Several questions I'm not clear

Question

You know possibility when you breathe it. For an immigrant, it lies in the ease of American identity and the boundlessness of American horizons after the narrower confines of European nationhood and the stifling attentions of the European nanny state, which has often made it more attractive not to work than to work. High French unemployment was never much of a mystery.

1. ease of American identity
Does it mean the American identiy is very relaxed?

2. Why is the "horizons" plural? Does it mean there are many aspects, facades?

3. Why not make "European nationhood" and "European nanny state" plural?

4. Why there's an article "the" in front of "European nanny state" and no 'the' infront of "European nationhood"

Avangi · Accepted Answer

akdom You know possibility when you breathe it. For an immigrant, it lies in the ease of American identity and the boundlessness of American horizons after the narrower confines of European nationhood and the stifling attentions of the European nanny state, which has often made it more attractive not to work than to work. High French unemployment was never much of a mystery.

1. ease of American identity
Does it mean the American identiy is very relaxed? So it would seem. I'm not sure if it means "the ease of assuming American identity," or or the ease with which an American views his own identity.

2. Why is the "horizons" plural? Does it mean there are many aspects, facades? "Aspects," maybe. "Facades," I don't think so. Any type of endeavor you wish to consider has a horizon. To the extent that it involves interacting with some existing institution or culture, that horizon may be confining or liberating. The author finds the American horizons to be liberating.

3. Why not make "European nationhood" and "European nanny state" plural? The author looks at these as institutions - like "European marriage." Do I have to say, "European marriages" when I want to talk about the institution in general? If he wants, the author can look at them one time as a bunch of marriages, and another time as an overall institution.

4. Why there's an article "the" in front of "European nanny state" and no 'the' infront of "European nationhood" Okay, they're both institutions. But words like "marriage" and "nationhood" are understood by definition to describe the institution. That's not true of "nanny state" - or "menage a trois." You must add "the" to indicate that you're talking about the institution. "Marriage" is special, because it can refer to both a particular maririage, or to the institution.
(This question is a dog!)
I can say, "This is a marriage." "This is a menage a trois."
I can say, "I'm going to write a book about marriage." (No "the.") It means "about the institution of marriage."
I don't think I can say, "I'm going to write a book about menage a trois." I must say, "I'm going to write a book about the menage a trois." This means about the institution.

Several questions I'm not clear

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