New borders gave some peoples independence, but mixed populations made it difficult to satisfy every national group.
Self-determination means that a people should have a say in its political future. The collapse of empires made new or restored states possible. Poland regained independence after its lands had been divided between Germany, Russia and Austria-Hungary. Czechoslovakia was created from lands of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Peacemakers wanted to create nation-states, where people sharing a national identity could govern themselves. This was difficult because different communities often lived in the same area. A new border could leave a minority, a smaller national or ethnic group, inside a state governed mainly by another group.
Security and economic needs also shaped borders. Poland needed access to the sea, but its corridor separated East Prussia from the rest of Germany. Czechoslovakia contained substantial German-speaking communities. Some groups gained independence while others remained dissatisfied.
Colonised peoples outside Europe did not generally receive the same independence. Self-determination was applied unevenly, and later nationalists used these grievances. Remember that Versailles was only one peace treaty: separate treaties dealt with Austria, Hungary and other defeated states.
Worked example: A border solves one problem and creates another
The restored Polish state received a route to the Baltic Sea.
- For Poland, sea access supported trade and the practical independence of the new state.
- For Germany, the corridor separated East Prussia from the rest of the country and became a grievance.
- Explain why both facts can be true. A border's effect depends on which group and which aim you are examining.
Watch out for this
Self-determination meant every language group received its own state.
Mixed populations, security concerns, economic needs and imperial interests limited the principle's application.
Check your understanding
What does the Polish corridor show about the settlement?
- Every new border made all communities equally satisfied.
- Restoring Poland was unrelated to the end of empires.
- One decision could support a state's independence and leave another state dissatisfied.