| Chapter 2: | Background |
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In mature liberal democracies, tensions created by the existence of diverse cultures under single polity should not be resolved by secessions but should rather be managed and eliminated though the democratic institutions and processes:
According to Doran (2001), the adherence to democratic pluralism instead of secessions is very important, especially in the current times when populations within states become increasingly mixed. The increased immigration, emigration, and differential growth rates across populations of differing cultural backgrounds contribute to the mixing of populations, a trend that is especially vivid within the advanced countries. With the increased mixing of societies, democratic pluralism becomes an essential attribute of future world politics because it provides countries with the effective instruments to manage the tensions arousing in culturally and ethnically diverse societies.
Doran also drew attention to the impact of secessions, especially those occurring in the advanced democratic states, on the international community. Secessionist movements and the creation of smaller and more homogeneous states are most likely to bring a great stress to the international community because they put in doubt the principles of liberal democracy, as well as the possibility of cooperation between diverse cultures. The inability to resolve problems associated with diversity within stable democracies puts in doubt the ideals of liberal democracy.
Moreover, the secessionist movements—especially inside of mature democracies and the creation of homogeneous states—puts in doubt the ability to cooperate with people of different cultural backgrounds, not only within a state but also in the international arena. If diverse people cannot cooperate inside a mature democratic state, it is doubtful that they will be able to cooperate as independent actors.