Analyze the reasons for separatism with and/or across national boundaries and discuss its consequences
Analyze the reasons for separatism with and/or across national boundaries and discuss its consequences [40 marks]
Separatism is the advocacy of a state of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender partition from the larger group. While it often refers to full political secession, separatist groups may seek nothing more than greater autonomy. There are four main types of separatist groups – religious, ethnic, racial and gender. Separatism “with national boundaries” refers to an event concerning only one country. Separatism “across national boundaries” refers to an event concerning more than one country.
The general motivations for separatism are: emotional resentment of rival communities; protection from ethnic cleansing and genocide; justified resistance by victims of oppression, including denigration of their language, culture or religion; propaganda by those who hope to gain politically from intergroup conflict and hatred; the economic and political dominance of one group that does not share power and privilege in an egalitarian fashion; economic motivations - seeking to end economic exploitation by more powerful group or, conversely, to escape economic redistribution from a richer to a poorer group; preservation of threatened religious, language or other cultural tradition; destabilization from one separatist movement giving rise to others; geopolitical power vacuum from breakup of larger states or empires; continuing fragmentation as more and more states break up; feeling that the perceived nation was added to the larger state by illegitimate means; the perception that the state can no longer support one's own group or has betrayed their interests; opposition to political decisions; wish to have a more practical political structure and not rely on people who are located far away to govern them or otherwise impractical solutions.
The consequences of separatist pressure may be peaceful or non-peaceful. Those desiring more autonomy
Separatism is the advocacy of a state of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender partition from the larger group. While it often refers to full political secession, separatist groups may seek nothing more than greater autonomy. There are four main types of separatist groups – religious, ethnic, racial and gender. Separatism “with national boundaries” refers to an event concerning only one country. Separatism “across national boundaries” refers to an event concerning more than one country.
The general motivations for separatism are: emotional resentment of rival communities; protection from ethnic cleansing and genocide; justified resistance by victims of oppression, including denigration of their language, culture or religion; propaganda by those who hope to gain politically from intergroup conflict and hatred; the economic and political dominance of one group that does not share power and privilege in an egalitarian fashion; economic motivations - seeking to end economic exploitation by more powerful group or, conversely, to escape economic redistribution from a richer to a poorer group; preservation of threatened religious, language or other cultural tradition; destabilization from one separatist movement giving rise to others; geopolitical power vacuum from breakup of larger states or empires; continuing fragmentation as more and more states break up; feeling that the perceived nation was added to the larger state by illegitimate means; the perception that the state can no longer support one's own group or has betrayed their interests; opposition to political decisions; wish to have a more practical political structure and not rely on people who are located far away to govern them or otherwise impractical solutions.
The consequences of separatist pressure may be peaceful or non-peaceful. Those desiring more autonomy