Unit 4 - Political Patterns & Processes Flashcards
Antecedent Boundary
pre-existing; drawn before the cultural landscape emerged & before a large pop was present (ex: 49th parallel between US & Canada)
balkanization
a political process by which a state may break up into smaller countries
buffer state
a relatively small country sandwiched between two larger power. The existence of buffer states may help to prevent dangerous conflicts between the powerful countries.
centrifugal forces
forces that divide countries
centripetal forces
forces that unite countries
colonialism
the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically
Commonwealth of Independent States
Confederacy of independent states of the former Soviet Union that have untied because of their common economic and administrative needs
compact states
a state that possesses a roughly circular, oval, or rectangular territory in which the distance from the geometric center is relatively equal in all directions [ex: Kenya, Uganda)
confederation
a form of an international org that brings several autonomous states together for a common purpose
democratization
the process of establishing representative and accountable forms of gov led by popularly elected officials
devolution
the transfer of power from central government to a local area
domino theory
the idea that political destabilization in one country can lead to collapses of political stability in neighboring countries, starting a chain reaction of collapse
east/west divide
geographic separation between the largely democratic and free-market countries of western Europe, and the Americas from the communist and socialist countries of Eastern Europe & Asia
electoral college
a certain number of electors from each state proportional to and seemingly representative of that state’s population. Each elector chooses a candidate, believing they are representing their constituency’s choice.
electoral vote
the choice expresses collectively by the electoral college to determine the president & vp of the US
elongated state
a state whose territory is long and narrow in shape (ex Chile)
enclaves
any small and relatively homogenous group or region surrounded by another larger and different group or region
European Union
an international & supranational organization comprising Western European countries to promote free trade among members
Exclaves
a bounded territory that is part of a particular state but is separated from it by the territory of a different state [Alaska, Hawaii]
federalism
a system of gov in which power is distributed among certain geographical territories rather than concentrated within a central gov
fragmented state
broken state; separated parts
frontier
an area where borders are shifting & weak & where peoples of different cultures or nationalities meet and lay claim to the land
geometric boundaries
political boundaries that are defined and delimited by straight lines
gerrymandering - give 2 ways to do this as well
the designation of voting districts so as to favor a particular political party or candidate; one way to do this is by packing as many ppl who are likely supporters of the rival political group into a single district so they only win one instead of several & another is to spread the votes over several districts so their votes get wasted
heartland theory
proposed by Halford Mackinder that held that any political power based in the heart of Eurasia could gain enough strength to eventually dominate the world
imperialism
Forceful extension of a nation’s authority by conquest or by establishing economic and political domination of other nations that aren’t it’s colonies
irredentism
a political movement that is strongly tied to nationalism. It is a political movement that intends to reunite a nation or reclaim a lost territory.
landlocked state
a state that is completely surrounded by the land of other states, which gives it a disadvantage in terms of accessibility to and from international trade routes
law of the sea
law establishing states’ rights and responsibilities concerning the ownership & use of the earth’s seas & oceans & their resources
lebensraum
Hitler’s expansionist theory based on a drive to acquire living space for the German people
microstate
a state or territory that is small in both population and area
nation
tightly-knit group of people that share a common lang, ethnicity, religion, and other cultural attributes
nation-state
a country whose population possesses a substantial degree of cultural homogeneity and unity
North American Free Trade Agreement
an agreement signed on Jan 1, 1994, that allows the opening of borders between the US, Mexico & Canada
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
An international organization of member states that joined together for military purposes
north/south divide
the economic division between the wealthy countries of Europe & North America, Japan & Australia and the generally poorer countries of Asia, Africa & Latic America
organic theory
the view that states resemble biological organisms with life cycles that include stages of youth, maturity & old age
perforated state
a state whose territory completely surrounds that of another state [ex: Italy]
popular vote
the tally of each individual’s vote within a given geo area
prorupted state
a state that exhibits a narrow, elongated land extension leading away from the main territory [thailand]
rectangular state
a state whose territory is rectangular in shape
redistricting
the drawing of new electoral district boundary lines in response to population changes
relic boundaries
boundaries that used to exist & can still be detected on the landscape (ex: Great Wall of China & Berlin Wall)
rimland theory
Nicholas Spykman’s theory that the domination of the coastal fringes of Eurasia would provide the base for world conquest
self-determination
the right of a nation to govern itself autonomously
shatter belt
a region of persistent political fragmentation due to devolution and centrifugal forces (ex: Southeast Asia is between East & West)
state
a politically organized territory that is administered by a sovereign gov and is recognized by the international community
stateless nation
a group of people with a common political identity who do not have a territorially defined, sovereign country of their own [ex: Palestanians]
states’ rights
