Allow me to explain:
Rashi tells us that the Spies in the wilderness were the leaders, the "gedoilim" of the tribes.
Instead of conquering the Land of Israel and building the Nation of Israel in the Holy Land, they wanted to remain in the wilderness (America, France, England, Australia, South Africa…) and enjoy the Manna, the Well of Miriam, and the protection afforded by the Clouds of Glory.
They wanted to learn Torah and not get their hands dirty with the commandment of conquering and dwelling in the Promised Land.
They wanted a private Judaism, and not the Torah of a Jewish Nation. They wanted to make do with the mitzvot incumbent on the individual and forget about the many mitzvot incumbent on the Klal – the Nation in its entirety.
They wanted to reduce the Torah to a religion, instead of the Constitution of the Israelite Nation.
In other words, they wanted to be “Children of Wilderness” and not Children of Israel. Just like the Jews in the Diaspora want to be Children of America, and Children of France, and Children of England, and not the Children if Israel, with all of its added national obligations.