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‘What makes a
state? This question has attracted more and more attention in recent years with
Catalan’s illegal vote for independence from Spain and Palestine’s ongoing
search for international recognition. And while Scotland chose to remain with
the United Kingdom, discussion of independence have only continued as the
ramifications of the Brexit vote begin to set in. Kosovo, South Sudan, and the
situation in Ukraine – each in its way reveals the perils of creating a nation
separate from neighbours who have dominated it.
As James
Ker-Lindsay and Mikulas Fabry show in this new addition to the What Everyone
Needs to Know series, the road to statehood never did run smooth. Declaring
independence is only the first step; gaining both local and global acceptance
is necessary before a state can become truly independent, The prospect of
losing territory is usually not welcomed by the parent state, and any such threat
to an existing culture and its economy is often met with resistance – armed or
otherwise. Beyond this immediate conflict, the international community often
refuses to accept new states without proof of defined territory, a settled
population, and effective government, which frequently translates to a
democratic one with demonstrated respect for human rights. Covering the legal,
political, and practical issues of secession and state creation, Ker-Lindsay
and Fabry provide a sure-footed guide to a complex topic.’
What makes a
state? This question is even more pertinent today considering we are facing the
most tumultuous geopolitical situation in decades, with Russia’s unprovoked
invasion of Ukraine, civil war in Sudan, regime change in Afghanistan, Myanmar,
etc. As the author addressed early on in the book, some newly formed states
like South Sudan have gained international recognition without much hassle
whereas others such as Kosovo, notwithstanding their ability to operate as an
independent state, including achieving recognition from major global powers,
still is not recognised by over half the world and is not a UN member. These
are the questions that this book answers, as to what creates a state and what
are the valid causes for secession.
To start with,
this book takes an academic perspective on the issue and is not a philosophical
book on nationhood or sense of belonging. It addresses the widely recognised
international conventions and also the UN charter and the various resolutions
when it comes to statehood and ideas such as self-determination. Even the
definitions of what constituted a state start from the late 18th
century (around the time of independence of the US) and does not explain how
states were recognised in different regions in the past (for example, in
Europe, the church for large parts of the Middle Ages).
It is presented
in an easy-to-read manner – split into chapters and in a question-and-answer
format. The book was published in 2023 and thus, it is updated up until the unprovoked Russian
invasion of Ukraine. For the
uninitiated and at the same time interested in geopolitics and the various
concepts of state recognition– this book provides an overview, explaining what
constitutes a state, what have been the accepted methods used in resolving
conflicts in the past, and also failed efforts and frozen conflicts. There were
several interesting facts that were presented, especially the norms that we
follow in the international community – which I have never thought of it that
way, that the countries have agreed that one sovereign state would have one
vote in the UNGA regardless of their size and population.
A disappointment that people could have is from incorrect expectations
as I already stated, as the book is academic and often uses terms which are not
in common parlance. However, to those who are even partially interested in the
topic, might be familiar with a third of the book, and thus, could proceed with
those sections fast (an example could be a detailed explanation of the
Montevideo Convention on the criteria for recognising a state).
On the whole, I would say that the book was an excellent read, and is
strongly recommended for those who are interested in geopolitics and how the
international system operates. On that note, I award the book a rating of eight
on ten.
Rating – 8/10
Andy
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