rights and powers believed to be in the authority of the states rather than the federal gov
subsequent boundary
set after the settlements of different groups meet in acceptance to their culture (ex: the boundary between Northern Ireland & the Republic of Ireland was drawn long
superimposed boundary
boundary line drawn in an area ignoring the existing cultural pattern; forced onto people by outside powers (ex: experience of Native Americans in the US, political boundaries of states were superimposed on the indigenous communities)
supranational organization
organization of 3+ states to promote shared objectives
territorial dispute
any dispute over land ownership
territorial organization
a political organization that distributes political power in more easily governed units of land [division of land]
theocracy
controlled by religion, show the impact of culture, shows political systems as a driving force behind the country’s systems
unitary state
a state governed constitutionally as a unit, little or no local power
United Nations
a global supranational organization established at the end of WW2 to foster international security and cooperation
consequent boundaries
when boundary lines coincide with cultural boundaries (ex: Mormons in Utah are clustered in an area which creates a cultural boundary within the political boundaries of Utah)
defined boundaries
established by a legal document
delimited boundaries
drawn on a map & agreed by both sides about where to put it
demarcated boundaries
identified by physical objects, like walls, signs & fences
natural boundaries
based on physical features such as rivers, mountains, and coastlines (ex: the border of Arkansas is formed along the Mississippi River)
militarized boundary
guarded, hard to pass thru (ex: borders of North Korea–38th parallel is impossible to cross without military or elite clearance)
open boundary
the crossing can be done freely (ex: EU)
Autonomous regions
a territory operates independently of larger state [for the most part] (Nunavut, Native American reservations)
semi-autonomous regions
have partial local control (Kurdistan)
participatory governments
the people participate in the operations of the state through voting
democracy gov
majority rules – the people vote either directly or they elect representatives to vote on their behalf
republic gov
reps are chosen by the people to vote on their behalf. Majority votes decide major legislation, but minority rights are protected by a Constitution (US IS REPUBLIC)
constitutional monarchy
the monarch is a figurehead & a diplomat (foreign relations), but the head of gov is elected (ex: UK or Denmark)
authoritative gov
power rests with one individual or a small group of individuals
dictatorships
rises to power thru force (ex: Iraq under Saddam Hussein, Cuba under Fidel Castro)
totalitarian dictatorship
the dictator (and advisors) control all aspects of life within the state – politics, economics, culture, etc. (ex: North Korea)
absolute monarchy
hereditary right to power (born into the crown), functions as a dictatorship (ex: Saudi Arabia)
coup d’état
the overthrow of an existing gov by non-democratic means; typically, it is an illegal, unconstitutional seizure of power by a dictator, the military, or a political faction
neocolonialism
the use of econ, political, cultural, or other pressures to control or influence other countries, especially former colonies.
satellite state
a country that is formally independent in the world, but under heavy political, economic, and military influence or control from another country (ex: Poland, Romania, etc)
choke points
narrow crossing that is easily controlled (ex: Straight of Gibraltar, Panama canal)
demilitarized zones
an area in which treaties or agreements between nations, military powers, or contending groups forbid military installations, activities, or personnel. It often lies along an established frontier boundary or border between two or more military powers or alliances. (ex: North Korea, Israel, Syria, etc)
Berlin Conference of 1884
AKA “Scramble for Africa” – a meeting of European powers to regulate European colonization & trade in Africa during the New Imperialism period.
UNCLOS [ United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ]
defined the rights of coastal countries (those with ocean access) in regards to these oceanic territorial claims
frontier boundary
a typically wide swath of unpopulated area that acts as a buffer between two rival states, usually have rough geo landscapes
Impact of political boundaries
contributes to national identity, encourage or discourage interactions, allocation of resources
inclusionary borders
encourage interaction between adjacent states, little to no attempt to impede entrance into the state from the adjacent state
exclusionary borders
try to stop entrance into the state from the adjacent state (ex: walls, borders)
coastal state
a country in which at least a portion of their border is an ocean, which provides access to the sea for trade & economic activity
Landlocked state
a country completely surrounded by other countries and therefore has no coastline or ports to access the sea
territorial seas
12-mile zone extending beyond the coastline (referred to as the maritime delimitation) [ships of other countries have right of passage]
contiguous zone
beyond the territorial sea (up to 24 miles from the coastline)
difference between territorial seas & contiguous zones
there is no automatic international agreement in place for the protection of the contiguous zones–if there is a conflict between two countries, they have to deal with it themselves
international waters
begins outside of each coastal state’s 12 nautical mile territorial zone, referred to as “high seas”
exclusive economic zone (EEZ)
200 nautical miles beyond the state’s coastline & country has sole claim to these waters and the sea bed contained within the 200 mile EEZ to use for their economic purposes (fishing, mineral extraction, etc)
median line principle
sets the boundary for the territorial sea & EEZ if states are less than 400 nautical miles apart (middle point)
south china sea dispute
The sea has in recent years become a flashpoint for tensions between China and other nations which claim sovereignty over two largely uninhabited island chains, the Paracels and the Spratlys. China claims the largest portion of territory, saying its rights go back centuries.
