Political Independence Research Articles

Political independence through monetary dependence? The case of Montenegro

ABSTRACT As an economic policy, currency substitution – the use of a foreign currency in lieu of a domestic currency – is rarely associated with nationalism. This is due to a natural tendency to equate nationalism with economic mercantilism and with the political need to foster nationalist feelings among the population. This need not to be the case, though, as the case of the newly independent Montenegro demonstrates. How can we explain the apparent inconsistency between nationalist leaders fighting for independence and opting to use the currency of the European Union (EU), the quintessential supra-national entity? This paper suggests that conventional explanations need to be complemented with a contextual historical analysis of nationalism. By incorporating the fluid and multifaceted nature of nationalism which, in the hands of skilful political elites, can be reframed to include apparently contradictory positions, I suggest that euroisation has been extremely consistent with nationalist goals. As the content and directionality of nationalist discourse shifted, the euro was transformed into a symbol of national identity in this Newly Independent Country.

Harnessing on the potential of migrants in the socio-economic development of the Republic of Moldova

Migration is an important component of the development of the Republic of Moldova at the current stage. The economic and social instability that followed after obtaining political independence in 1991, the inefficiency of reforms in several socio-economic fields, the institutional uncertainty led the population to migrate, this being a strategy to adapt it to the created conjuncture situation. The increase in intensity migration was also influenced by the processes of liberalization of entry and exit procedures from the territory of the Republic of Moldova. Currently, our country represents one of the countries in the world with the largest shares of the migrant working population, as well as the share of remittances in GDP, the effects of migration being felt in all areas of social-economic life in the country. Concern for the support of migrants over time has materialized through the creation of governmental structures with the aim of monitoring and launching various strategies, programs, projects addressed to citizens outside the country's borders. Ensuring the reintegration of returned migrants, after a migratory experience of work or life abroad, is of great importance both for citizens and for the state authorities that have the duty to support emigrant citizens regardless of their options to return or settle in the adoptive country. Through this scientific approach, the authors propose to analyze the effectiveness of the tools used by the institutional, banking and social systems in harnessing on the potential of migrants, as well as the extent to which they are known, meet the expectations of citizens in the process of return and reintegration, their accessibility, transparency and efficiency. A sustainable socio-economic development of the Republic of Moldova, in the context of clear aspirations for European integration, will create opportunities for citizens wishing to return, work and live in the country.

India-Taiwan Relations in the Geopolitics of the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific: Opportunities and Challenges

The timeline of international relations has been embedded with so many unsorted issues for decades now, and the quest for the political sovereignty and independence of Taiwan is one of those topics that has been in limbo since its emergence. Taiwan has been much talked about these days amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Geopolitical analysts agree that sooner or later Taiwan will become a test case between China and the West. The much-hyped event of the annexation of Taiwan by the Chinese military is inevitable sooner or later. The recent visit of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to the island country garnered criticism from China and hinted at a depreciation in China-US relations. Taiwan’s leadership has been firm in upholding its sovereignty at every cost. It’s been preparing itself militarily and economically and is reaching out to the world for its much-needed recognition as a free and democratic state rather than an autonomous province of China.

The ‘Good’ Neoliberalism: E-Commerce Entrepreneurship and the Search for a Good Life in China

Neoliberalism has been widely criticised in the anthropological literature. While acknowledging its negative impacts, this study argues that the adoption of neoliberal mechanisms and ethos may contribute to the betterment of individual wellbeing in certain circumstances. Drawing from a group of Chinese rural migrant e-commerce traders’ entrepreneurial experiences, this study finds that they have acquired material benefits, techno-cultural capital, and a certain degree of political independence by taking advantage of the growing neoliberal e-commerce market and by practising a neoliberal ethos. The acquired resources enable these traders, formerly considered lower-class, to assert their status and dignity in Chinese society, and ultimately help them achieve a good life. In exploring how neoliberal elements may work to improve ordinary people's life conditions, this study offers a more balanced assessment of neoliberalism in its everyday manifestations.

