Powers and Borders SG1 Flashcards
Define State
An independent country with clear political borders and a government
Define Sovereignty
The government has the power to make laws, defend its borders and make policies
Define Sovereign State
An independent country run by a single government which exercises its power over its population and territory
What are five features of a typical sovereign state?
Internationally recognised territory, Sovereignty, A government recognised by other states and the UN, Engagement in formal international relations, A population with the right to self-determination
Why is the UK an example of a confusing sovereign state?
There is a leading government of the UK, but Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales all have their own governments as well
Define Nation
A large group of people connected by a similar culture, language, history, etc.
Define Nation State
A state that rules over a nation e.g. Iceland, Japan
What is an example of a nation without a state?
Kurdistan
What makes Kurdistan a stateless nation?
They have a shared culture, history, etc. but don’t have a country with clear borders and a government
What are four features of a nation?
A group of people with strong sense of unity, Evolves over time, Can be without a fixed territory, Can have psychological/moral/spiritual/emotional authority
What are six features of a state?
Defined territory, Independent and self-governed, Government recognised by other states, Legal responsibility for the welfare and security of its people. Actively created and maintained, May have UN membership
Define Territorial Integrity
The territory of a sovereign state is defined by its borders, which can’t be broken, disrespected or infringed
Define Westphalian Treaty
The norm whereby equality, sovereignty and territorial integrity for all states in Europe was created, named after the Peace of Westphalia in 1648
Define Norms
Moral principals, customs and ways of living which are universally accepted as standard behaviour
What is territorial integrity enshrined in?
The Charter of the UN (and it is an important part of international law)
Define Self-Determination
The actions by which a country decides its own forms of statehood and government
Define State Apparatus
The organisations and institutions which allow a state to have strong and effective sovereignty, and through which state power is exercised
Define International Border
Geographical boundary of a sovereign state, defined and recognised by international law, and identified on the political map of the world
Define International Law
Body of law that governs international relations between states or nations. This provides the framework for the obligations of states to be maintained e.g. treatment of refugees, trade, regulations of global commons
Define Resilience
The degree to which an area can recover from the impacts of a hazard
Define Territory
Extent of land under the jurisdiction of a sovereign state
What can state apparatus affect?
The states ability to exploit resources, involve itself in international trade and gain access to supply chains
What is the degree of resilience of a state measure by?
The Fragile States Index
What does the Fragile States Index aim to assess?
A states resilience to conflict to collapse
Will a country with less resilience have a high or low state fragility index?
High (and poor quality state apparatus)
Define Geopolitics
The global balance of political power and international relations, The influence of human and physical geography on government activities, law making and decision making
