Social Science (087) — AI-generated practice question

Ernst Renan means that a nation is not formed by fixed factors like race or language, but is sustained by the continuous will and consent of its people. Just as a plebiscite is a direct vote expressing people's choice, a nation exists as long as its people daily choose to live together, sharing common glories and a common will.

Source: Chapter 1 – The Rise of Nationalism in Europe, Source A (Ernst Renan, 'What is a Nation?')

The examiner expects you to:

• Define 'plebiscite' briefly (a direct vote/expression of will).
• Link it to Renan's idea that a nation depends on the ongoing consent and solidarity of its people, not on fixed factors like race, religion, or language.
• Keep it focused — two key points for 2 marks: (1) what plebiscite means here, and (2) why Renan applies it to a nation's existence.