BIG QUESTION: Why is Belize an independent nation state?
Unit 8: Nationhood
Subtopics:
Concepts of state and nation
What makes Belize a sovereign, independent state.
Subtopics:
Concepts of state and nation
What makes Belize a sovereign, independent state.
Learning Outcome 8.1 - Explain what makes an area a state, country, nation or region.
In the media and in every day conversations, words like state, country and nation the word are often used as if they mean the same thing. However, there are important differences in what these words actually mean.
Politically, the modern world is divided into 197 states that are the members of the United Nations. Belize is a state, as are Germany, Russia, Jamaica, Canada, Indonesia and so on. Some states like India, China and Brazil are very large and have populations of hundreds of millions of people. They can also be very small. Nauru is the Pacific Ocean is still a state, even though it is an islands that only measures 8 square miles and has fewer than 20,000 people.
Apart from United Nations membership, the following four characteristics define a state:
1. A state has a permanent population
2. A state has a defined territory.
3. A state has the capacity to enter into relations with other states whether it be their immediate neighbour or others across the globe.
4. A state has a government.
In other words, a state has legitimate political power over a defined geographic territory with a permanent population. It wields this power through a set of public institutions such as the police, armed forces, judicial system and bureaucracy. The state is the only body that is legally allowed to use force to establish security, keep law and order and control the population. States can be challenged by criminal and terrorist organizations that use force in illegal ways. A bureaucracy provides the administration of a state, and divides tasks and functions among public servants according to rules, regulations, and hierarchy.
Apart from United Nations membership, the following four characteristics define a state:
1. A state has a permanent population
2. A state has a defined territory.
3. A state has the capacity to enter into relations with other states whether it be their immediate neighbour or others across the globe.
4. A state has a government.
In other words, a state has legitimate political power over a defined geographic territory with a permanent population. It wields this power through a set of public institutions such as the police, armed forces, judicial system and bureaucracy. The state is the only body that is legally allowed to use force to establish security, keep law and order and control the population. States can be challenged by criminal and terrorist organizations that use force in illegal ways. A bureaucracy provides the administration of a state, and divides tasks and functions among public servants according to rules, regulations, and hierarchy.
2. What is a nation?
Most of the countries in the world are nation-states. This means that the people of the country recognize that there are many important things that bind them into a single community which has a strong sense of unity and common consciousness.
The people in a nation often:
Most of the countries in the world are nation-states. This means that the people of the country recognize that there are many important things that bind them into a single community which has a strong sense of unity and common consciousness.
The people in a nation often:
- live in a territory with clear borders
- define the same historical events as being significant
- recognize certain people, sometimes called heroes, as having contributed to their development
- agree on how and when their nation was founded
- share elements of culture
- speak the same language
- are committed to their political system
- have a common sense of goals and aspirations
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Learning Outcome 8.2 - Describe the characteristics of Belize that define it as an independent, sovereign state.
What does it mean to be independent?
A country becomes independent when it stops being part of, or ruled over by another country. In 1981, Belize stopped being ruled over the the United Kingdom (Britain).
In the past, large areas of the world were taken over by more powerful countries and turned into colonies. After some time, some countries had revolutions and fought against the colonial powers. The most famous example is probably the United States, which claimed independence from Britain in 1776. There were revolutions and wars of independence in most of Latin America in the early 1800s. Haiti became independent in 1804 followed by Mexico in 1810 and most of South and Central America by 1822.
Independence for the Caribbean territories took much longer. Although Cuba gained full independence in 1902, most of the Caribbean islands had to wait until the 1960s or later. However, unlike in Latin America, the Caribbean nations did not have revolutions or wars of independence. Instead they gained independence after making peaceful agreements with the colonial powers such as the U.K. and France. The last Caribbean island to gain Independence was St. Kitts & Nevis in 1983.
The opposite of independent is dependent. Some of the smaller Caribbean islands, such as Aruba, Martinique and Montserrat decided against independence, instead becoming overseas dependent territories, as explained later om this page.
