Declaration of independence

A declaration of independence is a proclamation of the independence of a newly formed or reformed independent state, usually from a part or the whole of the territory of another nation, or a document containing such a declaration. Declarations of independence are generally made by one side without the consent of the previous government, and hence are sometimes called unilateral declarations of independence (UDI). Used without qualification in English, "The Declaration of Independence" often refers to the United States Declaration of Independence or the Declaration of Arbroath (Scotland, 1320) - The first known formal declaration of independence in which Scottish leaders declared Scotland's independence from England on behalf of the Scottish people.

Overview

In international law, unilateral declarations of independence are generally frowned upon, since preservation of territory is one of the few things that the countries of the world universally agree upon. Declaring independence or supporting such a declaration is seen as a hostile act, that may easily lead to war. Money is often an important factor when one state attempts to succeed another, with control of important resources such as ports, oil fields or strategic towns or geographic features leading to dispute. If a government has extremely large debts to other organisations, there will be international pressure for these debts to be taken over by successor governments, even if the original governmental organisation is disbanded.

Related Topics:
International law - War

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Many states have come into being through a UDI. The legality of a UDI is often the subject of debate and unsurprisingly the previous government typically asserts that a UDI is illegal. Often, international bodies and other countries decline at first to accept the legitimacy of the declared state and its government. If the declared state becomes a functioning entity, it may gain diplomatic recognition over time and a form of retrospective legitimacy. Not all declarations of independence result in actual states and those governments that do result from UDIs do not always survive and are often rivaled by the previous government. A significant number of unilaterally declared governments collapse or otherwise give way, with control returning to the previous government or shifting to a further, successor government.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Many declarations of independence, including those of Texas (now part of the United States), Rhodesia, and Vietnam have been modeled on the United States declaration.

Related Topics:
Texas - United States - Rhodesia - Vietnam

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~