Is sovereignty of states good for well-ordered world?
The conflict, war, and civil war were accrued in order to expand or demand for the sovereignty and lead to not a well-ordered world. As to accomplish the World Peace, all states of the world should give up a piece of their power to a collective authority and rise above the out-mode idea of nationalistic state of mind in this period of association[1]. In Asia, Burma had lost her sovereignty and under colony of the UK government then received independent in 1984[2]; while Timor-Leste was under the colony of Portugal during the 16th century and under the colony of Indonesia until 1999[3], and Cambodia was under France until 1953 and led to conflict and civil war in the state[4]. The International Relation Scholars have also seen that the concerning issue of sovereignty is peace[5]. So what does the sovereignty of state mean? How does sovereignty important or connect to the world peace or well-ordered world?
Sovereignty refers to the independence of political, territorial integrity, and absolute power controlling on the territory[1]. The sovereignty means “let’s leave each other alone-no war, no use of force” after Hitler was defeat[2]. As the definition of Sovereignty, so sovereign state should be understood as the state which has sovereignty governing its own territory, or we can call that sovereign state is the independent state[3]. . Well-ordered means good arranged, having property. So, well-ordered world should be interpret as a good arrangement in society, human rights, not poverty, and peaceful in state and between states or nations in the world.
Losing of sovereignty will lead to conflict, and civil war. In South East Asia, from 1987 to 1953, Cambodia had lost its own sovereignty and controlled by France government, then a large and small violent, revolt, and agitation by the workers and the peasants were always accrued while France and Cambodian elites relation had made the detriment of the workers and peasant as well as because the discontent due to the heavy tax collection for purpose of France colonial activities[4]. The restriction from France government against to dissidents was lead to conflict and demanding throughout peasants and Buddhist monks against the France government[5]. Thus, the loose of sovereignty with threat to the peace, and there will be a conflict, civil war, poverty, and human rights abuse which led not to well-ordered world.
By the way, sovereignty of State does not mean possibly lead to well-ordered word. In 1953 after being independent from the colony of France government, Cambodia was in trouble within main successive conflicts which led Cambodia as in the heal, first was in early 1970 the civil war and the bombardment by the US, second was genocide by Pol Pot regime (Khmer Rouge Regime) which led to killed over 2 million civilians, and third was the interference and invasion by Vietnam government, and the civil war in the country[6]. Even though the country is being independent, however, it does not mean the country completely being in peace, and human rights abuse, the civil conflict, social violence, fear and poverty were still remained.
However, without the international cooperation, the world peace may not be able established, and world law will lead to world peace[7]. Sovereignty of state and International Law are very connected while sovereign state will be able to be a party of the international law in order to establish international relation or international cooperation within economic or foreign affair purpose. An independent state or a sovereign state will be fully capacity to negotiate and communicate with other sovereign states for any purposes independently such as establish the treaties, adopting the international law, or any international agreement which lead to be recover from poverty, human rights respect, rule of law, in the society. “Sovereign state, once, has to remind government, can adhere to human rights treaties and they can do so without reservations”[8]. Here, sovereignty of state had played an important role with international law which leads state to be peace and well cooperation between others.
Moreover, Sovereignty of state will leads to world peace and well-ordered world, because the sovereign state has full power as an actor of international Law, and participates in the international cooperation. As result of international cooperation between sovereign states during the peace and sovereignty transition, and after receiving the sovereignty in Southeast Asia, an International Community called Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN Community) was created in order to create a peaceful community between Southeast Asia Nations was established in 1967[9]. Asian was established in purpose for the cooperation of political and security, economic, and socio-cultural between Asian stats[10]. In 1991, the Paris Peace Agreement was signed between warring parties in Cambodia purpose to end the conflict[11] and became the last 10th state member of ASEAN in 1999[12]. Thus, Sovereignty of sate will allow state to fully power cooperate with other sovereign states, and international community which bring a peaceful society, as well as the recover from poverty, and insure the international security.
In conclusion, sovereignty of state does not mean provide the well-ordered world, but the threatening to sovereignty of state will lead to conflict and war, and world war. Sovereignty of state will lead to word peace or well-ordered world and plays an important role for building a world peace. With sovereignty, state will be able to independent communicate, cooperate, and participate within international community, being the party of treaties, and convention, or declaration which purpose to bring the promoting, protecting human rights, recover from poverty, guarantee the social order and security, and bring citizen living in peace regime. Moreover, sovereign state will lead its people to enjoy peaceful and happiness. The Sovereignty of state is good for well-ordered world.
[1] Louis Henkin, “That “S” Word: Sovereignty, and Globalization, and Human Rights, Et Cetera” Fordham Law Review 68 (1999): p. 2-3.
[2] Henkin, “Sovereignty, and Globalization, and Human Rights, Et Cetera,” pp. 3.
[3] Dictionary.com, available on: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/well-ordered, Accessed September 19, 2017.
[4] Patricia M.E. Lorcin, “John Tully, France on the Mekong: A History of the Protectorate in Cambodia, 1863-1953,” H-France Review 4 (2004): p. 423.
[5] Lorcin, “A History of the Protectorate in Cambodia, 1863-1953,” pp. 423.
[6]Dobbins, Miller, Pezard, Chivvis, Taylor, Crane, Trenkov-Wermuth, and Mengistu,“Cambodia” pp. 30.
[7] Gupta, “National sovereignty and world peace,” pp. 41-43.
[8] Henkin, “Sovereignty, and Globalization, and Human Rights, Et Cetera,” pp. 12.
[9] Min-hyung Kim, “Theorizing ASEAN Integration,” Asian Perspective 35 (2011): pp. 407.
[10] “ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH EAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN): DECLARATION OF ASEANCONCORD II (BALI CONCORD II), ” International Legal Materials 43(2004): p. 19.
[11] Dobbins, Miller, Pezard, Chivvis, Taylor, Crane, Trenkov-Wermuth, and Mengistu,“Cambodia,” pp. 29
[12] Ang Cheng Guan, “Vietnam—Cambodia relations from the Paris Peace Conference (1991) to membership of ASEAN” 8 (2000): p.57
[1] V. P. Gupta, “National sovereignty and world peace,” The Indian Journal of Political Science 25 (1964): p. 44.
[2] Robert Maule, “British Policy Discussions on the Opium Question in the Federated Shan States, 1937-1948,” Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 33 (2002): p.203
[3]James Dobbins, Laurel E. Miller, Stephanie Pezard, Christopher S. Chivvis,Julie E. Taylor, Keith Crane, Calin Trenkov-Wermuth and Tewodaj Mengistu, “East Timor” Overcoming Obstacles to Peace (2013): p. 125, 127.
[4] James Dobbins, Laurel E. Miller, Stephanie Pezard, Christopher S. Chivvis,Julie E. Taylor, Keith Crane, Calin Trenkov-Wermuth and Tewodaj Mengistu, “Cambodia” Overcoming Obstacles to Peace (2013): p. 30.
[5] Andreas Osiander, “Sovereignty, International Relations, and the Westphalian Myth,” International Organization 55 (2001): p. 260.