By Fizza Mehak Batool
Sovereignty, one of the basic pillars of the modern nation-state system, emerged under the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, which is considered the cornerstone of the modern international system.
There are several key principles on the Westphalian System, mainly sovereignty, territorial integrity, legal equality among states, and non-interference in the domestic affairs of other states. Since 1648, these principles have worked as the guiding framework in the international arena.
However, in the 21st century, sovereignty is being challenged by the emerging global trends, mainly economic globalization, technological advancements, and transnational threats. Furthermore, humanitarian intervention and international law have also reshaped the contours of sovereignty. As a result, the states are compelled to contemplate their responsibilities and roles in a more interconnected world.
First and foremost challenge is economic globalization, as the integration of economies through trade, investment, and rapid capital flow has made states interdependent. This interconnectedness has caused economic growth and development, yet it has diminished states’ autonomy to formulate economic policies.
The multinational corporations (MNCs), trade agreements, and international financial institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, influence state economic policies and national governments’ decisions. For example, when the IMF imposes a structural adjustment program on a state, then it requires that state take several measures, such as privatize assets, liberalize trade, and implement austerity measures. As a result, the state needs to adopt them due to international obligations.
Second, the digital revolution has brought a new challenge to states, which is the cyber – a domain that surpasses borders and traditional governance structures. Foreign actors can easily use social media platforms, cyber surveillance, and data against a particular state to undermine its ability to control information flow and protect national security. For instance, in 2016, the alleged foreign interference in the US presidential elections, which violated its political sovereignty. In this scenario, the notion of digital sovereignty has gained much prominence in the current age, China and Russia have created closed internet ecosystems, while the European Union (EU) has initiated the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to claim control over data governance.
Third, the spread of transnational threats, mainly climate change, pandemics, organized crime, and terrorism, is also challenging state sovereignty. Such as the COVID-19 pandemic crossed the notion of sovereignty and demanded collective action from the states through the need for information sharing, transparency, and international cooperation between the states. Likewise, climate change, through the increased emissions from one state, eventually transcends national boundaries and poses a threat to life. Therefore, states have prioritized collective security through different agreements, such as the Paris Climate Accord, to align national policies with the global environmental goals, which often challenges the political will of a sovereign state.
Fourth, the emphasis of the international community on human rights, and humanitarian intervention, is another threat to state sovereignty. The concept of responsibility to protect (R2P), recognized by the United Nations (UN) in 2005, asserts that when a state does not protect its citizens from war crimes, genocide, ethnic cleansing, or crimes against humanity, then the international community has the moral and legal right to intervene in that state. The R2P has been exercised in Kosovo and Libya in 1999 and 2011, respectively. However, its critics argue that this principle can be misused as a means for regime change or geopolitical interest. Nonetheless, this principle of collective security has undermined state sovereignty.
In a nutshell, the principle of sovereignty is facing an intense transformation. In this interconnected world, sovereignty is no longer based on static or absolute terms; rather, it must evolve to accommodate the demands of collective security, global governance, and technological innovation. Therefore, the future of international relations depends on how successfully states manage to balance their national autonomy with international cooperation. Thus, the Westphalian system, though challenged, remains a vital historical point, still, it should be reimagined based on the realities of the 21st century.
Author: Fizza Mehak Batool – Student of International Relations at Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering & Management Sciences (BUITEMS), Quetta, Pakistan.
(The views expressed in this article belong only to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy or views of World Geostrategic Insights).