Why Some Nations Remained Independent: A Thematic Framework for Resilient Nations

This chapter develops a framework of resilient nations, which provides a tool for examining why and how some nations were able to defeat, overcome or maneuver around imperialist and colonialist activities to retain their independence. Drawing upon eight country case studies (Japan, Mongolia, Thailand, Bhutan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Iran, Ethiopia), this chapter aims to identify common variables and group these into two overarching categories: agency-driven strategies and intrinsic factors. Agency-driven strategies include diplomatic maneuvering, strategic concessions, military resistance, isolationism, modernization, and the utilization or cultivation of national identity while intrinsic factors included geopolitical status, geography, strategy and economics as well as how they were leveraged to increase resilience. Using a comparative case study approach, we develop a co-occurrence matrix to advance our understanding of resilient nations. Rather than focusing on the enablers of colonialism or the power of empires, this chapter centers the agency of resilient nations and their strategies to resist imperial domination. We conclude the chapter by critically reflecting on existing theories, such as the explanatory power of buffer status or geography and argue for a more nuanced assessment that is rooted in national agency and the domestic agency-driven aspects of resilience building.