What is sovereignty?
A country has sovereignty if its leaders can make decisions without asking for permission from the government of any other country. Belize is sovereign because no other country has the right to interfenre in its decision making or internal affairs.
Before 1981, Belize did not have sovereignty because important decisions were made, or had to be confirmed by, the British government.
A country becomes independent when it stops being part of, or ruled over by another country. In 1981, Belize stopped being ruled over the the United Kingdom (Britain).
In the past, large areas of the world were taken over by more powerful countries and turned into colonies. After some time, some countries had revolutions and fought against the colonial powers. The most famous example is probably the United States, which claimed independence from Britain in 1776. There were revolutions and wars of independence in most of Latin America in the early 1800s. Haiti became independent in 1804 followed by Mexico in 1810 and most of South and Central America by 1822.
Independence for the Caribbean territories took much longer. Although Cuba gained full independence in 1902, most of the Caribbean islands had to wait until the 1960s or later. However, unlike in Latin America, the Caribbean nations did not have revolutions or wars of independence. Instead they gained independence after making peaceful agreements with the colonial powers such as the U.K. and France. The last Caribbean island to gain Independence was St. Kitts & Nevis in 1983.
The opposite of independent is dependent. Some of the smaller Caribbean islands, such as Aruba, Martinique and Montserrat decided against independence, instead becoming overseas dependent territories, as explained later om this page.
What is sovereignty?
A country has sovereignty if its leaders can make decisions without asking for permission from the government of any other country. Belize is sovereign because no other country has the right to interfenre in its decision making or internal affairs.
Before 1981, Belize did not have sovereignty because important decisions were made, or had to be confirmed by, the British government.
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Learning Outcome 8.3 - Explain, with reference to specific examples from the Caribbean and the wider world, the differences between independent states, colonies, dependent territories and self governing or autonomous regions.
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British Overseas Dependent Territories in the Atlantic Region.
When the British Empire came to an end, most of its colonies became independent states. However, there were some islands that were considered to small to become countries. These islands became British Overseas Dependent Territories.
The British Overseas Dependent Territories usually have a governor, who is appointed by the Queen of England, a locally elected council and their own legal system. The government of the United Kingdom (Britain) is responsible for their defense and for supporting their economic development.
The sovereignty of the territories belongs to the United Kingdom; The territories are not members of the United Nations but some have teams in the Olympics and football World Cup.
Argentina disputes British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. It fought a brief but unsuccessful war to try to reclaim them in 1982.
When the British Empire came to an end, most of its colonies became independent states. However, there were some islands that were considered to small to become countries. These islands became British Overseas Dependent Territories.
The British Overseas Dependent Territories usually have a governor, who is appointed by the Queen of England, a locally elected council and their own legal system. The government of the United Kingdom (Britain) is responsible for their defense and for supporting their economic development.
The sovereignty of the territories belongs to the United Kingdom; The territories are not members of the United Nations but some have teams in the Olympics and football World Cup.
Argentina disputes British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. It fought a brief but unsuccessful war to try to reclaim them in 1982.
Learning Outcome 8.4 - Discuss the role that self-determination has and continues to play in defining Belize as an independent, sovereign state.
In international affairs, the principle of self determination gives the people of a country to right to decide if they want to form an independent state and what type of government they want to have.
In the 1970s and early 1980s, with the support of the United Nations General Assembly, Belizeans used this right of self-determination when they declared their desire to become independent of the United Kingdom. Self-determination is one of the principles that the International Court of Justice considers when deciding disputes between countries. Territories do not have to decide to be independent. For example, the people of the Falkland Islands have determined that they want to remain as an overseas dependent territory of the United Kingdom. Referendums are often used to express self-determination. Territories that have voted against independence in referendums include Bermuda (1995) and Scotland (2014). Other countries has used referendums to change their form of government or to accept or reject new constitutions. |
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