Theories of secession, philosophy and public affairs 10. Then, i analyze the advantages and disadvantages of all mainstream theories of secession. In practice, the right to secede is granted primarily on the basis of nationality, as is demonstrated by the fact that choice theories of secession affirm that the right. The society of states does not provide the opportunity for the creation of a new state. The case for political selfdetermination offers an unapologetic defense of the right to secede.
Their impact on secession 21 1 secession and selfdetermination 23 christian tomuschat 2 secession, terrorism and the right of selfdetermination 46 andrew clapham 3 secession and external intervention 65 georg nolte 4therole of recognition in the law and practice of secession 94 john dugard and david raic. The civil war began primarily as a result of the longstanding controversy over the enslavement of black people. Pdf breaking new ground regarding the justification of secession, this book provides a novel and nuanced middle ground between two. Free a theory of secession pdf download muruganbeorh. A procedural theory of secession is to be preferred on both moral and pragmatic grounds. Wherever you want what we provide a theory of secession pdf epub form pdf facilitate you simply download you are able to save a theory of secession pdf online pdf we provide various forms such as pdf,epube,kindle. While i agree with birch that the four cases he cites are cases that justify secession, i disagree that these are the only cases.
Jan 01, 2007 secession is the creation of a new independent state out of an existing state. This key volume examines the political, social and legal processes of the practice of secession. Joan esteban, sabine flamand, massimo morelli, and dominic rohner. There is another question that a comprehensive normative theory of secession ought to answer. While international law embraces the principle of selfdetermination, it does not contain a right of secession. It may be argued that international law merely tolerates secession in instances of external selfdetermination, where a people is.
View notes wellman, christopher a theory of secession ch. There are three theories of succession about climax communities. My theory of secession also employs the language of rights. Theories of secession routledgeecpr studies in european. Since secession is the most common way of establishing new states, the expectation is that a sound theory of secession will inform a normativebased international legal practice of state recognition douglas 1994, 2. What are the implications of selfdetermination if the principle is applied outside the context of decolonization. Separatism is a major contemporary sociopolitical problem and a basic but neglected problem of political philosophy. A study of the secession clause in the constitution. While the elements of remedial secession are gathered, it is argued that states deprived this instance of practice of its precedential value and made it a legally insignificant act.
Secession is the creation of a new independent state out of an existing state. By following these two analytical paths kosovo is exposed as a case of remedial secession and thus as a potential legal precedent. To judge the international proliferation of separatist movements, liberal philosophers need a new theory. Yet the inverted reading of the elaboration of this principle in the declaration on principles. All existing theories of secession include accounts of what gives a group a claim to sovereignty over territory, but to make these accounts fully plausible, they also need to explain what grounds less robust claims to territory, and that requires integrating a theory of secession into a comprehensive theory of territorial justice.
Request pdf on dec 22, 2006, harry beran and others published a liberal theory of secession find, read and cite all the research you need on. The book is divided into a general section and two sections containing case studies. In fact, i disagree with his approach that there can ever be a case where secession is not justified. The claim is made that liberalism requires that secession be permitted if it is effectively desired by a territorially concentrated group and is morally and practically possible. The case for political selfdetermination supplies a thorough and unapologetic defense of the right to secede. The term secession designates the unilateral withdrawal from a state of part of its territory and population with the will to create a new state. Ryan has degrees in economics and political science from the university of colorado, and was the economist for the colorado division of housing from 2009 to 2014. Theories of secession routledgeecpr studies in european political science lehning, percy b. There is also a claim that this subject has been neglected by political philosophers and that by the 1980swhen it finally generated interestthe discourse concentrated on the moral justifications of the unilateral right to secession. It concludes that secession is never an entitlement, not even in a situation of severe oppression. Toward a proceduralist theory of secession canadian journal. To this end, i outline three mainstream theories of secession and then endorse the alan patten. Much that christopher wellman says is controversial, but this is a topic about which there is now little agreement.