The State and Dilemma of Post-Colonial Nigeria: An Explanatory Perspective of Security Governance Failure

The post-colonial Nigerian state has experienced series of internal political altercations due to the consistent and persistent behavioural patterns of the political elites, whose inordinate political ambitions have often revolved around appropriating state apparatuses as well as primordial forces for their personal aggrandisement, against the majoritarian vital primary interest of the downtrodden. To this effect, governance has suffered over the years in the hands of the recycled dominant political class that has produced and manipulated institutions of government, thereby deepening copiously and rapaciously spatial social and economic inequalities between the elite and masses. In view of this circumstance, the study is aimed at x-raying the explanatory contradictions responsible for security governance failure in Nigeria after decades of political independence. The study adopted qualitative-descriptive method and relied on secondary sources of data collection. The ‘‘theory of post-colonial state’’ is employed as the main underpinning analytical construct that scientifically studies the society as a whole, and takes into consideration the convergence of ‘unity of the opposites’.

The Beginnings of the Cold War and NATO's Approach to the Balkans

The end of the Second World War, in addition to leaving great economic consequences and a great loss of life, also created a deep division between the Allies. This division will later create problems of different natures in the global aspect. Regardless of the influences, countries tended to side with one of two strong ideo-political blocs though Yugoslavia was also challenged in these dimensions. Its politics initially tended to be closer to the Soviet Union, but soon there would be a split aimed at political independence i.e. outside the influence of the Soviet Union. Undoubtedly, these circumstances also create security risk for Yugoslavia itself, which did not have the strength and readiness to face a military force like the Soviet Union. Yugoslav politics chose a different path, a "silent" cooperation with Western democracies, especially with NATO. In this context, NATO will also have special approach to the policies of Yugoslavia so that it would continue to be as far as possible from any influence of the Soviet Union.
 
 Received: 05 May 2022 / Accepted: 17 May 2023 / Published: 20 May 2023

The British and Soviet occupation of Iran (1941)

On 25 August, 1941 British and Soviet troops invaded Iran. At the time, and for many years afterward, the main reason for this was that German influence in Iran at start of the World War 2 was noticeable. Reza Shah Pahlavi’s reliance on German technology for his ambitious development plans worried the Allies, who feared the Germans might make Iran a base for operations against the Soviet Union. In addition, in the wake of the June 1941 German invasion of the USSR, the Allies needed Iran as a channel for supplies to the Soviet Union. Furthermore, London had the defense of India in mind, and it wanted to safeguard its oilfields and refineries in Iran. Reza Shah abdicated in favor of his twenty-two year old son Mohammad Reza. In January 1942, Iran, the Soviet Union, and Britain signed the Tripartite Treaty, guaranteeing Iran’s territorial sovereignty and political independence.

Rereading the Hudaybiyya Treaty: With Special Reference to Ibn ʿUmar’s Role in Fitan

The Treaty of Ḥudaybiyya is a brilliant chapter in Islamic history. It can be called umm muʿāhadāt al-salām (the mother of peace treaties) in Islamic history. Just as migration to Medina is a dividing line between the periods of religious oppression and political independence for Muslims, Ḥudaybiyya is a boundary between the phases of struggle and domination. The role of this treaty in the spread of Islam was evident from the beginning, and much has been written about it. However, nothing has been produced about the role of ʿAbd Allah b. ʿUmar, inspired by the Ḥudaybiyya treaty, in peacemaking. This paper argues that due to his circumstances, Ibn ʿUmar became the first person to discover the spirit of the Ḥudaybiyya treaty for procuring peace during the fitan (civil wars). His efforts were not limited to intellectual achievements, but amid the worst wars of the fitan, he tried to practically implement the soul of the Ḥudaybiyya agreement that impacted later generations. He believed that Islam could flourish in a peaceful society, as had happened after the Ḥudaybiyya treaty. The role he played in a tribal society without holding any official position makes Ibn ʿUmar’s leadership highly relevant to today’s world, where intellectual and spiritual leaders can play a role more pivotal than ever.

