Challenges to Sovereignty
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| sovereignty | 主权 | zhǔ quán |
| supranational organisation | 超国家组织 | chāo guó jiā zǔ zhī |
| democratisation | 民主化 | mín zhǔ huà |
Sovereignty under pressure
- A state's sovereignty can be challenged from inside and outside.
- Inside: devolution and separatist movements.
- Outside: supranational organisations and globalisation.
Supranational organisations
- A supranational organisation 超国家组织 is an alliance of states (the EU, UN).
- Members give up some sovereignty for shared benefits (trade, security).
- This limits what any one state can do alone.
Internal or external challenge?
Sort each challenge to sovereignty as coming from inside or outside the state.
The EU and UN are examples of...
Supranational organisations are alliances of states that share some sovereignty.
Joining a supranational organisation means giving up some sovereignty for shared benefits.
Members trade some independence for trade, security, or other gains.
Select all challenges to state sovereignty.
Supranational orgs, separatism, and the internet challenge sovereignty; a holiday unites (centripetal).
Match each challenge to its source.
Separatism = inside; EU = outside; supranational = an alliance.
Democratisation and the internet
- Democratisation 民主化 shifts power from rulers to citizens, changing who is sovereign.
- The internet crosses borders freely, spreading ideas states cannot fully control.
- Both weaken a government's total control over its territory.
Shifting power from rulers to citizens is called ____.
Democratisation changes who holds sovereign power.
Joining a supranational organisation is a voluntary trade: a state gives up some sovereignty to gain shared benefits. It is not simply a "loss" — members usually judge the trade worthwhile, though it fuels debates about control (as with Brexit).
When a country joins the EU, it accepts common rules on trade and movement — giving up some sovereignty for access to a huge market. The debate over whether that trade is worth it drove the UK's Brexit vote to leave.
Sovereignty is challenged from inside (devolution, separatism) and outside. Supranational organisations (EU, UN) trade some sovereignty for shared benefits; democratisation and the internet further limit a government's total control.