A theory of secession is a good book and a good defense of the right of groups to secede. A theory of linguistic secession is far from being supported internationally. May 16, 2012 this doctrine is often referred to as remedial secession. This, it is argued, is required by the value liberalism places on freedom, by a liberal theory of popular sovereignty and by a presupposition of legitimate majority rule. An alternative theory is proposed, based on the assumption that secession from a liberal democratic state cannot be justified unless special circumstances exist. At the same time, an absolute rejection of secession in every case is unsound, because the united states should not be willing to tolerate another states repression or genocide in the name of territorial integrity. Such oppressed peoples, in theory, have a right to external selfdetermination, which includes a right to remedial secession and 2. The remedial right of secession in international law joel day university of denver introduction secession and selfdetermination are two of the most contested issues in international affairs. According to this theory there is only one climax community in a climatic or geographical region. The constitutional right of secession in political theory and history. The remedial right of secession in international law.
Secession is the detachment of a territory from an existing state with the aim of creating a new state on the detached territory. Selfdetermination and secession in international law. The impact of the inclusion of secession clause in the. It is commonly admitted today that, outside the context of decolonization and situations of military occupation, there is no right to create an independent state. Different philosophers could discuss the problem of secession in the jargon of justification or the parlance of priorities. However, the secession right as it appears in the current federal democratic republic of ethiopian constitution cannot prevent secession, if the right is going to be operationalized. Theories of secession allen buchanan he is the author of secession. A dynamic theory of secession households in conflict network. The article considers the theory and practice of remedial secession and points out that its theoretical foundations are rather weak. Secession and selfdetermination selfdeterminationalso found rhetorical support in marxistleninist theory, although marxismleninismemployed the concept, in substantial part, merely strategically. Secession can be a legitimate aim of some selfdetermination movements, particularly in response to gross and systematic. Theories of secession routledgeecpr studies in european political science. Arguably, the theory exacerbates all the minimalists reasons for not recognizing selfdetermination, let alone secession.
Breaking new ground regarding the justification of secession, this book provides a novel and nuanced middle ground between two extremes. The american civil war also known by other names was a civil war in the united states from 1861 to 1865, fought between the northern united states loyal to the union and the southern united states that had seceded from the union and formed the confederacy. My normative theory of secession draws from the intellectual. This contract theory ascribes a primary right to secede to minority nations. View theory of secession research papers on academia. The result is an institutionalized system of recognition that confers statehood status to entities that. Under what conditions, if any, ought a constitution include a right to secede, and what form should such a.
Secession can be viewed as one among other means of political separation within a multinational state, a possibility inscribed within a states political and constitutional discourse, without necessarily connoting the establishment of a. I derive a conclusive right to secede from a liberal constellation of interests involving liberty, obedience, property, and culture. A theory of the right to unilateral secession is most urgently needed, not only because unilateral secession occurs more frequently than consensual secession, but also because it is both more controversial and more likely to result in largescale violence. It is difficult to find unambiguous instances of the pure plebiscite theory. Theories of secession allen buchanan philosophy and public. Theory and practice of secession by aleksandar pavkovic, with peter radan. The problem of state succession and the identity of states.
The book analyses the role of selfdetermination and secession in view of challenges to the traditional role of the state, which result from an increasing emphasis on legitimacy rather than stability and sovereignty. Bringing together some of the most respected scholars in their field, this study locates the right to secede in the context of contemporary political theory. This chapter develops a moral theory of secession based on a hypothetical multinational contract. Driscoll the australian national university, fenner school of environment and society, 141 linnaeus. This theory was put forward by an american ecologist frederick clements in 1916. May 11, 2007 a theory of secession is a good book and a good defense of the right of groups to secede. Article on the right to external self determination.
