Secession and State Creation: What Everyone Needs to Know®

by James Ker-Lindsay, Mikulas Fabry

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, discussions 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 neighbors 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.

Genres: Politics

200 pages, Paperback

Published December 9, 2022

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give it four stars. It probably deserves 3-5 stars, or so. It is hard to say. The book is a very basic primer on issues related to recession and state creation issues. So its point of view is more like the tone of an encyclopedia than any kind of political treatise. But it was very informational. A good starting point for these issues.

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

One day, some colonies said “I’m tired of being part of Great Britain” and sh*t got really crazy after that.

[Anirudh · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 four on five.

[Mark Allinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful and concise introduction to an important topic which unpicks the key issues around secessionism and state creation (or dissolution) in a straightforward manner and either avoids or explains any complex terminology. The historical overviews illuminate the theories with practical examples and show how trends and approaches by state actors have developed over the past two centuries. At times I wanted a little more, and there were some passages which sounded decidedly vague - though to be fair this was intended as a brief introduction - and there was some avoidable repetition. The authors might also have reflected that states are not themselves really actors - it is the individual humans in positions of authority who make decisions which affect how states regard and recognise each other, not the abstract ‘state’. It is clear that there is an element of making things up as politicians go along, especially when new or unique circumstances arise, and the authors might have brought this more clearly to the fore, as well as outlining the nature of ‘international law’ more clearly. Even so, despite these quibbles, a useful guide for the beginner and even the better informed reader will likely discover some previously unknown nuggets about the political history of a number of political states.

[John Rutter · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've ever found yourself wondering why a de facto state like Somaliland hasn't gained international recognition, despite existing autonomously for decades, I'd recommend this book.

Structured in a question-and-answer format, with content broken down into easily digestible segments, it offers an informative and straightforward introduction into the processes of state creation, secession, and recognition.

[Brendan McKee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to the topic that covers a lot of the vital basic information relating to state formation in the modern era. However I did notice some minor inaccuracies in the text (for example, they claim that Quebec does not accept the 1998 Supreme Court Reference whereas what they actually don’t accept was the Clarity Act, something made evident by Bill 99).