ABSTRACT
The recent proliferation of writings on nationalism has unfortunately left the definition of the term nation as obscure as it has ever been. This chapter discusses the definition of term "nation" and examines the understanding of the functional role played by nations in general and by national myth in particular. The crux of the definition of the term nation is a refutation of the identification of nation and state. Nations, are social entities that are not the product of the mere fact that a group shares a particular set of objective factors, such as language, geography, race or religion; they are a creation of human will and imagination. Myth expresses, enhances, and codifies belief; it safeguards and enforces morality; it vouches for the efficiency of ritual and contains practical rules for the guidance of man. Myth thus is a vital ingredient of human civilisation; it is not an idle tale, but a hard-worked active force.