In this thesis, i develop a limited, normative theory of secession. Which question one is trying to answer makes a difference, because different considerations can count for or against a theory of the right to secede. Christopher heath wellman argues that any group has a moral right to secede as long as its political divorce will leave it and the remainder state in a position. A introduction there are estimated to be greater than 8000 ethnocultural groups in the world,1 but there are less than 200 internationally recognised states.
Remedial right theories argue that a groups justified secession depends on the grievances and injustices that a state. Much that christopher wellman says is controversial, but this is. Christopher heath wellman theory of secession world of. Allen buchanan is joel feinberg professor of philosophy, grainger professor of business ethics, and professor of medical ethics at the university of wisconsin. In the absence of a comprehensive normative theory of recognition, this paper uses a justicebased theory of secession as a springboard to devise a system of recognition that is responsive to widely accepted normative principles. If a group of individuals would rather be a part of a different political entity than the one to which they are currently a part, they have an inalienable right to. It is that the subject is largely conliised and resistant to simple exposition. A chiaroscuro 8 be more ground for claiming a right to secede. This doctrine is often referred to as remedial secession. An attempt is made here to rescue the topic of secession from philosophical neglect and to demonstrate its theoretical importance by developing a liberal normative theory of secession. Free a theory of secession pdf download seems pretty on the developments of this era many do not like to read free a theory of secession pdf download when reading can increase our knowledge was pal therefore we provide solutionsb that you can read a theory of secession pdf kindle wherever you want what we provide a theory of secession pdf epub form pdf facilitate you simply download you. Theories of secession theories of secession buchanan, allen 19970101 00. There is also a claim that this subject has been neglected by political philosophers and that by the 1980s when it finally generated interest the discourse concentrated on the moral justifications of the unilateral right to secession. The constitutional right of secession in political theory.
Theories of secession presents a systematic analysis of the recent rise of secessionist movements in global politics. It is difficult to find unambiguous instances of the pure plebiscite theory, but there. Christopher heath wellman argues that any group has a moral right to secede as long as its political divorce will leave it and the remainder state in a position to perform the requisite political. By contrast, countersecession could be defined as an attempt to prevent the breakup of states as well as their recognition by other states at the international level. Christopher heath wellman argues that any group has a moral right to secede as long as its political divorce will leave it and the remainder state in a position to perform the requisite political functions. In my opinion, these theories use a common positive intuition by placing fairness at the centre of any justi. Department of state s policy planning staff selfdetermination sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the right to secession patricia carley united states institute of peace. Secession has been noticeably absent from international relations theory. This article adopts a comprehensive approach to secession, one that encompasses both its revolutionary and its institutionally conservative dimension. A liberal theory of secession request pdf researchgate. My conclusion is that for the contemporary liberal democratic states. After a long period of neglect, political philosophers have turned their attention to secession. Toward a proceduralist theory of secession canadian.
The ending of the cold war gave more chances for the emergence of new states. In particular, it argues that any group has a moral right to secede as long as its political divorce will leave it and the remainder state in a position to perform the requisite political functions. Even as president wilson endorsed the concept of selfdetermination, his own secretary of state expressed concern that it would escalate. The problem of state succession and the identity of states under international law 143 1 introduction if there is one common theme running through all recent literature on the law of state succession. A theory of secession christopher heath wellman on. Harry berans contention that secession is a somewhat neglected topic in political theory is accepted but his liberal theory of secession is criticized and found wanting. Abstract this article investigates the right of people to secede from their rulers. Secession is one of the few remaining options for the generation of new states in the international system. I am deeply indebted to thomas christian0 for his detailed comments on a draft of this article.
Selfdetermination and secession under international law. Offering an unapologetic defense of the right to secede, christopher heath wellman argues that any group has a moral right to secede as long as its political divorce will leave it and the remainder state in a position to perform the requisite political functions. See joshua castellino, territorial integrity and the right to selfdetermination. For they too must behave in accordance with certain norms of conduct.
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