Sovereign nation what does it mean

They all broke down into a number of smaller states. However, not until the tragedy of World War II and the post-war shifts of borders and population resettlement did many European states become more ethnically and culturally homogeneous and thus closer to the ideal nation-state.

Although the Peace of Westphalia did not end war in Europe, it established the precedent of peace reached by diplomatic congress and a new system of political order in Europe based upon the concept of co-existing sovereign states.

The peace negotiations involved a total of delegations representing European powers. The treaties did not restore peace throughout Europe, but they did create a basis for national self-determination.

Initially a war between various Protestant and Catholic states in the fragmented Holy Roman Empire, it gradually developed into a more general conflict involving most of the great powers. The war began when the newly elected Holy Roman Emperor, Ferdinand II, tried to impose religious uniformity on his domains, forcing Roman Catholicism on its peoples. The northern Protestant states, angered by the violation of their rights to choose granted in the Peace of Augsburg, banded together to form the Protestant Union.

These events caused widespread fears throughout northern and Central Europe, and triggered the Protestant Bohemians living in the dominion of Habsburg Austria to revolt against their nominal ruler, Ferdinand II.

Frederick took the offer without the support of the union. The southern states, mainly Roman Catholic, were angered by this. Led by Bavaria, these states formed the Catholic League to expel Frederick in support of the emperor. The war became less about religion and more of a continuation of the France—Habsburg rivalry for European political preeminence.

Sweden, a major military power in the day, intervened in under the great general Gustavus Adolphus and started the full-scale great war on the continent.

Spain, wishing to finally crush the Dutch rebels in the Netherlands and the Dutch Republic, intervened under the pretext of helping their dynastic Habsburg ally, Austria. No longer able to tolerate the encirclement of two major Habsburg powers on its borders, Catholic France entered the coalition on the side of the Protestants to counter the Habsburgs. The war altered the previous political order of European powers.

The rise of Bourbon France, the curtailing of Habsburg ambition, and the ascendancy of Sweden as a great power created a new balance of power on the continent, with France emerging from the war strengthened and increasingly dominant in the latter part of the 17th century. After the initial stages, Philip II deployed his armies and regained control over most of the rebelling provinces. However, under the leadership of the exiled William the Silent, the northern provinces continued their resistance.

They were eventually able to oust the Habsburg armies, and in they established the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. The war continued in other areas, although the heartland of the republic was no longer threatened. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Matt Rosenberg. Geography Expert. Updated January 27, Featured Video.

View Article Sources. Cite this Article Format. Rosenberg, Matt. Differences Between a Country, State, and Nation. What Is Hyperpluralism? Definition and Examples. What Is Nationalism? National Security Definition and Examples. Types of Federalism: Definition and Examples.

What Is Colonialism? The formation and protection of sustainable freedom, equality and justice in society depends totally on the exact sense of establishment of national sovereignty.

Therefore, the basis of freedom, equality and justice is national sovereignty. Freedom in our society and in our state is limitless. Its borders are present and defined by the protection of the principle that makes it limitless.

An individual may willingly want to dispose of his freedom, but if this attempt will harm the life and freedom of a nation, if the life of a nation full of greatness and honor will fade because of this and if the children and grandchildren of that nation will disappear because of this, such attempts can never be reasonable and acceptable. Furthermore, such an action can never be tolerated in the name of freedom.

There is no doubt that we will protect and defend our national sovereignty in our most jealous and alert mood and with all our might for the sake of the eternal life of our state, the strengthening of our country, the comfort and happiness of our nation as well as for the sake of our lives, pride, honor and future as well as all our sacred concepts and finally all we possess.

I, page National will and national determination do not only consist of the ideas of an individual but is a combination of the will of all the individuals of the nation.

Under the definition set by international law, a sovereign nation has a defined territory with just one government. These nations have a permanent population and can enter into relations with other sovereign countries.

Of these states, states have undisputed sovereignty. There are 15 states with disputed sovereignty. Sovereign Nation The Republic of Korea is claimed by North Korea.