Consortia of Nation-States (L6)

Groups of countries often have a sense of cultural commonality or overlap based on language, religion, other ethnic features or history. In order to pursue this wider sense of social relationship, some form of political organization encompassing nations is perceived as desirable so long as it stops short of loss of sovereignty.

A consortium of nation-states is therefore a political organization with related sovereign states as its voluntary members, and set up to pursue limited but valuable joint purposes.

Terms for Governing Consortia include: Council, Organization, League, Association, Union, Community, Treaty, Assembly
Examples: European Union (EU), Commonwealth of Nations (CON), Arab League, Organization of African States (OAS), Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The purposes pursued by consortia-L6 are means for expression, maintenance and development of cultural commonality. The specific areas of concern include:

• joint cultural activities e.g. scientific research
• joint trade arrangements e.g. free trade areas, currency linkage
• joint foreign policy e.g. military cooperation

Consortia cannot exert control by coercive force, so the controlling body seeks to identify areas of common concern and then find ways to harmonize and coordinate. Decisions tend to be restricted to those that allow unanimity and consensus, although majority voting may be used for less vital matters. Of course, politics (i.e. power and wealth) plays a role in the determination of choices.

Progress is most possible on matters handled at the national level e.g. trade, defence, fiscal policy. It is most difficult on matters controlled by regions-L4 within the nation-L5 e.g. education, language, welfare.

Regulations are usually made and common institutions, even a court of consortium law, may be established. However, if member nations will not accept rulings by supra-national institutions, the consortium weakens. The most severe action that can be taken is expulsion of the member nation.

Changing the Level of Political Organization

Should any consortium-L6 ever become a government with sovereign powers-L5, then its member nation-states-L5 would automatically become region-states-L4 of a new federal nation-state-L5.

Many modern countries were formed by fusion of adjacent similar sovereign entities e.g. USA, Switzerland, Italy. Not surprisingly, regional sub-cultural differences remain entrenched within such federations.

Non-Political Cooperation

International cooperation may occur as a matter of convenience without the issue of culture being relevant e.g. in regard to postal arrangements or machinery standards. Though important practically, this is not a form of political organization and therefore not relevant to this inquiry.

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Originally posted: August-2009; Last updated: 15-Nov-2010