Right to exist
The right to exist is a concept in political philosophy and international relations referring to the claimed attribute or right of a state (or nation) to maintain its existence, sovereignty, and political independence. In his 1882 essay "What Is a Nation? ", French philosopher Ernest Renan argued that a nation possesses the right to exist so long as its members demonstrate a willingness to make sacrifices for the community it represents, describing it as a "daily plebiscite." Unlike the right to self-determination, which applies to peoples, the right to exist is generally understood as an attribute of established states.