Quote Originally Posted by Rodion Romanovich
There are plenty of nations which were formed without genocide. A few examples off the top of my head:
- France (was united and got its national image etc etc during their defense against the English in the 100 years war)
- England (formed by an invasion - major resistance pretty much ended after Battle of Hastings due to lacking support for Harold and the prior dynasty, the locals at that time didn't think it mattered much to become ruled by the Norman dynasty)

And a few examples of entirely peacefully formed countries off the top of my head:
- Norway (became independent by a referendum)
- Iceland (gradually became free through treaties of increasing autonomy)
Although I agree that many, if not most, nations were formed without actions that fit in with the definition of genocide, I do however think that few countries in the world today who became what they are entirely peacefully. Norway for example, spent most of the medieval period and the early modern era fighting with or against either Denmark or Sweden, untill eventually ending up in a more or less forced personal union with Sweden after a brief war in 1814. The modern state of Norway didn't exist until 1905, but Norway and the Norwegians sure did.

Iceland on the other hand, took shape after centuries of more or less constant civil war, in the shape of small but endless vendettas between powerful and wealthy families.

Also, while we're discussin genocide anyway, isn't it rather amusing that the official definition of genocide (as declared by the UN in 1948) still doesn't include the determined extermination of, for example, homosexuals? Goes to show what the UN is capable of.