We had lived in a world of essentially unchallenged sovereignty for several generations now, and had begun to think of

it as the natural state of affairs. However, the idea of states as autonomous, independent entities is collapsing under
the combined onslaught of monetary unions, global television CNN, the Internet, governmental and non-governmental
organizations.

Governments and activists alike complain that multilateral institutions such as the United Nations, the World Trade
Organization, and the International Monetary Fund overstep their authority by promoting universal standards for
everything, which in turn alter the scope of state authority.

It is our intention to consider just how much globalization has affected state authority.

While doing so we will be analysisng the impact of globalisation not only on economy but also on poltical and cultural
soverignity.

For this the presenters have divided the presentation into four parts where the first part will provide a general
overview of the two terms i.e. globalization and sovereignty. The second part will show that how globalization affects
various other factors apart from economy. The third part will provide an analysis of the overall impact of globalization
on the sovereignty of the states and we will end the presentation with an apt conclusion.

CULTURAL SOVEREIGNTY And GLOBALIZATION

Globalization has an impact on the ethnic, national and religious identities of the various diverse
world cultures. the world is persistently witnessing the demise of the nation-states’ socio-
economic and political fiber.29 Thus, it becomes absolutely rational to contend that in the era of
globalization, we are witnessing a clash of cultures.

Although globalization is supposed to promote the emergence of pluralistic societies, the contrary
is the reality on the ground where there is more of cultural assimilation than cultural pluralism.

The less powerful are getting absorbed by the most powerful, thus resulting in advanced cultural
homogeneity based on power. The result is a dizzying array of “competing and dying” cultures,
which breeds complex problems regarding whose culture should shape the global socialization
map.
Cultural fragmentation under the auspices of social transformation perpetuates the problem of
lost identities and complex issues of eroding moral codes [GIVE US AND INDIA EXAMPLE].

The “paradox of globalization” is that rather than creating one big economy or one big polity, it
also divides fragments and polarizes.

AN ANALYSIS: GLOBALISATION & DIMINISHING SOVEREIGNTY

Now we have to see how the globalization has diminished soverignity of a nation by reducing its
control over various things.
Sovereignty is associated with the idea of control over trans-border movements, economic and
political policies. Finally, sovereignty also means that political authorities can enter into
international agreements. States are free to endorse any contract they find attractive. Any treaty
among states is legitimate provided that it has not been coerced. This is the new strength of
sovereignty.37

Further, monetary policy is an area where state control has contracted. With the exception of Great
Britain, the major European states have established a single monetary authority. Moreover along
with the erosion of national currencies (dollar, euro and pound are dominating the international
market),

The valueof rupees is determined relative to dollar or euro – thereby making there independent
value irrelevant.

we now see the erosion of national citizenship – the notion that an individual should be a citizen of
one and only one country, and that the state has exclusive claims to that person’s loyalty. 40 For
many states, there is no longer a sharp distinction between citizens and non- citizens. Permanent residents,
guest workers, refugees, and undocumented immigrants are entitled to some bundle of rights even if they
cannot vote. The ease of travel and the desire of many countries to attract either capital or skilled workers
have increased incentives to make citizenship more flexible.

Treaty is one of the sources of international obligation. It is a basic norm of law that one cannot
derive rights and liabilities from a treaty to which he is not party. However, contemporary
international law now envisages situations where rights and liabilities are created for states
without their being party to such transaction (without consent of the state as well). There are
treaties that are assimilable to international executive acts and treaties assimilable to
international legislative acts, such as treaties that create objective legal situations like
neutralization, demilitarization, internationalization of human rights and conventions codifying
existing norms of customary international law.41
Furthermore, membership to an international organization has tremendous impact on the
sovereignty of states. This can be appreciated from four sides. The activities of international
organizations can have quasi- legislative, Administrative and Supervisory, as well as Jurisdictional
effects. This hinders the freedom of member states to act as they please. For example, the case of
Kulbhusan Jadhav was dealt by the ICJ and represented by India and Pakistan instead of the
Pakistan Supreme Court.42.
WTO – its decisions and rules effect our domestic trade.
Further, transnational Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) have much influence over state
activities. Throughout the 19th century, there were transnational movements to abolish slavery,
promote the rights of women, and improve conditions for workers.

The availability of inexpensive and very fast communications technology has made it easier for
such groups to organize and make an impact on public policy and international law. [protests in
US for blacks rights were seen as having a worldwide impact] Such groups prompt questions
about sovereignty because they appear to threaten the integrity of domestic decision-making.

Activists who lose on their home territory can pressure foreign governments, which may in turn
influence decision makers in the activists’ own nation.
Now at the same time, we also need to examine how globalization has benefited the nations
because they are all interdependent.

Part of sovereignty is also the ability of a state to resolve its internal problems independently and
by itself, but we see more and more in today’s world that the problems and threats are
increasingly globalized, then it is almost impossible for a state to act alone and independently,
This is especially unique to the weak and small states, which are characterized also by a fragile
democracy. – like Afghanistan took US’s assistance.

Nation-states are also under constant threat from the high rate of crime, particularly terrorist
attacks of 21st century. And from the moment, when the nation states cannot guarantee the
safety of their citizens, then they also cannot act independently to resolve their internal
problems, and therefore we can say freely that in these cases there is a lack sovereignty of these
countries if we go by the traditional notion of soverignity.

Further, taking into consideration the increasing interdependence among countries, the creation
of transnational institutions, multinational and other organizations as well as issues of integration,
such as the European ones, the development and modification of international law, which is
under constant review, we can be concluded that there is a falling process on how we perceive
today the sovereignty of states. So, in other words, globalization will gradually lead to the
softening of the nation-state and the overthrow of absolute or rigid views on state sovereignty.

CONCLUDE –

“Globalization has rendered the world increasingly interdependent but international relations are
still based on the sovereignty of states.”