Decolonization has imposed artificial states on underlying populations and created national identities.

In the same vein, we could say that European states are artifical states imposed by feudal/absolutist rulers or post-war imperialist peace dictates on underlying populations, some of which created ntional identities, others forced pre-existing national identities on a far from completely identical underlying population.

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}