Topic: Determining the Legitimacy of Secession Movements and Obligations of Parent States
Country: Brazil
Delegate Name: Paige Ostrowski
School: Forest Hills Central High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Brazil position papers GLIMUN 2016 committees
The withdrawal of a state from a federal union should be a treatment to decrease violence and unrest. Divided populations with conflicting values and ideas of the responsibilities of their government would benefit from seceding. There are many justifications to support a seceding state. Many relative justifications concern preserving the rights of individuals that have been challenged for any reason under their current rule, and rectifying misdeeds.
States also secede for matters unrelated to abusive ruling; self-determination is a powerful force, tempting to any generally successful state with the desire to develop and thrive independently. However, separating from a declared union for reasons like autonomy may cause more disorder and brutality than what the separation would be deemed worth.
Currently, one of the twenty-six states in Brazil is gaining support to secede. São Paulo is the wealthiest Brazilian state and remains solely responsible for one third of the Brazilian Gross Domestic Product. Brazil is facing determined pressure by these three groups: Free Sao Paulo, Movimento República de São Paulo, and Movimento São Paulo Independente. Their proposition claims that transforming São Paulo state of Brazil into The Republic of São Paulo would, among many other positive changes, grow their culture. There is another, similar, separatist movement attempting to gain independence of Brazil’s southern region is referred to as The South is My Country. Three states desire this separation due to their communities possessing certain characteristics, that differ from the rest of Brazil. Despite the intentions of seceding states, their splitting can often cause more pain than would occur if they remained one body. If these states are successful in their succeeding, Brazil would lose a great contributor of income and therefore, would be inhibiting success of all of Brazil’s people. The legitimacy of seceding states must be questioned when it not based on leaving a harmful government.
