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States and Their Future
General Analysis
Today the state is the dominant mega-form of political association. The nation-state has taken hold around most of the world and its future has become the focus of a heated debate. The disintegration of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia gave birth to many new nation-states. Continuing ethnic violence around the world will likely precipitate the failure and recreation of more states around the world. On the other hand, the ever-closer integration of the expanding European Union signals a movement away from the nation-state. A whole set of global and domestic players challenge the authority of the state - from its economic and military power to its ability to provide social services and education. The boom in information and biological technologies further impedes the state’s ability to control its population. Even if in the near future the state remains the only form of political organization, it will certainly undergo transformations. Early 20th century perceptions of state-sovereignty, citizenship, nation, and inter-state relations will have to change and adapt to these new forces.
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Nations & States
Articles
2008 | 2007 | 2005 | 2002 | 2001 | Archived Articles
Sovereignty and Plurinational Democracy. Problems in Political Science (2003)
Political scientists often argue that globalization and multilateral institutions are undermining the importance of national sovereignty. But in this chapter from Sovereignty in Transition, author Michael Keating argues that these analysts fail to recognize that the sovereignty concept is changing and taking on new meanings. For example, many minority groups reaffirm the sovereignty concept to gain more autonomy - rather than full independence. Keating advocates a "plurinational democracy" to accommodate the increasingly integrated world. (Hart Publishing)
In this article from Le Monde diplomatique, George Ross laments the passing of traditional interstate politics. Globalization has reduced everything to trade issues, he claims, and presents his opinion on the state of the world.2008
Return of the State (October 28, 2008))
To avoid future financial crises, national leaders should put into practice the ideas of the late economist John Maynard Keynes, regarding government intervention in the economy. Governments must regulate banks and financial speculation and pursue fiscal policies that strengthen the role of the nation-state in the global economy. (Frontline)The Myth of the Nation-State (September 2, 2008)
Transnational challenges such as pollution, terrorism and climate change undermine nation-states’ status as principal actors in international relations. But, argues this article, many university professors still base their curricula on the “myth of the nation-state.” By focusing on the nation-state, they not only overlook global solutions, they further assume that the nation-state is a coherent and homogenous entity. The author calls for a stronger role for non-state actors, human rights, and ethics in the study of international relations. (Policy Innovations)Tibet, Palestine and the Politics of Failure (May 9, 2008)
In this openDemocracy article, the author argues that the existence of nations is not a question of fate but the result of power-politics, accidents or wars. For example, the article describes Tibet and Palestine as victims of “post-colonial sequestration.” “Amid the retreat of imperial or hegemonic powers,” bad timing or bad leadership prevented them from gaining independence at a decisive moment in history.Tibet, China and the West: Empires of the Mind (April 1, 2008)
In this OpenDemocracy article, the author puts the China-Tibet issue in a historic perspective, considering their respective notions of sovereignty. During the first half of the 20th century, Tibet was de facto independent as China did not seek absolute control. But as China grew wary of Western Empires, the country's nationalistic ideas increased. To create one strong bloc against US, European and Japanese Empires, China fully integrated Tibet. This way, nationalism became a means of legitimizing full sovereignty over Tibet.Eye of the Storm: Ethnic Identities and "Contested Sovereignties" in the Niger Delta (March 26, 2008)
Large oil companies, Western governments and ethnic minority groups all challenge Nigeria's sovereignty over the oil-rich Niger Delta. This paper explores how these actors' quest for oil wealth, land, water and self-determination have "redefined" state sovereignty. The Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is fighting the government and large oil companies to gain control over the delta, claiming their right to self-determination. Meanwhile, the US, through its Africa Command (AFRICOM), seeks to undermine the state's sovereignty, by securing its own control over the oil fields. (International Studies Association)The Farce of Iraqi Sovereignty (March 2008)
This Guernica article argues that, since the US occupation, Iraq has lost its sovereignty. Both the US and Iraqi government try to present the appearance of autonomy for the country. However, several US policy decisions, such as the building of a wall around Sunni districts, show that the US undermines Iraq's independent decision-making. Pointing out that a country's constitution is a key symbol of its sovereignty; the author criticizes the US controlled drafting of Iraq's constitution in 2005. He concludes that only complete withdrawal of occupation troops will give Iraq its independence back.2007
Under Pressure: States in the Global Era (September 2007)
In this report, Laura Tedesco, Associate Fellow at FRIDE, Peace, Security and Human Rights programme, points out that state formation is a long and dynamic process influenced by many national and international factors. States are constantly evolving and since the Cold War, globalization has accelerated the process of change. “Fragile states” often have difficulties adapting to the new global order and have come to rely on international aid. But the report warns that international donors should be careful not to undermine domestic policies by imposing a Western conception of the state.2006
When the State Means Business (January 25, 2006)
