I think you are under-estimating the practical difficulties involved in self-determination. A good example is Brexit. On paper, it seems like it should be an ideal case:
The UK has experience being a successful independent country for hundreds of years.
The UK held a referendum on the subject where everyone could vote, rather than just a few secessionist leaders, proving widespread buy-in.
The UK gets relatively little benefit from the EU—it organizes defense, education, police, healthcare etc. all by itself, and is a net payer of funds towards the rest of the EU.
The UK speaks a different language from the rest of the EU.
There are essentially no territorial disputes between the UK and EU.
The UK is leaving in accordance with the EU rules, rather than via a civil war / war of independence.
… but despite this, Brexit has been very costly! The mere threat of (temporarily?) losing access to some EU markets has cost them several points of GDP, and it is not clear this will be regained.
I’m also not really sure why this would be an EA topic.
I will think more about Brexit (noting that the EU is a supranational organization not a nation-state) but keep in mind that under the principle of self-determination, Scotland, which now would likely prefer to leave the UK and stay in the EU, should be allowed to do so.
I think you are under-estimating the practical difficulties involved in self-determination. A good example is Brexit. On paper, it seems like it should be an ideal case:
The UK has experience being a successful independent country for hundreds of years.
The UK held a referendum on the subject where everyone could vote, rather than just a few secessionist leaders, proving widespread buy-in.
The UK gets relatively little benefit from the EU—it organizes defense, education, police, healthcare etc. all by itself, and is a net payer of funds towards the rest of the EU.
The UK speaks a different language from the rest of the EU.
There are essentially no territorial disputes between the UK and EU.
The UK is leaving in accordance with the EU rules, rather than via a civil war / war of independence.
… but despite this, Brexit has been very costly! The mere threat of (temporarily?) losing access to some EU markets has cost them several points of GDP, and it is not clear this will be regained.
I’m also not really sure why this would be an EA topic.
I will think more about Brexit (noting that the EU is a supranational organization not a nation-state) but keep in mind that under the principle of self-determination, Scotland, which now would likely prefer to leave the UK and stay in the EU, should be allowed to do so.