"The idea that you surrender your identity when you relinquish national powers is unhelpful. No, indeed, precisely the opposite is the case: if done in an intelligent way, you attain the sovereignty to better solve national problems in cooperation with others"

Ulrich Beck’s assertion challenges the often deep-seated belief that a nation loses its core identity or sense of self by ceding powers to a supranational entity or cooperating extensively beyond its borders. The customary narrative suggests that sovereignty is a delicate, zero-sum possession: any dilution of exclusive national authority is seen as tantamount to a surrender of identity or a weakening of political autonomy. Beck, however, overturns this view and proposes a more dynamic and constructive concept of sovereignty.

Identity, as Beck implies, is not inherently tethered to isolated, absolute control or to the protectionist division of political powers. Instead, identity can be reinforced and even deepened through intelligent collaboration. The act of sharing certain competencies and decision-making responsibilities with other nations can be a genuinely empowering process, provided it is pursued thoughtfully. Far from diminishing the nation, this yields greater capability for problem solving, security, and prosperity, elements that feed back into a community’s shared sense of purpose and belonging.

National problems, whether economic instability, climate change, terrorism, or pandemics, are frequently cross-border in nature, defying purely domestic solutions. An insistence on absolute autonomy often hampers effective responses, trapping nations within their limitations. By choosing to cooperate, by “relinquishing” some measure of national power in a calculated and reasonable manner, countries strengthen their ability to address these challenges. This is not a loss, but a strategic gain. The nation’s voice and interests can become more influential in a wider forum; the identity is no longer threatened but enabled to thrive in a global setting.

Beck’s perspective invites a reimagining of sovereignty and identity as flexible, context-sensitive, and collaborative. True sovereignty and robust national identity emerge not from isolation, but from the confidence and wisdom to engage openly and collectively with the world. This is a vision that redefines power: not as control, but as capacity to achieve together what cannot be achieved alone.