Though richer than it was six years ago, the Russian state has sacrificed political freedom and economic justice through the concentration of power and wealth. According to Andrei Illarionov, former economic adviser to President Vladimir Putin, the "corporatization" of the Russian state has reinforced the power of wealthy "insiders" while marginalizing citizens and alienating Russia's neighbors. As with other corporate states, such as Libya, Angola, Chad, Iran, Syria, Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, Russian citizens can only restore civil, political and economic freedoms by challenging the state from the bottom up. (International Herald Tribune)2005
‘We the Peoples,’ Not the States (September 2005)
The UN system was founded on state sovereignty and protection from foreign intervention. From human rights to the provision of peace, sovereign states provide most social services. Whether weak or strong, some states either cannot or do not perform these functions. In their place, NGOs represent “popular sovereignty” by conveying the will of “we the peoples,” as set out in the UN Charter. (Le Monde diplomatique)
2004
A Pseudostate is Born (June 27, 2004)
As the US grants nominal independence to Iraq, Adam Hochschild takes a look at the phenomenon of countries "where most real power is in the hands of someone else." Examples of these "pseudostates" include the Bantustans of apartheid South Africa, the Soviet Socialist Republics under the Soviet Union, and present-day Afghanistan, Palestine, Bosnia and Congo. (TomDispatch)Why the White House is Pushing Cyprus Solution (January 30, 2004)
US pressure for resolution of "the Cyprus problem" appears less motivated by political goodwill than the possibility of using Cypriot reunification as a template for Iraq's reconstruction, and for mending diplomatic bridges with Europe. (Christian Science Monitor)2002
Greece, Turkey to Be Given a UN Plan for Cyprus (November 9, 2002)
The UN will present to Greeks and Turks the most comprehensive peace proposal in more than 10 years. The Greeks seek a two-zone federation linked by a central government and the Turkish Cypriots want a confederation of two independent states. (Reuters) Return of the Nation-State—and the Leviathan (November, 2002)
The Bush administration’s unabashed unilateralism reveals its imperial desire to “sweep away . . . civil society participation, citizen diplomacy, and multidimensional forms of conflict prevention.” This article warns, “we are entering into an imperial world order maintained by a Leviathan nation in search of monsters to slay.” (Interhemispheric Resource Center)This Marks the Death of Deterrence (October 9, 2002)
The new US doctrine of "pre-emptive action" kills the principle of state sovereignty. "Regime change as an aim of military intervention is a direct challenge to the international system established by the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia." (Guardian)Think Again: Nation Building (Sept/Oct 2002)
Looking at recent case studies, Foreign Policy recommends that “the international community set more modest goals for nation building and then tailor those goals to each country's reality” to avoid a quagmire.States of Discord (March/April 2002)
“Will globalization ultimately strengthen or destroy the nation state? Will it lead to more democracies or more revolutions?” A Foreign Policy debate attempts to answer these complex questions.Conditional Legitimacy, Reinterpreted Monopolies (March 2002)
Anna Leander of the Copenhagen Peace Research Institute argues that “the international society of states” and private actors have challenged the nation-state’s “monopoly on legitimate violence” as well as the definition of “legitimacy.”2001
Preparing the Way for International Protection (December 19, 2001)
A new report,"The Responsibility to Protect," supports the view that an international duty to save civilians at risk trumps the sovereign rights of states. (The Globe and Mail)The Future of the Nation State (November 14, 2001)
Sociologist Anthony Giddens argues that three different types of nation states exist and that globalization transforms each one in a different way. He concludes that the nation-state has come closer to “a universal form” but with a different kind of sovereignty and “administrative control of political power.” (London School of Economics)UN Report on Globalization and the State (November 2, 2001)
The impact of globalization compels to redefine the nature and the role of the state to take account of the emerging political, economical, and cultural changes.First, Do Not Harm (October 26, 2001)
Globalization has weakened nation-states like Afghanistan. The debate on Afghanistan’s political future is now whether foreign intervention promote human rights and democracy or is tainted with self-interested imperialism. (In These Times)Jack Straw: There Is Nothing Inevitable in the Failure of States (October 22, 2001)
"The state not only makes war possible: it also makes peace possible." The latest geo-political developments demonstrates that conflicts often arise when the state fails and when there is lack of international cooperation. (Foreign & Commonwealth Office)The Rise of the Brand State (September/October 2001)
Peter van Ham argues that the production and export of goods has created brand-name countries. He argues that the attachment to brands supplants nationalist feelings although it “lacks the deep-rooted and often antagonistic sense of national identity and uniqueness that can accompany nationalism.” (Foreign Affairs)Ways of the Patriots (July 3, 2001)
E. J. Dionne resolves the paradox of sovereignty: States need international organizations in order to protect their sovereignty. Conversely, only those international organizations that are subject to democratic control can succeed. (Washington Post)Globalization and the Nation State (April 7, 2001)
Jayantha Dhanapala, UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs, argues that the nation-state should remain relevant but more adaptable to the forces of globalization. He adds that NGOs should not reduce the role of the state but use its apparatus to achieve their goals.Self-determination and the Future of Democracy (January 25, 2001)
Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein argues that the further democratization of democracy and the extension of the right to self-determination are the most reliable strategies to ensure future international stability in anarchy. (International Institute for Strategic Studies)Archived Articles