south china sea dispute
The sea has in recent years become a flashpoint for tensions between China and other nations which claim sovereignty over two largely uninhabited island chains, the Paracels and the Spratlys. China claims the largest portion of territory, saying its rights go back centuries.
federal states
division of power between central & local gov; hierarchical gov structure (multiple states, counties, and cities within each county) [ex: United States, Germany, Mexico)
unitary states
strong central gov (limited local govs) [ex: UK (parliamentary system), China (communist gov)]
pros of unitary govs
- centripetal impact (reduces the potential for separatist movements)
- efficiency of implementing laws/gov services
- efficiency in disaster response
- fewer tax/gov agencies
cons of unitary govs
- disconnect between central gov & some regions [minorities, isolated local areas]
- domination of politics by predominant culture/ethnic group
- exclusion of marginalized groups [standardization @ state-level diminishes local cultures & customs]
- possible slow response to local issues, such as natural disasters, infrastructure issues, or needed public services
confederate system
strong local gov, limited power in central gov (ex: Switzerland, US under the Articles of Confederation, The Confederate States of America, EU)
confederate system
strong local gov, limited power in central gov (ex: Switzerland, US under the Articles of Confederation, The Confederate States of America, EU)
texas legislature
has its own constitution, the executive branch (governor), judicial branch (court system) and bicameral legislature [senate: 31 single-member districts & texas house - 150 single-member districts]
The Great Compromise of 1787
Provided for a bicameral congress. 1. House of Reps - each state is rep according to its population (satisfied the Virginia Plan) 2. Senate - each state has 2 senators (satisfies the NJ plan & both houses of Congress must pass every law)
Virginia Plan
called for a bicameral legislature in which the number of reps in each house would depend on the pop of the state
New Jersey Plan
called for a unicameral legislature in which every state received one vote
re-apportionment
the re-distribution of seats in the House of Reps that occurs following each census
devolutionary forces
physical geo (can isolate places), political eco, ethnic separatism, ethnic cleansing (ex: Trail of Tears), genocide, terrorism, uneven economic divisions, social divisions (apartheid), irredentism
results of devolution
- Fragmentation into autonomous/semi-autonomous regions (ex: Spain, Canada, Belgium, Nigeria) 2. Disintegration of states [failed states, formation of newly independent states] (ex: South Sudan, Former Soviet Union)
state morphology impacts
cultural impacts - isolation & divergence & political impacts - separatist movements & irredentism & economic impacts - unequal economic development, resource rich/poor compared to rest of state, limited integration to economy
state morphology
study of how a state’s shape can affect its culture, politics, economy, and overall wellbeing
globalization
the process by which businesses or other organizations develop international influence or start operating on an international scale
transnational corporation
any business that undertakes foreign direct investment, owns or controls income-gathering assets in more than one country, produces goods or services outside its country of origin, or engages in international production
direct foreign investment
the person or group who owns/controls the company is controlling it from outside of the country. profits go back to the business owner (which means they leave the country)
supranationalism
transfer of power from the national to the supranational level (opposite of devolution)
supranational organization
an international group or union in which the power & influence of member states transcend national boundaries or interest to share in decision making & vote on issues concerning the collective body. (Ex: EU & World Trade Organization)
World Trade Organization (WTO)
an intergovernmental organization that is concerned with the regulation of international trade between member states
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
an economic & political intergovernmental organization that promotes a more integrated economy
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
formed 1949 with 11 original members & is an intergovernmental military alliance between 29 North American & European countries created following WW2.
Warsaw Pact
a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland,
between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist republics of Central
and Eastern Europe in May 1955, during the Cold War. It officially disbanded at the end of the Cold War (1991) as the USSR devolved into independent states and the communist regimes of the former
satellite states were overthrown (mostly peacefully, though sometimes not) and
replaced with more democratic governments.
Domino Theory
a geopolitical theory that posits that a political event in one the country will cause similar events in neighboring countries, like a falling domino
causing an entire row of upended dominoes to fall. The US (and NATO) applied this theory to mean that if communism spread from the USSR to one country (such as China, etc), it would then spread to the next, and then the next…
Containment
the official foreign policy of the United States and its allies (NATO) to prevent the spread of communism outside of the Soviet Union and the existing communist countries in the 1940s
problems that come with stateless nations
don’t have recognition, could act out in violence, and CAUSE CONFLICT
benefits of increased sovereignty for natives
they can live their life how they want to
cons of increased sovereignty for natives
the government can take over if they feel it will benefit the US
theocracy example
India-Pakistan Kashmir Border [muslims live in India while Indians live in Pakistan, which causes a lot of violence]
country
AKA state, composed of multiple nations
nations
people with a common identity (Israel)
nation-state
defined sovereign state with pop that is ethnically, racially, or religiously homogenous
multinational state
Canada with 2 official languages
congressional districts are redrawn after every _____ to reflect changes in the population
census
how does the lingering history of colonialism affect contemporary countries?
The legacy is colonizing forces is still present in the language, religion, or administrative systems
