传统上承认新国家的国际法学说主要有“构成说”和“宣告说”；西方学者在最近提出的“为制裁而承认的理论”认为，如果承认那些从其母国寻求独立的实体为新国家可对母国实施的侵犯人权作为一种有效的制裁，甚或分离实体和其母国的恶行之间没有任何联系，只要不会恶化世界局势，国际社会就应该这样做。近年来的科索沃、南苏丹等案例表明，该理论对于不干涉内政、尊重国家主权和领土完整等国际法原则构成了严重冲击。
The recognition in international law differs heavily both in theory and in practice.Neither Constitutive Theory nor Declaratory Theory can win both ends.Other opinions disappeared historically.The cases of Kosovo，South Sudan，Somaliland，Chechnya and the other secessionist entities discussed in this Article simply show that the international community has behaved in ways that are quite consistent with the sanction theory of recognition in many cases，and that many of the considerations driving the sanction theory of recognition appear to be driving the actual recognition decisions made by the international community.In addition to these cases，international practice and international law appear to be generally compatible with the adoption of sanction theory of recognition with only minor modification.The new theory of recognition connected recognition and human rights，and thus become a new theory weapon for Western States’ humanitarian intervention.But it served for their own interest，old wine in new bottle，in essence.
