Separatism is the desire of a group to separate from a larger group or nation due to oppression, discrimination, or a desire for self-governance. Separatist movements may result in secession or autonomy within a larger state. Responses to separatism vary, and examples include Israel, Greece, Algeria, Bangladesh, and the American Revolution and Civil War.
The term “separatism” refers to the desire of people of the same ethnicity, religion, race or other characteristic to separate themselves from a larger group or nation. This desire could be because those people feel oppressed or discriminated against by the larger group, or it could be to create greater unity or self-sufficiency among group members. Separatist movements are also called secession movements if the group wants to separate, or withdraw, from the larger political group and form its own state. In other cases, the group may just want to live in its own area within a larger state and maintain autonomy or independence in some respects while being governed in other ways by the state.
Reasons for separatism
Separatist movements sometimes form in response to cultural oppression, ethnic violence, or the denial of rights that have been given to other groups. At other times, the separatist movement may be motivated by a desire to govern itself. Economics, politics, and religion can also be motivating factors for separatism, such as when one group feels that wealth is withheld or that certain political parties or religions are dominating a society or country. Another reason might be to right a historical wrong, such as when one group wants to reclaim land it believes was taken unjustly by another group.
Responses to separatism
There have been as many kinds of responses to separatism as there have been separatist movements. The larger government might seek to accommodate the wishes of the smaller group, such as by improving living conditions, increasing access to wealth, or granting political rights. In other cases, the state could give in to the demands of the separatist movement by allowing the group to secede and form its own state. Instead, the government could choose to counter the separatist movement through further oppression or even war. Whether a separatist movement results in a new independent state or significant changes in the larger government is influenced by many social factors.
Examples
Many modern nations have been formed by separatist movements, including Israel, Greece, Algeria and Bangladesh. The United States was also a result of separatism. American colonists felt politically and economically oppressed by their English colonial rulers. They wanted to be an autonomous country and fought successfully in the American Revolutionary War to gain their independence from Great Britain. Separatism also caused the American Civil War, because the southern states wanted to secede from the union, but this movement was met with resistance from the union and was unsuccessful.
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