IMPORTANCE OF NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY: FIVE KEY ASPECTS
- IT IS A FORMULA FOR ACHIEVING PEACE
The importance of national sovereignty, as a concept, can be appreciated at the beginning of the Modern Era. In the seventeenth century, it became a subject of legal and philosophical writings, after almost 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 policies within their territories. For their part, the Protestant countries, in their various versions, could do the same.
Sovereignty was the limit as each independent state determines its policy by itself and none has the right to impose its points of view on 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 entails certain aspects for which governments must be held accountable. They are responsible to their national constituencies, and also to the international community.
In this way, internal conflicts pose challenges related to two aspects. One is the establishment of an effective system of prevention, management, and resolution of conflicts. The other is the protection and assistance to those affected by that 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 granted 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 the national States had two constructive principles in the concepts of sovereignty and identity. Sovereignty should be exercised in the face of external powers.
On the other hand, identity must be the product of internal homogeneity. States have institutions charged with promoting that national identity and, in turn, strengthening sovereignty.
- IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE THE CAPACITY OF SELF-MANAGEMENT
Nowadays, beyond determining the internal juridical-political order of a state, national sovereignty is measured by the capacity for self-management. The diverse areas where this capacity must be demonstrated include the economy, food, and security, among others.[1]