Leader or lackey? Understanding the United Nations Secretary-General’s role in conflict diplomacy

Is the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General (SG) an independent actor in conflict diplomacy, or are his political interventions influenced by the parochial interests of the UN Security Council (UNSC) permanent member states – the P5? Previous studies have suggested that the political independence of the UN is constrained whenever a conflict evokes the strong parochial interests of individual P5 states. Using a newly compiled dataset, this article presents the first large-N historical study on the SG’s conflict interventions. The study quantifies the interventions while distinguishing between interventions mandated by the UNSC, which have always been high-profile in nature, and nonmandated interventions, with key emphasis on high-profile nonmandated interventions. The study ascertains whether both types of intervention were inhibited by the parochial interests of individual P5 states or whether the nonmandated interventions were uninfluenced by P5 interests. The results reveal that while parochial P5 interests have a significant bearing on UNSC-mandated interventions, they do not influence nonmandated interventions. Crucially, UN Charter dictates generally exert a greater influence on nonmandated interventions than on UNSC-mandated interventions. These findings present a strong case for the formal autonomy of the UN Secretariat and contribute to the growing literature on the role of executive heads in international organization secretariats.

Review: Making America’s Public Lands: The Contested History of Conservation on Federal Lands, by Adam M. Sowards

Book Review| May 01 2023 Review: Making America’s Public Lands: The Contested History of Conservation on Federal Lands, by Adam M. Sowards Making America’s Public Lands: The Contested History of Conservation on Federal Lands. By Adam M. Sowards. (Lanham, Md., Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2022. 256 pp.) Nicky Rehnberg Nicky Rehnberg University of California, Santa Barbara Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Pacific Historical Review (2023) 92 (2): 299–300. https://doi.org/10.1525/phr.2023.92.2.299 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Nicky Rehnberg; Review: Making America’s Public Lands: The Contested History of Conservation on Federal Lands, by Adam M. Sowards. Pacific Historical Review 1 May 2023; 92 (2): 299–300. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/phr.2023.92.2.299 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentPacific Historical Review Search Hannah Arendt was not an environmental historian, but Adam M. Sowards suggests that we can learn much from her book The Human Condition to better understand the complicated, sprawling, and at times contradictory history of public lands. In Making America’s Public Lands, Sowards invokes Arendt’s metaphor of the public sphere as a table, in which all must gather around without “falling over one another.” He sets his history of public lands as such a table, dividing it chronologically as an interconnected process rather than by administration or region. This is a necessary approach in order to depict the wider story he desires. The first chapter “Gathering” traces the gathering of public lands and the work to make them private in the name of economic and political independence. As this process fails throughout the nineteenth century, the second chapter considers the “Forming” of the table, namely the creation of public land... You do not currently have access to this content.

‘Independence’ of Central Banks and the Political Economy of Monetary Policy

ABSTRACT The notion of an ‘independent’ central bank has dominated monetary policy debates for the past three decades. The arguments for the political independence of central banks are closely related to the adoption of ‘inflation targeting’. The arguments for an independent central bank are based on the ‘credibility’ of the ‘conservative’ central bank in comparison to government decision making. The independence of a central bank has been a matter of independence from government but not independence from the grip of the ‘new consensus in macroeconomics’ nor from the interests of the banking and financial sector. That independence has also supported a lack of co-ordination between monetary and fiscal policies, diminishing the effectiveness of macroeconomic policies. In addition, there remain doubts about the effectiveness of ‘inflation targeting’ on the achievement of low inflation. The policy mandates of central banks have begun to shift towards financial stability and paying attention to issues of inequality and the climate emergency.

