31 Questions
What is the definition of secession according to the Oxford English Dictionary?
The action of withdrawing formally from membership of a federation or body, especially a political state
Which of the following regions has been successful in seceding from a larger country?
Croatia and Slovenia
According to Donald Horowitz, what is a key factor in secessionist movements?
Economic relations between the group and the larger country
What is the likely attitude of advanced groups in backward regions towards secession?
They will not want to secede, as they benefit from the larger country
Which of the following is a consequence of backward groups in backward regions seceding?
They will fear extinction
What is a possible reason why a group may seek secession?
Due to discrimination and fear of extinction
What is the primary reason why advanced groups in advanced regions do not secede?
Economic costs would be too high
What is the common perception among secessionist groups about the new state?
A utopia
Why do secessionist movements often fail to achieve statehood?
Failure of conventional political methods
What is a crucial factor in determining the legitimacy of a secessionist movement?
Result of the referendum
What is required for secession to occur, beyond a simple majority?
Critical mass of support
Why might autonomy be resisted by the mother state?
Suspicion that autonomy is a step towards secession
What can influence whether a territory will secede or not?
Strength of institutions
What can be a challenge to achieving secession?
Division within the secessionist group
Why do secessionist leaders often settle for less than secession?
They are willing to compromise
What is a key factor in determining the success of a secessionist movement?
All of the above
What is one of the ways a state can respond to a secessionist movement?
Propaganda or economic ostracization
What is a key factor that aids a group's separation from the mother state?
Institutions of their own, such as legislature, media outlets, and defence forces
What is a consequence of a successful secessionist movement?
Violence being viewed as a legitimate means to achieve political objectives
When is consent of the remainder of the country usually required for a secessionist movement to be realized?
After the secessionist movement has de facto seceded
What is a characteristic of a secessionist movement that fails?
Distrust between the secessionist group and others
What is a characteristic of most states that emerged following violent secessionist movements?
They have a coastline
What can great power support provide to a seceding territory?
Both hard power assistance and legal recognition
What is an example of a secessionist movement in the context of the Yugoslav Wars?
Croat-led ethnic cleansing of Serb dominated areas of Croatia
What is a consequence of the 'blame game' in a failed secessionist movement?
Intra-group disputes and fragmentation
Why do secessionist movements often resort to violence?
Due to various group-level factors, including seeking to maintain visibility to their cause
What is an example of a group-level factor that contributes to violence in secessionist movements?
Frustration with the conventional political process
What is a characteristic of a secessionist movement, regardless of its success or failure?
The use of violence as a means to achieve political objectives
What is a characteristic of the secessionist movement in Kosovo?
They sensed that the truncated Yugoslav state was in a weak state
What is an example of a situation where violence is the only mode of ensuring order?
When the state system has completely failed, such as in Somalia
What is a motivation for some secessionist movements to engage in violent acts?
To create ethnic homogeneity
Test your knowledge of countries and regions that have successfully seceded or are currently in the process of seeking independence from their parent states. From Europe to Asia, and the Americas, see how well you know these secession movements.
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