Year
2010
Volume
4
Number
1
Page
145
Language
English
Court
Reference
I. GODDEERIS, “Non-State Actors in Exile: Benefits and Disadvantages of Legitimacy Claims ”, HRILD 2010, nr. 1, 145-161
Recapitulation
This article explores the role of exiles and their political activities, reflecting on the impact of one of their major features and/or strategies: legitimacy claims. Many exiles organised themselves in national committees or in governments in exile and claimed to represent the exile community and/or the whole nation. This article analyzes to what extent this contributed to the efficiency of their activities. On the one hand, exiles' major ambitions and goals are defined and subsequently checked to what extent legitimacy provided a crucial or less crucial contribution in achieving them. On the other hand, the conclusions are further illustrated by means of an example of an exile group enjoying a broad recognition as a legal representative: the Coordinating Office Abroad of the Polish trade union Solidarno??.