Unit 1: Sovereignty

Question 1

sovereignity definition

Answer 1

states ability to rule itself

• control and authority of what happens inside their own borders
• respect sovereignty of other states while maintaining and defending their own

Question 2

internal sovereignty

Answer 2

states governing themselves independently

Question 3

external sovereignty

Answer 3

how states interact externally with other states and igos

(respecting each others borders, and not interevening or interfereing in what goes on within the borders of those states)

Question 4

Treaty of Westphalia

Answer 4

1648

• ending the Thirty Years’ War in Europe
• Established the principle of state sovereignty and non-intervention
• Gave states full control over their territory and internal affairs
• Recognized the legal equality of all states
• Reduced the role of religion in international politics
• Allowed rulers to choose their state’s religion (cuius regio, eius religio)
• Laid the foundation for today’s nation-state system and global order

Question 5

international legitimacy and sovereignty

Answer 5

a states sovereignity is dependent on other states recognising it as a state

• Islamic State calls itself a state, but no other states or IGOs recognise them, so they cannot be considered a sovereign state

Question 6

sovereign states should have…

Answer 6

• a permanent population
• a defined territory and borders
• effective government
• the capacity and legitimacy to enter relations with other states

Question 7

controversy UN

Answer 7

however, the UN has all aspects of a sovereign state (eg. defined external borders, foreign policy, increasingly entering relations with other states, but still isnt a sovereign state

Question 8

What is a challenge with identifying a state based on population?

Answer 8

Refugees and insurgencies can make populations unstable or displaced (e.g., Syria, Iraq), population no longer being permanent but still a sovereign state

Question 9

Why is defining a state’s territory difficult?

Answer 9

Many borders are disputed (e.g., Israel/Palestine, India/Kashmir)

Non state actors are increasingly taking control of territory from nation states eg. 2014 Islamic State established a single Islamic state across both Syria and Iraq. The border became increasingly irrelevant, even if, under international law, border still exists.

Question 10

What’s a problem with identifying states by government?

Answer 10

Fragile states like DRC may lack full authority across whole country but are still considered sovereign

Question 11

Why was Islamic State considered a pseudo-state in 2015?

Answer 11

It had governance, tax collection, and territorial control but lacked legitimacy

Question 12

What is meant by ‘capacity to enter relations with other states’?

Answer 12

Tracking diplomatic ties through summits, IO membership, or bilateral/multilateral partnerships

Regions like Palestinian Territories (are trying to gain independence), are often given a form of membership of IGOs, known as observer status

Question 13

What does the Montevideo Convention determine?

Answer 13

Whether a nation is a sovereign state.

Question 14

What is the role of the UN in statehood?

Answer 14

It confirms statehood by recognizing full member states.

Question 15

What is seen as the most legitimate way for new states to be recognised?

Answer 15

Coutries seeking independence holding a referendum, in which populations vote directly on whether they should become independent.

Question 16

Disputes over sovereignty: Why was the Crimea referendum deemed illegitimate?

Answer 16

Presence of Russian troops; UN Security Council’s resolution was vetoed by Russia.

Question 17

Disputes over sovereignty: What is the dispute in the South China Sea?

Answer 17

China claims waters the US considers international; China rejects ICJ authority.

Question 18

How do IGOs challenge state sovereignty?

Answer 18

IGOs make binding rules, override national laws (e.g., EU), and encourage cooperation on global issues.

Question 19

States Realism

Answer 19

most important actor in GP, able to act independently and protect borders

Question 20

States Liberalism

Answer 20

• exist, but cooperate with each other on both economic and political matters
• states maximise security and prosperity by sacrificing sovereignty (sharing power with other actors in GP), rather than defending their sovereinty

Question 21

State sov. becoming less significant: Borders

Answer 21

• border checks dissapearing (part. Schengen Agreement EU)
• states affected by issues that cross borders like global terrorism or migration

Question 22

State sov. becoming less significant: Economic globalisation

Answer 22

• reducing economic importance of many states
• states reducing barriers to trade and are joining trade agreements
• increasing freedom of movement for people and goods
• MNCs have increasingly more power (some more than small states) -> can force states to change economic policies in return for investment

Question 23

State sov. becoming less significant: IGOs

Answer 23

• becoming more numerous and more powerful
• EU has supranational powers: make laws, enforce them

Question 24

State sov. becoming less significant: R2P

Answer 24

• international conventions (like R2P) no longer regard state sovereignty as absolute
• conditional on states behaving responsibly

Question 25

State sov. becoming less significant: Non-state actors

Answer 25

- esp. terrorist groups - challenge state sovereingty - attempt to define new borders

Question 26

State sov. still significant: Borders

Answer 26

- still define independent states - still decide own economic and political policies - national identity still matters and remains unique, identifiable, unifying force

Question 27

State sov. still significant: economic globalisation

Answer 27

- economic policy still defined by states - of course MNCs are powerful, still resolving major economic crisis requires actions by nation states (like 2008 financial crisis)

Question 28

State sov. still significant: IGOs

Answer 28

- states choose to join IGOs / key contributors - no world governing body with the power to act above nation state level - many IGOs give states veto power and protect national core interests - decisions reached by consensus of member states

Question 29

State sov. still significant: R2P

Answer 29

- states can still abuse HR / break international law with impunity - decisions about external intervention are taken very carefully, dependent on international agreement

Question 30

State sov. still significant: non state actors

Answer 30

- not widespread of non state actors challenging state sovereignity - remains broad international consensus about what makes a state legitimate in international law - attempts by millita groups to seize territory are widely seen as illegitimate - often miliatry action is launched to reassert sovereignty

Question 31

Realist theory of sovereignty

Answer 31

prepared to both defend sov. as an absolute inavoidable principle, and to breach the sov. of another state if their own national interest requires it - most significant actors in GP are defined by states within sov. state borders

Question 32

Liberal theory of sovereignty

Answer 32

an important but not exclusive principle in international political relations - not absolute and can be pooled and challenged

Question 33

fragile states

Answer 33

- internal sov. and power is weak - gov. may be non existent, illegitimate, too weak to have authority over own territory

Question 34

theocracy

Answer 34

power is held by religious groups