Manifest Destiny in Antarctica
Manifest Destiny in Antarctica refers to a philosophy that the Federated States of Antarctica should expand to or claim the entire Antarctic continent. It is based on a 19th century term to designate the belief that the United States was destined, even divinely ordained, to expand across the North American continent, from the Atlantic seaboard to the Pacific Ocean.
Manifest Destiny Proposals
There is a political ideology within the Federated States that the country should seek sovereignty of the entire Antarctic continent. The Sprocket Party is the main proponent of this ideal. The other major party, the Communist Party of Antarctica, opposes manifest destiny.
Arguments for Manifest Destiny
The Federated States is a small, disparate micronation made up of a constellation of what amount to city-states. These enclaves are completely surrounded in most cases by territory claimed by other nations and micronations. If the Antarctic Treaty were ever to be dissolved, the Federated States would be at a particular disadvantage and possibly even invaded by claimnant states. The push for control of the entire continent is the only way to protect the Federation's security and sovereignty, and therefore its future.
Arguments against Manifest Destiny
It is unlikely that the Antarctic Treaty would ever be dissolved, due mostly to the thorny issue of the British, Chilean, and Argentine claims, which overlap each other. Each of these countries are equally passionate about their respective claims and dissolution of the treaty could lead to war. The Antarctic Treaty provides a window of opportunity for micronations and the Antarctic continent is large enough for anyone who wants to settle there.
Current Position of the Federated States of Antarctica
Currently, the Federated States is under the philosophy that no one nation owns Antarctica and that the Antarctic Treaty is a force of international law that cannot be ignored. Seven nations have claims in the region. Two of those claims (Argentina and Chile) are considered integral parts of their respective nations and laws in those nations prohibit the publication of maps that do not show Antarctic claims. In addition, there are several micronations that exist on the Antarctic continent that the Federation recognizes as sovereign independent nations. These nations include Finismund, Flandrensis, Keep Watch, and Marie State. There are others as well.
The Antarctic Treaty
The Antarctic Treaty, signed in 11959, governs activities on the Antarctic continent. It prohibits military activities, new territorial claims, and also prohibits nations from enforcing or asserting their existing claims. It demands that the continent be used for peaceful purposes. The treaty allows, in an indirect way, for micronations to exist in Antarctica. The Antarctic Treaty is considered constitutional law in the Federated States.
Other Micronations
The Federated States is a member of the Antarctic Micronational Agreement Group (GAMA). As such, it fully recognizes the sovereignty of all other member nations. However, the Federation is also guided by the Antarctic Treaty principle that no new territorial claims can be made. Therefore, micronations that claim large sectors of territory, such as Finismund, Marie State, and Keep Watch are in violation of the Treaty, as is Westarctica (a micronation that the Federation does not recognize).