A Market for Sovereignty? The Roles of Other States in Self-Determination
Journal: Osgoode Hall law journal
Year: 2017

How can the popular sovereignty associated with international law’s regulation of self-determination (secession) be reconciled with the state’s traditional property-like prerogative to transfer (cede) territory regardless of the inhabitants’ wishes? Joseph Blocher and Mitu Gulati innovatively propose a “market” for sovereignty that would treat secession more like a sale of property, and cession, less. Existing international law does not conceive of states as potential bidders, buyers, backers, u