Final answer:
Safeguards that can eliminate or reduce threats to independence include international agreements, reductions in trade barriers, separation of powers, and measures taken to ensure national security.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking about safeguards that can eliminate or reduce threats to independence. In the context of international relations, one example of such safeguards is international agreements. These agreements can serve as a political counterweight to domestic special interests, preventing stronger protectionist measures that may compromise a nation's independence.
Reductions in tariffs, quotas, and other trade barriers are also safeguards that can promote independence by allowing people to be more aware of what is available in the rest of the world.
Another safeguard is the separation of powers principle, which can protect the rights of minority groups. When an independent judiciary has the power of judicial review, it can ensure that the actions of the government and other branches of power are in line with the constitution, thus safeguarding the independence of the judiciary.
Finally, measures taken to ensure national security can also be seen as safeguards for independence. Using diplomacy to rally allies and isolate threats, marshaling economic power, and maintaining effective armed forces are examples of such measures that help protect a nation's independence.