In Nation, State, and Economy Ludwig von Mises defines a nation as a people group who all speak the same language, even while understanding that shared history, culture, and ancestry contribute to national identity. Mises also distinguishes between nation and state, arguing that a nation is a self-aware community, while a state rules over them. His concept of a nation was based on his experience living within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In this case, language and nation did correlate more closely than in the US. Among other nations, Mises discusses how Germans, Italians, Slavs, and Czechs