Question -
Answer -
Right of self-determination implies that every nation in the world should enjoy a right to determine its destiny in all walks of life without any undue interference from any other state.
Every national should be given a right to determine his own affairs in the way he likes. The right of self-determination implies that each state exercise the following rights:
- The basic right implies that each state has a right to exist independently without interference from other states and sovereignty of the state would be respected by all.
- Every state exercises the right to develop its own political, social, economic spheres as well as its own art, culture and literature and should have a right to adopt any language as the medium of expression.
- Each state exercises the right to preserve what it considers worth-preserving. Each tradition has some historical background and represents the soul of the nation.
To enjoy these rights, we may conclude the following reasons:
- These rights are essential for the coexistence of a democracy in action.
- This right promotes national unity among the various states which belong to different races, castes, religion and cultures.
- This right guarantees that minorities should not be absorbed in the majority whereas they should also be given the right to determine their culture and civilisation alongwith majority communities.
- This right provides more national security because the majority and minority both enjoy the right to determine their own affairs in the way they linked.
But, the right of self-determination results in the following challenges:
- It may hinder the smooth functioning of administration in multi-national states like India, USSR, because each section makes efforts to find out one’s own way.
- Sometimes, this right finds it difficult to frame a public opinion for the success of democracy because everyone would develop its own identity only.
- Sometimes, it brings inferior races at par the superior races, which hamper the growth of superior race also.
The right of self-determination resulted:
- Disintegration of states, i.e. Russia, Austria, Hungary.
- Resulted the unification of states like Germany and Italy.
- Resulted the states like Czechoslovakia and Finland.
- Hence, it can be concluded that the right of self-determination can also be used for both purpose of national integration and disintegration.