What is Independence ?

History Question by Sir Reynola.

The answer ;

To be independence is to be free. The popularity of the term could be tied to the dawn of the 19th century when many nations began to emerge from the claws of colonialism and imperialism. In those bygone eras, many smaller nations had been colonialised by superpowers that exploited colonies for the benefits of their mother countries. Hence, independence then was synonymous with expelling colonialisers and imperialists from the land.

In the above context, the meaning of independence is therefore closely tied to the concept of self-determination. An independence nation must necessarily be self-determining. It is one that directs and determines its own destiny. Previously, that had been in the hands of colonial/imperialists powers that determined which path colonised nations persued and which were based on the interests of the mother countries. An independent nation determines ts own destiny based on its own perceived interests.

The concept of self-determination is important because nations that have become independence can still be tied to their former colonisers in many ways. After a period of colonisation, a particular nation's economy can be still highly dependent upon the former. Dependency can still be exerted by coloniser that had been expelled in the forms of foreign aids and assistances that former colonisers provide to former colonies under the pertext of helping the latter develop their post-independent economies.

Therefore, for freedom to be more meaningful, it must also be accompanied by total self-determination. Otherwise freedom means very little for an independent nation. Furthermore, without self-determination, a nation cannot be adequately described as sovereign as the latter is an indication of an independent and self-determonation nation.