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Who are we?
Originally a Caltech student club founded by Eduardo Beltrame in 2018, Sovereignty Club is now a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization open to all. Our mission is to promote understanding of the world and its people. We hold weekly meetings where we invite guest speakers to talk about geopolitics, history, governance, and many other topics. We also encourage extensive discussion and debate, both with the speakers and among members, so that different perspectives can be heard and considered. Previous guest speakers have included foreign policy expert Joshua Keating, Caltech professor Tracy Dennison, and Charter Cities Institute founder Mark Lutter.
Join us! It's fun.
To help us out, donate to our Patreon or Paypal.
We meet every Wednesday at 6PM PST (and occasionally also at other times).
To contact us, email clubsovereignty at gmail dot com
Mission: Possible
People tend to think of countries and borders as immutable things that have been settled long ago. But is that so? Are individuals truly helpless agents in the tide of history and humankind dynamics? The Sovereignty Club aims to promote the understanding of how sovereignty and governance work in the context of global politics - so that you can actually make a difference.
Success(?) stories
Nowadays, starting a country doesn't have to (necessarily) involve a bloody, protracted civil war. Just look at these testimonials from world leaders just like you!
Liberland
In 2014, in an unclaimed patch of land between Serbia and Croatia, a savvy Czech politician created The World's Newest Country (maybe). But honestly he seems to be doing everything right and following proper international law, and both Serbia and Croatia said the land is not theirs, so there is an actual chance something interesting will happen.
Principality of Sealand
Back in 1967 an astute Brit occupied an abandoned fortress built in international waters during World War 2 - and it remains in continuous occupation since then, unchallenged in it's claim to be a sovereign state.
South Sudan
In 2011, following a referendum, half of Sudan became a real, independent state, with UN membership and all. However, they are not doing any better than before they broke off from Sudan.
Catalonia
On 27 October 2017, following a referendum, the Government of Catalonia (until then an autonomous province of Spain on the border of France) unilaterally declared independence, and really pissed off the Spanish parliament. It's basically a left wing Brexit that has been brewing for 600 years.
Principality of Hutt River
In 1970 a smart Aussie farmer pissed off at the government for enacting wheat production quotas seceded from the Commonwealth of Australia, starting the Principality of Hutt River . On 2 December 1977 the Principality declared war on Australia, notifying authorities of the cessation of hostilities several days later, and wrote to the Governor-General and asserted that "Sovereignty is automatic to a country undefeated in a state of war...and if the state of war is not recognized by the other party, once the notice is given then these conventions apply to their relations."
Despite solid legal grounding, friction with the Australian government continues to this day.