ABSTRACT
In some guises the concept of self-determination exists in a clearly defined form; in others it is ambiguous and uncertain. It has throughout history meant different things to different people and continues to do so today. It was invoked by the founding fathers of the United States, the French revolutionaries, Lenin and Wilson during World War I, Gandhi and Nkrumah in the period of decolonisation, and is today relied upon by various groups such as the KLA, ETA, the IRA, Polisario, and by many minorities that are seeking to secede from existing states. The right to self-determination has both justified the establishment of new states and at a later time justified the disintegration of those self-same states. Because its application undermines the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states it challenges the stability of the international community.
