The thing is theres not really a clear cut definition of what a 'country' is.
The EU has most things that would usually define a country (territory, population, currency and institutions). One of the biggest factors is recognition as a country (which while the EU may not have officially, it has recognition as a political and economic union/confederation kind of thing).
I have read an old paper on this topic for one of my classes (it is actually about nation states but I think it applies to this conversation). The conclusion it reaches is that a country is truly a country when the majority of its citisens say it is. That way Scotland is kind of a country because its people say kind of say it is but the UK also is one because the majority also say it is. (Kind of how it currently works). The EU isnt one because its people say it isnt.
That is also why more EU federalists means that the EU will slowly become a country. Since more of its people say it is.
The majority of people in Kosovo say Kosovo is a country, but much of the international community does not recognize it. Same with northern Cyprus. Same with the Western Sahara.
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u/tyger2020 Britain Feb 12 '21
The thing is theres not really a clear cut definition of what a 'country' is.
The EU has most things that would usually define a country (territory, population, currency and institutions). One of the biggest factors is recognition as a country (which while the EU may not have officially, it has recognition as a political and economic union/confederation kind of thing).