Traditional Understandings of Sovereignty (DP IB Global Politics: HL): Revision Note
The Westphalian definition of state sovereignty
In 1648 the Westphalian treaties signalled the end of the Thirty Years War
In these peace agreements the definition of a state was clarified - a concept we continue to see in global politics today
Key principles of Westphalian state sovereignty
States must have complete authority over what happens within their borders, and the claims of any other actors must be secondary | Globally, states must respect the independence of other states and must not interfere with them |
These principles may sound like a good way to preserve peace
As always with global politics, there are many exceptions to the rules
Powerful states and non-state actors frequently violate these rules
Case Study
The invasion of Iraq (2003)
Background
The 2003 invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies is often seen as a violation of Westphalian sovereignty
According to the principles established after the Peace of Westphalia (1648), states should not interfere in the internal affairs of other states and must respect their independence
The invasion
However, the US and its coalition partners launched a military invasion of Iraq to remove the government of Saddam Hussein
The US government argued that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction and posed a threat to international security
Criticism and significance
Many countries and international organisations criticised the invasion because it did not have clear authorisation from the United Nations Security Council
Critics argued that the invasion therefore undermined the principle of state sovereignty by allowing external actors to intervene in the internal affairs of another state
The Montevideo definition of state sovereignty
After World War 1, as empires and colonialism collapsed, the desire for self-determination amongst groups or nations strengthened
Self-determination means that people should decide who they want to rule them.
Many new states were formed from the old colonial empires of Austria-Hungary, Russia and The Ottoman Empire including
Poland
Czechoslovakia
Yugoslavia
Finland
Türkiye
Many newly-formed states, and those who had not yet gained independence, wanted global agreement to expand norms regarding sovereignty.
The Montevideo Convention was drafted in 1933
It agreed with the norms of Westphalia but clarified principles of state sovereignty
Key principles of Montevideo state sovereignty
A state’s existence does not depend on the agreement of other states | All states are equal, no matter their size, power or history | The primary goal of all states should be peace |
A criticism of the Montevideo definition of state sovereignty is that it focuses on formal criteria, such as population, territory, government and recognition
It does not consider whether a state actually has effective control or independence
Some states may meet the criteria but still depend heavily on other countries or international organisations
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