- 5 reasons that summarize the importance of national sovereignty
- AND
- Ensures jurisdiction in the resolution of internal conflicts
- Promotes international recognition of nations
- Promotes the creation of national identity
- It is an opportunity to demonstrate the capacity for self-management
- References
The importance of national sovereignty has acquired new dimensions in the framework of an increasingly globalized world. This concept is based on the borders that delimit the different nations.
According to its definition, the government that operates within those borders has the authority to carry out various actions without any interference from other governments, organizations or individuals outside those border limits.
In this sense, this type of sovereignty is a fundamental idea of authority in the Modern Era. This contrasts with the ideas of authority of other times, particularly the earlier medieval period of European history.
In that period, the idea of authority revolved around the theocratic and transnational idea of Latin Christianity.
5 reasons that summarize the importance of national sovereignty
AND
The importance of national sovereignty, as a concept, is appreciated at the beginning of the Modern Era. In the 17th century, it became a subject of legal and philosophical writing, after nearly a century of devastating religious conflict in Europe. It was seen as a very attractive formula to achieve peace.
Thus, Catholic countries could follow their own policies within their territories. For their part, Protestant countries, in their various versions, could do the same.
Sovereignty was the limit: each independent state determines its policy for itself and neither has the right to impose its views on the others.
Ensures jurisdiction in the resolution of internal conflicts
Internal conflicts and their consequences belong to the internal jurisdiction and, therefore, to the national sovereignty of each country.
However, sovereignty carries with it certain aspects for which governments must be held accountable. They are accountable to their national constituencies, and also to the international community.
Thus, internal conflicts pose challenges related to two aspects. One is the establishment of an effective conflict prevention, management and resolution system. The other is the protection and assistance to those affected by this conflict.
Promotes international recognition of nations
The concept of sovereignty has proven to be compatible with a wide range of authority structures and constitutional arrangements.
This has been integral to the legal personality of the States and crucial for its recognition by other States. However, since the beginning of Modernity, it has been awarded for very different reasons.
Thus, changing practices of international recognition have influenced the configuration of domestic authority structures.
Promotes the creation of national identity
The origin of nation states had its two constructive principles in the concepts of sovereignty and identity. Sovereignty had to be exercised against external powers.
For its part, identity should be the product of internal homogeneity. States have institutions in charge of promoting that national identity and, in turn, reinforcing sovereignty.
It is an opportunity to demonstrate the capacity for self-management
At present, beyond determining the internal legal-political order of a state, national sovereignty is measured by the capacity for self-management.
The various areas where this ability must be demonstrated include economic, food, security, among others.
References
- One Salt. (2002, May 03). What is the concept of national sovereignty? Retrieved on December 29, 2017, from onesalt.com.
- Jackson, R. (2007). Sovereignty: The Evolution of an Idea. Cambridge: Polity.
- Rabkin, J. (2000). National sovereignty: why it is worth defending. In World Family Policy Forum, pp. 78-81.
- Deng, FM et al. (2010) Sovereignty as Responsibility: Conflict Management in Africa. Washington DC: Brookings Institution Press.
- Bartelson, J. (2014). Sovereignty as Symbolic Form. New York: Routledge.
- Mazzola, C. and Sanz Ferramola, R. (2007). Socio-philosophical and historical-political notes on university autonomy. In E. Rinesi and G. Soprano (Compilers), Altered Faculties: current affairs of The Conflict of Faculties, by Immanuel Kant, pp 175-202. Buenos Aires: Prometeo Libros Editorial.
- Guerrero Aguirre, FJ (2000). Sovereignty. In L. Baca Olamendi et al. (compilers), Lexicon of politics, pp. 687-698. Mexico. DF: Economic Culture Fund.