The Impact of Demands for Independence and Devolution on Europe

The Impact of Demands for Independence and Devolution on Europe

Geopolitical devolution in Europe refers to the sharing of power between central governments and smaller states or total separation and independence for minorities from a larger political entity. Such separatism occurs in different aspects, including economic relations, language, and cultural identity. France, Germany, Spain, and the UK are some jurisdictions where the concept of independence and devolution applies. Germany and France are organized into lander (states) and regional governments, respectively. On the other hand, Spain is organized into partially autonomous regional communities. The UK, which has constituent independent states such as Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, has experienced devolution demand. Another similar but slightly different case is the movement by European countries to withdraw from or share powers with the European Union. The demand for independence and devolution from larger political entities affects economies, cultural fabric, and the overall European political map.

Impact on Economy

The impact of economic independence in Europe cannot be overstated. UK’s exit from the European Union offers a perfect example of the effects of independence from a large economic integration authority. Brexit was not a secession of ties but a chance for the UK to renegotiate deals with EU members and neighboring non-EU members. Tetlow and Stojanovic (p. 14) aver that trade is one of the areas that will be affected most by Brexit. Trade with EU members accounts for half of the UK’s overall output (Tetlow and Stojanovic, p. 14). Suppose the European Union imposes higher tariffs on UK exports. In that case, the move will have a significant negative impact on the country than the positive impact that may come from a China-UK trade partnership facilitated by Brexit. EU’s 27 states account for 14% of the world’s purchasing power, and these nations are near the UK (reduced logistical cost), explaining the considerable footprint on the UK’s trade revenue.

Another segment of the economy likely to be affected by Brexit is the UK’s foreign direct investment (FDI), a long-term driver of GDP growth. By 2018, about 42.6% of the UK’s foreign direct investment came from EU countries (Tetlow and Stojanovic, p. 14). The Netherlands accounts for the most significant percentage of FDI in the UK, with most non-Netherlands investments being channeled through the nation for tax purposes. However, since the call for Brexit started, FDI from EU countries has dropped significantly. Since 2011, such investment has fallen by 48.8%. However, with the UK exiting the EU, there will be restrictions on capital movement since the single market principle is no longer applicable. Besides, multinationals will no longer be motivated to set up their business in the UK since frictionless access to EU members is no longer possible. Therefore, depending on ensuing trade agreements with the EU members, the UK may lose a significant portion of foreign direct investment, slowing GDP growth.

Impact on Europe’s Political Map

The ongoing unification efforts in Europe due to economic recession and supranational frameworks have empowered some states to seek sub-state power and cement their regional identities. One such state seeking regional identity is Catalonia, a move that threatens European power centralization efforts. The secession move affects both Spain as a country and the European Union at large. Catalonia has a population of 7.5 million people and accounts for 20% of Spain’s economy. In a non-binding referendum in 2012, 80% of 2.3 million people who turned up to vote supported the radical proposal to break away from the Spanish central government (Patrick, p. 196). Given the lack of a third party to mediate the conflict, the matter is under the control of the Spanish central government

One of the political impacts of the secession attempt is the likelihood of creating a subdivision among European Union members. For instance, Kosovo’s breakaway from Serbian in 2008 was only supported by 24 of the union’s 28 members (Patrick, p. 206). Also, there is overwhelming evidence that secession attempts pose potential violence and social upheaval threats. For instance, influenced by Russian paramilitary troops, Crimea seceded from Ukraine, which may have contributed to the subsequent full-blown war between Russia and Ukraine. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has bolstered Ukraine’s EU candidacy even though the country was previously not part of the bloc. Demands for secession cause political upheavals and complicate the EU’s unification initiatives.

Impact on Cultural Fabric

The demand for devolution and independence has also significantly altered Europe’s cultural fabric. One of the leading impacts of Scotland’s devolution demand is that it has bolstered cultural exchange with other countries (Rowntree et al., p. 254). Before the independence narrative gained strength, Scotland was primarily considered part of England, hence limited attention to the country’s unique cultural heritage. Also, Scotland’s demand for devolution promoted the importance of regional identities across Europe. As mentioned, Catalonia conducted an independence vote just two months after Scotland’s vote. Many regional jurisdictions across different European countries are asserting their cultural distinctiveness by seeking independence from central governments.

Also, the demand for devolution influences public policy culture. For instance, the identity-forming practice is visible in Scotland’s healthcare policy. Unlike the UK framework, there are increased community-based health solutions as opposed to the individual framework in the UK (Marnoch, p. 269). Devolution in Scotland has greatly influenced this paradigm shift in health provision.

Conclusion

The demand for independence and the process of devolution impacts Europe’s economic, political, and cultural spheres. As illustrated above, the UK’s economic independence from the European Union has economic effects on trade relationships, foreign direct investment, and foreign exchange, among other economic aspects. On the other hand, the demand for independence has led to politically motivated violence and social upheavals in some European jurisdictions. Finally, devolution affects Europe’s cultural fabric by influencing public policy and cultural exchange.

Works Cited

Marnoch, Gordon. “Scottish devolution: identity and impact and the case of community care for the elderly.” Public Administration 81.2 (2003): 253-273.

Patrick, Thomas Y. “The zeitgeist of secession amidst the march towards unification: Scotland,    Catalonia, and the future of the European Union.” BC Int’l & Comp. L. Rev. 39 (2016):  195.

Rowntree, Lester, et al. Globalization and Diversity: Geography of a Changing World. Prentice Hall, 4 Jan. 2017.

Tetlow, Gemma, and Alex Stojanovic. “Understanding the Economic Impact of Brexit.” Www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk, 2018, www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/publications/2018%20IfG%20%20Brexit%20impact%20.

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The Impact of Demands for Independence and Devolution on Europe

Compose a 3-4 page, double-spaced, typewritten document in 12 pt. font that answers the following questions;
How are demands for independence and the process of devolution impacting Europe’s economy? Political map? Cultural fabric? Include specific examples, evidence, and statistics that support your claims.
In composing your report, use Google Scholar to identify any three websites as references that contain appropriate information, tables of data, graphs, etc. to construct your report. Include all three websites as references at the end of your document.