives?

Then, the change. What are the contemporary catalysts, the technological and political developments that promise to alter centuries of practice? What are the concepts, charts, calculations, and citations that suggest big changes are in the offing? And what might a network state even look like?