Inter-state Cooperation and National Integration

                        Most states at certain stages in their national development are confronted with the crises of national integration. Countries like Britain, France, Italy, the USA and many others are faced with these problems of national integration at certain periods of their political development. In some of these problems of national integration sometimes led to civil wars. The internal crisis of the U.S.A between 1820 and 1861 between the southern states and the rest of the USA. It is usually  during  the transitional  phase  of political  development  that   the problems  of national  integration  become  most  acute. This is because  during  this time  there  are revolutionary  changes  in the functions  and structures of the  political system which are coupled  with  profound  changes  in the  prestige  and power  position of different  social  groups within the  polity. In a transitional  system there  is an absence  of a  well  articulated  strong  central  value  system  commonly  shared  by all  the people. Further more, there  is a  constant reshuffling  of complex  problems   produced by  economic  growth  and political modernization and  this tends  to generate  integration problems.

                      New network  of organization structures and  information flow  have  to be  woven  into  the coalescing  of the social  system  to pattern and channel  energy  conversion to pattern  and  channel  energy conversion so as  to contribute effectively  to the developmental  goals  of the  political  system. This  is very  essential  in order  to ensure  the  survival  of the  system and  this vital  process   is involved  in any  process  of national  integration. The problem of national integration  are  much  more acute  and  pronounced  in a country  with  diverse  nationalities  or ethic  groups. In this  situation, national  integration attempts  to shift or transfer the loyalties , expectation  and  political   activities of the  political  actors in these  several  distinct tribal  groups  towards a new  centre.  National integration exists in various countries of the world in varying degrees. The higher  the degree  of integration the stronger  the national  unity and social  cohesion and  the greater  the national  crisis, tensions  and  conflicts within  the society. National  integration is measured  by the   degree  to  which  a number  of subjects could  be discussed and  transmitted  by the  members of  the society without distortion. National  integration  therefore refers  to the  progressive  reduction of cultural  and regional  tensions and  discontinuities  in the process of creating  a relatively homogenous  territorial  political  community. It is  the process  of bringing  together diverse  tribal groups of divergent  cultural  patterns  into  a single  political  system  and the establishment  of a   national  identity  and a deep  spirit  of national  devotion.