On theories of secession: minorities, majorities and the multinational state

Abstract

This article examines the relevance of a theory of the multinational state for the evaluation of claims for self-determination and secession. Considerations of ‘ethnocultural justice’ imply that the recognition of the multinational character of a state – or the granting of some of the minority nations' demands – is a matter of justice. If these requirements are not met, secession could be justified. Indeed, if secession needs a just cause (as it has been argued), a failure to build a truly multinational arrangement can be a valid reason for a minority nation to secede. An approach like the one proposed would also contribute to the resolution of some of the key problems of the three main theories of secession and their appeals to nationalism, choice and remedial rights.