Question

Do you believe state sovereignty will strengthen or weaken in the decades to come? Use evidence from supranational institutions (including the United Nations), cross-border interactions, regional and multilateral blocs, transnational networks, refugees, and UN peacekeeping.

Answer 1

To be able to better understand the solution, first of all, we should know the exact meaning of State Sovereignty. It refers to when a state can make their decision on domestic policies (economic, social, political, etc.) independently without any outside or foreign interference. That is there is only one centralized government taking decisions and all the people are under it in that particular political boundary.

Now comes the question, whether the states are losing their sovereignty or not?

Supranational Institution

It refers to an entity in which two or more national state governments have formed an agreement and signed an international treaty. For example, the UN, WTO, EU, UNICEF, etc, many such international organizations have been formed and have the membership of national governments around the world.

As these organizations are over the control of these states, we can say that the state has no control over decisions taken by them in case such a decision is related to these states. They don't have the final say in most of the matter if it concerns the world economy or other such matters. Thus, we can say that the scope of the state authority has changed or contracted significantly since these international came into existence.

For example, rulings taken by the EU international court have to accepted by its member states. Human rights concepts also need to accepted by them all.

Cross-border Interactions

The cross-border interaction came after the implementation of globalization. It means that the economic integration between the various states around the globe. Now a single state can't survive its own. The world has been trying to integrate all the operations of the states and creating a single large economy. All these linkages and interconnections between the states make up the modern world system.

These interactions have completely changed the very definition of state sovereignty. Now the states can't just make decisions that are beneficial for them but problematic for other states.

Activities that constitute cross-border interactions include labor employment in different by international organizations, goods and services trading between the states, etc.

Regional and Multilateral Blocs

Regional and multilateral Blocs refers to the intergovernmental agreement in which the tariff and other trade restrictions between the member states are reduced and the trade becomes easier.

It aims for regional integration and to protect the states from international competition. After the states join these regional or trade blocs, they do give up their sovereignty to some extent. As now they become dependent on each other for future economic or political decisions. For example, the North American Free Trade Area, 1994.

Transnational Networks

Transnational Networks refers to coalitions or interactions between the state governments that are not controlled by the central authority of the national government. They are basically international non-governmental organizations. For examples include NGOs, multinational businesses, Trade Unions, scientific communities, regional groups, etc.

These organizations have amassed great political and economic control over the state government's decisions. One thing to note is that some of the transnational networks have already existed before the globalization took place. The regional groups have existed for a long time and they have great power over the decisions of many states, for example, the church.

Refugees

They are those people who have left their country due to one reason or another and now wants to settle in other states, it can be in a legal or illegal way.

Many states restrict the movement of the refugees in their borders and can even take extreme decisions in regard to this issue. However, with the changing times and era, many laws are being changed and the states are being forced or are obligated to accept the status of the refugees due to the extraterritorial obligations. Now the states cannot abuse their power of sovereignty unnecessarily.

UN Peacekeeping

UN is the largest intergovernmental organization in the world and has outlined the definition of state sovereignty. UN has taken several steps to maintain peace and security around the world and its member states. Under UN peacekeeping operations, many peacekeeping activities have been undertaken by the UN including the policies, laws, new structures, etc.

Now the states cannot abuse the rights of their citizens in the name of sovereignty. UN has made laws regarding the war and conflicts arising between the nations and the states. In the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development, the UN has stated several such peacekeeping and security measures that need to be achieved until 2030. And for this, all the nations have to take initiative and cannot slacken or ignore it.

In the end, we can say that state sovereignty is not completely dead. But its definition and role have significantly changed in the past decade and it ought to redefine in the future too. It is neither weak or strong but in the state of neutral. It is dependent on various factors as stated above.