Do the people serve the nation or the nation serves the people

I want to know what it is that people think the role of the nation state is, is it hear to help those people living within the nation, or is it the people that should strive and try to give the nation a greater name and power within the international community.

I personally think that it is the latter of the two, because i feel that everyone should want to strive for a greater cause, something that is larger and more meaningfull than his/her own personal well being. But I feel that in recent society, attention has shifted from national iinterests, to individual interests.

Discuss.

i think because everything is getting americanized.
people are getting raped of their values for the easy life
and laziness is beggining to dawn.
government is suppose to serve the individual
because the individual cannot serve himself as
well as visa versa....i think.

To answer ur question..............

i think its the people who serve the nation...........

cause i can't remember when the government did anything for me........

i constantly do as laws say i should but still i'm worth nothin to the faceless government..........

they've made up so many laws that they've taken away what this country was made for.......

freedom.......

u can say how free we are compared to other countries till ur blue in the face and it won't change the truth..........

we're not free, we jus got a long leash..........

well the duty of the government in a democracy is to serve the person, but now its all about people serving the nation, ever since Kennedy said "Think not about what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country", when MK-Ultra gets to its prime though we'll all be serving the state