Global Politics Introduction

Question 1

What is an authoritarian state?

Answer 1

A governmental or political system where individual freedom is completely subordinate to the power or authority of the state, centred in one person or a small group not constitutionally accountable to the people.

Question 2

What is an autocratic state?

Answer 2

A state that is ruled by a single person with unlimited power.

Question 3

What is colonisation?

Answer 3

The process of establishing control over foreign territories or peoples for the purpose of exploitation and possibly settlement.

Question 4

What is cultural power?

Answer 4

Power based on the influence of a country via media, food, language, and beliefs.

Question 5

What is dependency theory?

Answer 5

Emphasises structural imbalances within capitalism that impose dependency on poorer states.

Question 6

What is a democratic state?

Answer 6

A state in which citizens have rights and freedoms and are able to vote for their leaders.

Question 7

What is diplomatic power?

Answer 7

Power based on the ability of a country to influence others due to its status in international bodies and how others consider the state.

Question 8

What is economic power?

Answer 8

Power based on the size of a country’s GDP and wealth.

Question 9

What is an empire?

Answer 9

An extensive group of states or countries ruled over by a single monarch, an oligarchy, or a sovereign state.

Question 10

What is an emerging power?

Answer 10

A state that is considered to be rising, primarily in economic power and influence.

Question 11

What is the End of History?

Answer 11

The view that post the collapse of the Soviet Union, states shared the same values and aims.

Question 12

What is a failed state?

Answer 12

A state that is unable to operate as a viable political unit.

Question 13

What is G7(8)/G20?

Answer 13

Organisation of the richest states in the world.

Question 14

What is global governance?

Answer 14

Broad and complex process of decision making at a global level.

Question 15

What is globalisation?

Answer 15

Emergence of a complex web of interconnectedness in many forms.

Question 16

What is a great power?

Answer 16

A state that is recognised as having the ability and expertise to exert its influence on a global scale.

Question 17

What is hard power?

Answer 17

The use of military and economic means to influence the behaviour or interests of other political bodies.

Question 18

What is the international rules based order?

Answer 18

Concept of international relations based on capitalist, liberal democratic values.

Question 19

What is the international state system?

Answer 19

The global system of the organisation of countries/nation states around the world.

Question 20

What is liberalism in international relations?

Answer 20

The view that the state system relies on cooperation and mutual respect and rights, linked to socialism and liberalism.

Question 21

What is military power?

Answer 21

Power based on the size of army, navy, air force and the ability to challenge others.

Question 22

What is a nation state?

Answer 22

An autonomous political community held together by citizenship and nationality.

Question 23

What is natural resource power?

Answer 23

Power based on the resources a country has, such as oil, minerals, coal, metals, etc.

Question 24

What is a non-democratic state?

Answer 24

A state that lacks the central characteristics of a democratic state.

Question 25

What are non-state actors?

Answer 25

Participants in international relations with significant power and influence, which are not states.

Question 26

What is the North-South divide?

Answer 26

Global socio-economic and political divide.

Question 27

What is political globalisation?

Answer 27

Growing importance of international organisations.

Question 28

What is population power?

Answer 28

Power based on the number of people living in a country.

Question 29

What is a rogue state?

Answer 29

A state that has a foreign policy that poses a threat to other states.

Question 30

What is realism in international relations?

Answer 30

The view that self-interest and hard power motivate states, linked to conservatism as an ideology.

Question 31

What is the rule of law?

Answer 31

The concept that all states and people have to obey the same laws.

Question 32

What is regional power?

Answer 32

The level of power based in a specific area surrounding the nation state.

Question 33

What is the Security Council?

Answer 33

The United Nations’ most powerful body, with primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.

Question 34

What is smart power?

Answer 34

A combination of soft power with the threat of hard power.

Question 35

What is soft power?

Answer 35

The ability to attract and co-opt and to shape the preferences of others through appeal and attraction.

Question 36

What is sovereignty?

Answer 36

Absolute and unlimited power and authority.

Question 37

What is structural power?

Answer 37

Power based on positions held in international bodies.

Question 38

What is a superpower?

Answer 38

A state with a dominant position in international relations, characterised by its unparalleled ability to exert influence or project power on a global scale.

Question 39

What is the United Nations?

Answer 39

Organisation created in 1945, following the Second World War, to promote international co-operation and to prevent another such conflict.

Question 40

What is the Westphalian state system?

Answer 40

Principle in international law that each state has exclusive sovereignty over its territory, based on the 1648 treaty.

Question 41

What is world government?

Answer 41

Idea of a common political authority with legislative and executive power over states.