Nation states + sovereignty

Global politics (not need to learn, understand)

It refers to the study and practice of political interactions, power, struggles and governance beyond national borders. It examines how countries, international organisations, corporations, and even individuals influence world affairs

Nation

A nation is a community of people with shared commonalities/characteristics (e.g language, culture, heritage, ethnicity, etc). Do not need to share all.

Do not need an independent state.

Examples: Spanish people

Country

A territory that is usually, but not always an independent state

Can just mean the land of a state

Examples: Basque Country, Sri Lanka, UK is split in 4 countries (Scotland, Wales, England, Ireland), France

State

A society under the same system of governance/rule, with defined borders (independent)

Textbook definition: A government that has sovereignty over an area of territory (for example, a country) and the people within it.

Examples: UK, Spain

Nation state (en paréntesis lo que yo añado)

A country where the population has language, culture and heritage in common (and is conscious of it)

Examples: Germany, Japan, Iceland (majority of citizens are from same nation)

Aunque esto tb incluye UK, Spain, etc pero esos ejemplos son más claros

Stateless nations (which is also an example of a “nation”)

Groups of people who identify as a distinct nation (have shared commonalities) but lack a recognized state of their own.

Examples

• The Kurds: a nation spread across Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Iran, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Shared language and culture.

• The Basques: located in Spain and France. Have their own language (Euskera) and distinct cultural identity.

• Cherokee, Rohingya

Sovereign state

A country that has a permanent population, territory and government; it must also be recognised as a state by other states.

What is the difference between a sovereign state and a nation state?

Nation states uses term “nation” = all citizens must have a shared identity (whether language, culture, ethnicity, etc), not just legal citizenship.

Whereas sovereign states uses “sovereign” = control over territory and diplomatic recognition by other states, no need for its citizens to have a shared identity.

What does a nation state have to have?

• Clear territorial boundaries that are recognised by other states

• A permanent population

• A recognised currency

• A government that is recognised by other states

• A government that can make laws, trade agreements and treaties with other countries and which provides public services

• A government that can take action on behalf of its people and has authority to declare war against other countries

Case study: Iceland

Iceland became a sovereign state in 1918, after Danish rule. It was then recognised by Denmark as an independent nation (with its own language, national flag, etc)

Countries that lack sovereignty

No tengo ni idea a este punto

Dependent territories/dependencies

These are territories that are not fully independent but is outside the state’s main ‘political’ area

• they usually have the power to make their own laws

• They may have any or some of the following:

  • A separate currency

  • An army

  • Complete legal independence

  • The same head of state

Examples: Gibraltar, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong (?)

Sovereignty

Serenity is supreme power or authority and freedom from external control (independence) within its territorial borders.

Independent states/places with sovereignty can:

• Declare war

• Make and enforce laws

• Treaties

What are some threats to sovereignty?

• Globalisation (global village)

• Decentralisation (nationalist movements)

• Regional groups (regional MGOs)

• Internet (cybercrime)

• Challenges to borders (migrants)

How does globalisation pose a threat to sovereignty?

Countries becoming more connected because of the influence of products, technology, information and jobs across national borders and cultures

• Information flows instantly = citizens influenced by global/external ideas

  • Because of technology/internet creating a shrinking world

  • Problems become shared (climate change, pandemics)

• Global village = promotes westernised consumer culture, threatening local traditions (e.g diet, dress, language)

  • McDonald’s in every major city; English as default business language; Hollywood films global influence in cultures

• Loss of control over markets/economy

  • Multinational corporations (MNCs) are given more power = loss of traditional skills and cultures

  • MNCs (e.g Apple, Amazon) tax evasion, shifting profits to tax havens. This deprives governments of revenue needed for public services and infrastructure.

Global village

Where individual group attachments to ethnic and religious identities are replaced by a shared identity based on the principles of global citizenship

How does decentralisation pose a threat to sovereignty?

Regional demands for independence or more influence within their country.

• Scotland votes against leaving the UK in 2014, but in 2020 there was growing support for independence.

• Cataluña wants independence. 2019 protests because of the sentencing of nine Catalan independence leaders after organising a referendum for independence in 2017

Decentralisation means that such groups produce the overall power of the nation state.

• Also can create competition between the central government and local or regional authorities, potentially leading to conflicts over resources, policies, and decision-making.

Decentralisation

Moving power from national government to regions so that they have more control

How do regional groups (MGOs) pose a threat to sovereignty?

Regional groups like ASEAN, EU, African Union (AU) may:

• Impose laws that override national policies

  • Member states must follow EU regulations on trade, human rights, etc even if they conflict with national laws.

  • European Court of Justice (ECJ)

    • In 2021 the ECJ fined Hungary €200 million for breaking EU’s asylum law

• Control economic policies

  • Single market rules: countries must harmonise taxes, subsidies and trade policies.

    • France can’t freely subsidise its farmers without EU approval

• Limit border/military autonomy

  • “Free movement of persons": this EU law allows EU citizens to move freely within the EU, reside, and work in any member stat (migration)

    • This limits the state’s ability to deport arrivals.

  • Collective defense pacts (e.g NATO): members must assist allies in war

  • Peacekeeping: the African Union (AU) can deploy troops in member states (e.g Somalia, South Sudan) without full local consent, when dealing with "grave circumstances" like war crimes, genocide, or crimes against humanity.

    • Often with the support of the UN

How does the internet pose a threat to sovereignty?

• Cybercrime: no boundaries online, makes it hard for government to maintain power over their state

  • Hackers can steal personal information and data on populations

    • 2015 Ukraine blackout: power grid was hacked leaving 230,000 people without electricity for just over an hour.

• Governments can’t control the information as there are no boundaries online.

  • “Great Firewall” (China) prevents Chinese citizens from accessing certain webs. However some install tools like VPNs

How do migrants pose a threat to sovereignty?

• Refugees and economic migrants means that the flow of people going in and out is fluctuating = harder to protect population and economy due to increased pressure on resources, infrastructure and jobs

  • Overcrowding = increase demand for school may lower quality of education; strain on healthcare systems (longer wait times + lower access); housing shortages can arise prices

• Easier to smuggle in illegal substances like cocaine (?)

• Mass unauthorised crossings (e.g US-Mexico) challenge the state's ability to control its borders and enforce its laws.

  • Infiltration, weak borders = unable to protect its citizens

Case study: Brexit

By joining the EU you give up part of your sovereignty.

• EU laws and policies are above any other national law.

• EU members can only do agreements and trading through the EU

• EU has created a Common Economic Area, meaning that those countries lose control over their economies (free movement, single market, shared policies)

• Shared European membership (free movement of people)

EU is getting more powerful (more countries, euro currency, more laws than before)

Arguments for:

• Gaining sovereignty

  • Laws on immigration

  • Industry and environment (pollution and factories). The UK persistently exceeds nitrogen dioxide levels, breaching EU air quality standards.

However, situation hasn’t change much:

• For Britain it is easier to trade with EU so often has to follow EU laws in products (e.g bottle caps must not be detachable)

• It is becoming poorer. The UK economy is estimated to be £140 billion smaller than it would have been without Brexit

  • New tariffs on goods traded between them = more expensive for Britain

  • Job loses (nearly 2 million fewer jobs overall): Brexit ended free movement of people. Before EU workers could easily fill labor gaps

  • Inflation on consumer goods