Principles of achieving legal convergence

In every mechanism of legal regulation of social relations, the principles of implementation of such a mechanism play an important role, this is inherent in the process of legal convergence, which is a component of legal globalization. In the scientific legal literature, there is no unified position regarding the role and meaning of the principles of convergence. Based on the analysis of scientific views, the author formulated the definition of the principles of legal convergence and proposed their classification. The essence and content of these principles are conditioned by: (a) a special sphere of legal regulation; (b) supranational nature of legal relations; (c) the influence of various forms and methods of the process of legal globalization. All of the above determines the existence of a special circle of principles on which the process of legal convergence should be built. The specified principles reflect the focus and content of the process of legal convergence. It is very important to take into account the specifics of specific legal systems, and therefore the principles of legal convergence are characterized by universality and compromise. It is proposed to classify the principles of legal convergence into the following groups: (1) international legal principles (the principle of sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of states; the principle of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; the principle of international cooperation, etc.); (2) special principles (the principle of complementarity, the principle of paradigmaticity, the principle of correlation, the principle of efficiency, the principles of systematicity and competence, etc.); (3) national principles (democracy, legality, humanism, etc.).

Issues of EU Member Nations’ Shared Sovereignty, Institutions, and Economic Development

To investigate the effects of the European Union’s (EU) member nations’ shared sovereignty on economic growth. The member nations have lost substantial political and economic independence (sovereignty) and democracy. Therefore, their governments cannot facilitate rapid economic growth in their countries, affecting the EU as a whole. Data from the World Bank, institutional research entities, and the EU were utilized. The dependent variable is economic growth, and the independent and moderating variables are mainly institutions and the European Sovereignty Index. Shared sovereignty and its specific categories and foreign direct investment (FDI) outflows negatively impact economic development in the EU. Shared sovereignty negatively moderates the relationship between political rights and economic development and between FDI outflows and economic development. Democracy in member nations is formal rather than real. The present study focused on the EU’s problems rather than its achievements and empirically investigated the direct and moderating effects of national sovereignty and member-country institutions on member-country economic growth. This focus and the nature of the investigation constitute the originality of the present study and reduce the gap in the literature about the effects of sovereignty, institutions, and capital spillovers (FDI outflows) on economic growth in Europe. The value of the study is in its findings, which should trigger holistic research efforts on the pros and cons of the EU for Europe, democracy, the economy, and the world.

Questioning Sardità―Approaches to Island Identity Issues in the Mediterranean

ABSTRACT This article analyzes a bundle of tensions tied to the (self-)representations of the larger Mediterranean subnational islands: island-specific identities are often used in aspiring to political independence and in moving toward linguistic unification, even when they run counter to historically evolved complexity and contemporary cultural heterogeneity. Taking Sardinia as an example, this article questions the construction of sardità along two main axes: language policy and literary production. The authors begin by noting that Sardinian often serves as an umbrella term for several local linguistic varieties whose attribution to that language is in part contested. The authors next assert that the self-conception of the islanders, as reflected in Sardinian literature, is also partly stamped by outside perspectives. Focusing on the case of Sardinia, but with comparative outlooks on Corsica and Sicily, this article shows that the tensions between homogenization trends and cultural-linguistic complexity undermine and at the same time found claims of island exceptionalism.

Historical Political Economy of the Management and Development of the Nigerian Railways, 1999-2015

