Learning from Catalonia: to secede or not to secede

The standoff over Catalan independence from Spain has split not only the region and country, but Europe as a whole.

That's because this issue raises a bigger question: when is it appropriate for a region of a larger geopolitical entity to secede? What criteria should be used to decide the legitimacy of a secession bid?

Secession is a battle over the fundamental question of "who has the right to govern whom?".

Two basic positions have gained prominence: 'choice' theory, whi...