Models of Governance

Recent developments in the sovereignty of stateless nations in Europe point to a new organizational model for modern states stuck in colonial relationships with indigenous and ethnic minorities. Facing the alternatives of systems disruption that plague states like India, or the criminal enterprise trajectory modeled by Russia and the US, authentic democracy that respects the sovereignty of aboriginal nations offers a relatively benign choice. As indigenous nations in the Americas gain momentum in the development and consolidation of their human rights under international law, the economies and environments they inhabit will likely undergo substantial change from earlier European-imposed models of governance. Indeed, that is already underway.