During the colonial period in Nigeria, 1900-1960, the Nigerian Railway was one of the strong pillars of the Nigerian political economy. It facilitated the massive economic exploitation and the economic development of the colony. Moreover, it was one of the important legacies of British domination of the Nigerian space up until when Nigeria got her political independence from Britain in 1960. Starting from 1960, however, and up to the 1990s, the economic, financial, and social fortunes of the Nigerian Railway industry declined at a very rapid speed. Its situation during this period was further complicated by the introduction, implementation, and the negative impact of the IMF/World Bank supported neo-liberal economics undergirded Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP). By the very last year of the twentieth century, which year also marked the beginning of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, the Nigerian Railway Corporation(NRC), the statutory body that was charged with the responsibility of managing and developing the Nigerian Railway industry, had become bankrupt and was rapidly dying and was in free fall into total collapse.As a result of the foregoing negative development, and starting with the Obasanjo Administration (1999-2007), renewed efforts were made to reorganise and modernise this important transport and socio-economic infrastructure. The various reorganisation programmes that were initiated and implemented for the Nigerian Railways from 1999-2015 were critically examined. It is argued that in view of the dependent and neo-colonial nature of the Nigerian historical political economy and the rampant corruption that has come to define it, not much would be achieved by way of radical transformation and modernisation of the railway industry in the medium to long term – unless Nigeria becomes industrialised and is then able to manufacture nothing less than sixty per cent of her needs and requirements, Currently nearly of these are still imported in the face of scarce foreign exchange earnings. Keywords: Nigeria, railway, management, development, transformation, modernization DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/13-3-05 Publication date: April 30 th 2023

The Relationship of the Kappelevites Command Staff with G. M. Semenov on the Basis of Memoir Sources

The article is devoted to the study of the issue of relations between ataman G. M. Semenov and senior officers of the remnants of the Kolchak armies who arrived in Transbaikalia in the early 1920. The analysis of these relations is carried out on the basis of published memoirs of participants of the white movement. The relevance of the study is due to the introduction into scientific circulation of a large amount of memoir literature of both leaders and ordinary members of the white movement who found themselves on the territory of Transbaikalia. In the light of the newly discovered information, it is possible to consider in more detail how the relations within the Kappel command staff and their interaction with ataman G. M. Semenov developed. Previously, these sources were not available to researchers. In the future, the analysis of these sources will allow a deeper study of the final stage of the Civil War in Transbaikalia. The research methodology is based on comparative and dialectical approaches that minimize the subjectivity of memoirs as a historical source. The result of the study is the conclusion that the arrival of military contingents of the former Kolchak troops in Chita did not have a significant impact on the course of events. Attempts by part of their command staff to show political subjectivity and independence in relation to Ataman Semenov failed. The passage of echelons of Czechoslovak Corps units through Chita caused a split among the Kappel command. The negative attitude towards them was caused by the Czechs’ unwillingness to engage in confrontation with the Reds during the joint movement to the east with the Kappelevites. G. M. Semenov, who initially relied on the Japanese, treated the Czechs with distrust. An attempt by G. M. Semenov to disarm one of the Czech echelons in Chita was prevented by the commander of the Kappelevites S. V. Wojciechowski, who treated the Czechs positively. As a result, the Czech factor did not have a significant impact on the subsequent events of the Civil War in Transbaikalia.

Food security management in Kazakhstan in the context of a pandemic

In general, economic security means high-quality satisfaction of the needs of the population in the nature of the national economy. Today, one of the priority issues for environmental reasons, etc., can be called food security. That is, physiologically complete coverage of the population with food determines its activity during the life period. At the same time, it shows the political independence of the state in ensuring economic stability. Therefore, if no state strives for a high-quality full provision of food security for its people, it is impossible to talk about other security considerations, that is, political, economic, national security. The issues of food security of the state are the main conditions for ensuring the general security of the population. In this context, the state is implementing plans to ensure food security, increase food security indicators, reduce the costs of the population for food products and provide consumers with safe products. This article analyzes the factors affecting the state of economic and food security of the country that have occurred in the world. The main threats to economic security have had a significant impact on the Republic of Kazakhstan. It should be noted that any of these security measures requires a fundamental analysis of the relevant conceptual proposals and the development of measures related to the state and business. Therefore, the purpose of the article is a comprehensive discussion of economic and food security issues and summing up. Based on the study of the state, the state of food security, economic, analytical, statistical methods focused on a systemic orientation were used. The findings of the study can be used for the social and economic development of the country, in measures to combat the pandemic.

