State Sovereignty
Stephen D. Krasner, from “Sovereignty,” Foreign Policy (January/February 2001)
Kimberly Weir, from “The Waning State of Sovereignty,” An Original Essay Written for This Volume (2002)
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State Sovereignty is an issue that has become controversial under globalization, and the subject of this review. Sovereignty is defined as the situation where a State is an autonomous and independent entity, with the total freedom to make its own decisions in all aspects of governance. Globalisation on the other hand as Heywood (2007: p143) defines it:
“is the emergence of a complex web of interconnectedness that means that our lives are increasingly shaped by events that occur, and decisions that are made, at a great distance from us. The central feature of globalization is therefore that geographical distance is of declining relevance, and that territorial boundaries, such as those between nation-states, are becoming less significant.”
In the contemporary world, the sovereignty of the state in the international system as the principal actor however has gradually been challenged by a number of external forces (political, economic or social) and states are seen to have to grapple with such challenges . The issue on the continued existence of state sovereignty in a globalised world has therefore become controversial in world politics. Stephen D. Krasner and Kimberly Weir are two respected specialists in this field and they have shared their thoughts on the issue.
The idea of the modern state evolved in Europe over many years and Krasner, an eloquent defender of sovereignty, refuses to agree with observers that assert the Sovereign State is just about dead. Krasner argues that sovereignty is not as vibrant as other observers claimed. Thus, acknowledges that all states (particularly stronger states) are not immune to external influences. This however, does not mean states have lost their capacity to manage
Kimberly Weir, from “The Waning State of Sovereignty,” An Original Essay Written for This Volume (2002)
__________________________________________________________________
State Sovereignty is an issue that has become controversial under globalization, and the subject of this review. Sovereignty is defined as the situation where a State is an autonomous and independent entity, with the total freedom to make its own decisions in all aspects of governance. Globalisation on the other hand as Heywood (2007: p143) defines it:
“is the emergence of a complex web of interconnectedness that means that our lives are increasingly shaped by events that occur, and decisions that are made, at a great distance from us. The central feature of globalization is therefore that geographical distance is of declining relevance, and that territorial boundaries, such as those between nation-states, are becoming less significant.”
In the contemporary world, the sovereignty of the state in the international system as the principal actor however has gradually been challenged by a number of external forces (political, economic or social) and states are seen to have to grapple with such challenges . The issue on the continued existence of state sovereignty in a globalised world has therefore become controversial in world politics. Stephen D. Krasner and Kimberly Weir are two respected specialists in this field and they have shared their thoughts on the issue.
The idea of the modern state evolved in Europe over many years and Krasner, an eloquent defender of sovereignty, refuses to agree with observers that assert the Sovereign State is just about dead. Krasner argues that sovereignty is not as vibrant as other observers claimed. Thus, acknowledges that all states (particularly stronger states) are not immune to external influences. This however, does not mean states have lost their capacity to manage
Bibliography: Heywood, A. 2007, “Politics” Palgrave, China Krasner, S.D, “Sovereignty,” Foreign Policy (January/February 2001) Weir, K. “The Waning State of Sovereignty,” An Original Essay Written for This Volume (2002)