Spain’s authoritarian streak is being emulated by countries such as Turkey, whose government has justified the removal of Kurdish elected officials by saying that it was simply following Spain’s lead, and China, which has argued that the police violence in Catalonia legitimizes its crackdown on protesters in Hong Kong.

This undemocratic model of dealing with border disputes or independence movements sets a precedent that will inflame territorial problems around the world, validating institutional violence against minorities.

Catalonia’s 2017 referendum is a critical reminder of the importance of borders and the sovereignty of smaller states and autonomous regions in our modern world. Instead of enabling a lust for control, maintaining and updating our borders should be an exercise in democracy and decentralization, empowering marginalized populations by overturning boundaries that history has imposed on them.

A small country like Denmark, with a population of 7.7 million, can govern itself effectively without being swallowed by its larger neighbors. Catalonia, with a population of 7.5 million, would be better off as an independent state under the umbrella of the European Union.

Smaller states have more reasons than big ones to be peaceful and open to trade. Without an internal market on which to rely, small states must maintain good relations with their neighbors and partners around the world. It’s no coincidence that in Denmark and Sweden, even unions tend to support free trade agreements. And among the world’s 10 most prosperous and democratic countries, at least half have populations under 10 million and are global champions for human rights. They are concerned less with controlling territory than with improving the lives of their citizens.

To help regions like Catalonia find security and independence, we can look to the examples set by Britain and Canada. Allowing two referendums in Quebec, as Canada did in 1980 and 1995, or organizing a vote like the one Britain agreed to in Scotland in 2014, is not only proof of democracy at work, but also a primer for countries around the world on how fights over territory must be resolved.

Citizens should be at the forefront of redefining our world’s borders. If they can choose their own future, states that gain independence through nonviolent and democratic means will pave the way for liberal democracy to flourish around the world.