Protectorate

Introduction to Protectorate

Protectorate, in international law, relationship between two states in which the stronger state guarantees to protect the weaker one from external aggression or internal disturbance in return for full or partial control over its foreign and domestic affairs. This relationship is established by treaty between the states concerned; usually the extent and character of the protectorate are outlined in the treaty. No matter how great the right of interference-and in some cases it may be tantamount to virtual control-the protected state retains its nominal sovereignty, thus differing from a colony (see Colonies and Colonialism) or a mandated territory (see Mandate).

With the growth of modern nation-states, many small, autonomous political units placed themselves under the protection of a more powerful state, as Trieste did with Austria in 1382. Particularly during the 19th century many European powers used the protectorate to control territories that, for diplomatic reasons such as fear of war with other powers, they were unwilling or unable to incorporate bodily into their growing colonial empires. See Imperialism; International Law.” (1)

Protectorate(s)

Embracing mainstream international law, this section on protectorate(s) explores the context, history and effect of the area of the law covered here.

Resources

Further Reading

• The entry “protectorate(s)” in the Parry and Grant Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law (currently, the Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law, 2009), Oxford University Press

Resources

Notes and References

• Information about Protectorate in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia

Guide to Protectorate

Spanish Translation of protectorate

This is the legal translation of English to Spanish in relation to protectorate and / or a definition of this topic: Protectorado (in Spanish, without translation of the dictionary entry).