Sovereignty for the Protection of Internal Affairs - Essay Example

 The realization that a certain state or nation needs other nations to supply what they do not have, be it material or human resources is now bringing nations together to work as one to achieve one common goal, which is to be at par with other developed countries for the security of what has always been the concern of sovereignty, territories, and citizens. With the rise of globalization, sovereignty is now losing its advantage in various aspects but is still considered by realists to be an important matter, especially in the protection of internal affairs.

            To the realist, sovereignty is not just a display of supreme power but also gives the idea of ‘equality of nations’ where no one nation-state is superior over the other but are of the same level while one state’s need of others is maintained by the protection of internal affairs of each nation. In such a situation, a consensus is needed for the declaration of the sovereignty of one nation over the others. Thus it is the realist’s opinion that sovereignty should be reduced as suggested by Henry Schermers, as ‘the world community takes over sovereignty of territories with the world community having sufficient means to help existing states with their weaknesses and failures (Jackson 2003, p. 787).

            Secretary General Annan on the other hand, believes that a global era requires global engagement (Jackson 2003, p. 787), meaning, in response to the demands of globalization; control over internal affairs should not be absolute but has to be diminished in order to meet the needs of the state with respect to its external affairs. Changes to what has been established for centuries are well understood by the Secretary-General that who also faced the fact that there would be mistrust, skepticism, and even hostility but was open to welcoming such changes in this changing world (Jackson 2003, p. 788).

            Lastly, most realists see a large number of anomaly examples in the sovereignty of the state, especially with government entities that do not picture the concept of sovereignty leading to a fractionated sovereignty for a compromise (Jackson 2003, p. 788). Such situations are perceived as a pedestal for politicians that they could lean on for support when facing the complex responsibilities placed on their shoulders. In many cases, it is undeniable and has usually been publicized that sovereignty whether of a state or an individual can be abused and this is the main point the realists want to face in suggesting that the power of sovereignty be reduced if not altogether removed.

Sovereignty is a good thing for the protection of internal affairs, especially since the state’s concern is the good of its territory and citizens however, there is indeed the fact that needs to be recognized, that the possibility of abuse is not far from coming to pass. In addition, flexibility is as important as sovereignty in the governance of a nation because the world’s needs are constantly changing as the people’s needs also change. As sovereignty’s objective is for the best of the state, it sure needs a review and revision of the boundaries of its power as modern sovereignty is recommended.