Zona Netral Dan Akibat Hukum Menurut Hukum Internasional

Introduction: The border zone can also be viewed as neutral by the two countries that divide it. The territory of a country refers to the sovereignty, sovereign rights, and control of a country over its territory in real terms.Purposes of the Research: The research method used is normative juridical, namely the approach taken by studying existing library materials. The problem approach used is the law approach, the concept approach, and the case approach. The collection of legal materials through literature study and analyzed using normative qualitative analysis techniques. Methods of the Research: The research method used is normative juridical, namely the approach taken by studying existing library materials. The problem approach used is the law approach, the concept approach, and the case approach. The collection of legal materials through literature study and analyzed using normative qualitative analysis techniques.Results of the Research: This research shows that this zone exists to prevent a ceasefire. Countries in this zone have agreed to limit their influence in the zone. That relations with other members of the international community and regulates everything that happens or occurs outside its territorial boundaries as long as it is related to the interests of that country. Indonesia's land and sea border areas are claimed to have essential values in maintaining state sovereignty, based on Law Number 3 of 2002 concerning National Defense. This is based on Article 2 of the United Nations Charter paragraph (1), which states that international relations are founded on equality and freedom. Relations According to Article 2 paragraph (4), the government may not use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of other countries when conducting international affairs.

Factor analysis of food security in Kazakhstan

The country's food security is an important component of the national security system and, as such, characterizes the economic stability and political independence of the state, its ability to provide for the elementary primary needs of its citizens without prejudice to national state interests. The purpose of the study based on factor analysis is to provide the state of the food market and justify the economic opportunities for ensuring food security in Kazakhstan. Food supply of the population remains an urgent problem of the socio-economic development of the regions of Kazakhstan, since it must guarantee the population food independence, the availability of food from domestic sources at scientifically sound standards, affordable prices and the amount necessary to ensure normal life. Analyzing the state of the food market and choosing among them the most optimal for providing the population with food products and making effective management decisions is an important tasks in creating a strategy for ensuring the country's food security. Scientific research was carried out on the basis of the AEC management sectors using statistical materials (statistical data of the Republic of Kazakhstan), and general scientific and private research methods. Based on the comparative Bureau of the National ASPR RK analysis, the main trends in the development of food security in Kazakhstan were identified. In this research work, predictive methods were also used to determine the prospects for the development of food security in Kazakhstan. The study presents the results of the consumption of certain types of agricultural products per capita. The national norms of food consumption were compared with the physiological norms of consumption, and the regional aspect of average per capita consumption was considered in terms of the minimum and maximum volume of consumption. Considering the specialization of the regions, the existing territorial organization of the agro-industrial complex, the optimization of raw material zones of processing enterprises, the emerging shifts in food self-sufficiency, a positive trend in food consumption in the present and future is given. This article provides recommendations for ensuring safe and quality food security.

Идея вооружённой борьбы в левом движении стран Латинской Америки в период 1920-1940х гг.

The first half of the XX century was marked for Latin America by a pe-riod of struggle for the political independence of the states of the conti-nent. In the context of direct interference in the state policy of Latin American countries by the United Kingdom and, to an even greater ex-tent, the United States, and the flagship in the struggle for national in-dependence often turned out to be the left movement. At the same time, when determining their strategies and tactics, the Latin American left (both themselves and in discussions with the Third, Communist Inter-national, which "discovered" the continent in 1927) often developed the concept and ideas of an armed seizure of power in order to carry out in-ternal political and economic reforms and ensure the desired national independence. As a result of comparing the ideas and implementation of plans for armed struggle in the left movement of Venezuela, Colom-bia and Cuba, the author comes to the following results: despite the presence of a "coordinating body" in the form of the Comintern, colos-sal differences in the political situation, economic situation and experi-ence of spreading leftist ideas led to the idea of an armed struggle for power in each of the these countries developed separately from the rest. For two decades, events have taken place in the region that allow today to conduct a comparative analysis of the theory and implementation of the idea of an armed struggle for power in different Latin American countries, giving a general assessment of this phenomenon, revealing its general and particular characteristics.