An introduction to the ‘small’ and ‘micro’ states of South Asia

Geopolitics in the Maldives: Intersection of Foreign Relations and Internal Political Rivalries

“…The encyclopaedia edited by Esposito (1995) contains no separate Maldives entry but presents details under ‘Indian Ocean Societies’ (Arnold, 1995). More recently, international relations specialists have theorised the behaviour of small states (Mohamed, 2000), also in terms of authoritarianism and corruption (Misra, 2004b). Small states often need the protection of big neighbours (Misra, 2004b: 139) and have to be robust and circumspect in self-defence.…”

“…More recently, international relations specialists have theorised the behaviour of small states (Mohamed, 2000), also in terms of authoritarianism and corruption (Misra, 2004b). Small states often need the protection of big neighbours (Misra, 2004b: 139) and have to be robust and circumspect in self-defence. Chatterjee (2024) portrays the Maldives as ‘a study in contradictions’, as it ‘paradoxically managed to retain relative independence from European colonisation’.…”

“…Historically grounded research shows some awareness that small local entities, not just the respective authoritarian Maldivian ruler, contributed to shaping power relationships regarding sovereignty (Chowdhary, 2022). It makes sense to highlight that ‘there is often collusion between the ruling authority and the upper levels of the society’ (Misra, 2004b: 137), leading to corruption, but that phenomenon is observable everywhere. Theorising small states and their limited scope for internal opposition, Misra (2004b: 134) envisages a large extended family, with members linked together in multiple ways that bolster authoritarianism, which is certainly observable, historically, in the Maldives.…”

“…Theorising small states and their limited scope for internal opposition, Misra (2004b: 134) envisages a large extended family, with members linked together in multiple ways that bolster authoritarianism, which is certainly observable, historically, in the Maldives. However, while it seems correct to characterise the Maldives as ‘perhaps the most homogeneous’ of all South Asian states, Misra (2004a: 129) overlooks the internal power struggles of the Maldives when he depicts ‘a singular nation where there is no dispute over racial traits, ethnicity, religion and collective memory. Secure in its identity, it has been able to cope effortlessly with various internal and external challenges as compared with others’.…”

“…Secure in its identity, it has been able to cope effortlessly with various internal and external challenges as compared with others’. It seems premature to assume insularity as a watertight tool to preserve internal unity and to argue that the Maldives, like Bhutan, did not face internal threats to their sovereignty (Misra, 2004b: 136).…”