Advocacy for secession, both in America and abroad, is often scoffed at as unrealistic. Yet, far from an impossible goal, secession has happened much in history.

In a new editorial, political commentator Patrick J. Buchanan discusses some of the many secessions of the last few hundred years. He also addresses a few of the strong movements for secession across the word right now. And, as a note of caution for people eager to repress movements toward secession, Buchanan comments: “The peace of mankind in the 21st century may well depend upon our ability to accommodate this inexorable secessionist drive to some degree.”

Read Buchanan’s editorial here.

Reprinted with permission from the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.