Unit 4: Political Patterns & Processes Flashcards
A state refers to a country. List 4 of its characteristics.
- spatial extent
- permanent population
- defined borders
- sovereign gov. meaning no other gov. in the world can tell that gov. what to do
Nation
a unified group of ppl with a common culture.
- ex: the Kurds, the Navajo & the Roma or “Gypsies”
Nation-State
a state in which over 90% of the population is comprised of a specific culture or group of people
- tend to be small & somewhat isolated
- ex: Japan, Iceland
Heartlands (or core areas)
countries have core areas where economic development is usually the greatest.
Shape of Country: Compact
- round
- easy for defense & communication among all areas
- ex: Belgium, Poland, Bhutan, Hungary
Shape of Country: Prorupt or protruded
- round w/ a large extension (panhandle)
- increases access to resources such as water
- ex: Thailand, Myanmar (Burma)
Shape of Country: Elongated
- long, narrow
- difficult communications between areas
- ex: Chile, Italy, Vietnam, Argentina
Shape of Country: Fragmented
- 2 or more areas separated by another country or body of water
- difficult communications between areas
- ex: Philippines, Denmark, Indonesia, Malaysia
Shape of Country: Perforated
- totally surrounds another country
- ex: South Africa surrounds Lesotho; Italy surrounds Vatican City & San Marino
Shape of Country: Landlocked
- no access to water
- trade difficulties due to lack of ports
- ex: Bolivia, Laos, Rwanda, Serbia, Switzerland
- approx. 30% of the countries in Africa are landlocked as a result of the colonial era
Frontiers
empty or almost empty areas not controlled by any country
- ex: Antartica, Arabian Peninsula
Boundaries
are geometric w/ lines drawn during colonial times w/ no respect for ethnic divisions
Antecedent Boundary (very rare)
boundaries placed before the cultural landscape developed (in other words, very early in the area’s settlement history)
- ex: USA & Canada
Consequent Boundary
a kind of subsequent boundary that’s drawn to accommodate existing language, religious, or other cultural boundaries
- ex: India & Pakistan, Nunavut in Canada: in 1999, the Canadian gov. gave the province of Nunavut a lot more autonomy by giving them their own territory
Subsequent Boundary
drawn after the cultural landscape is in place
- many borders in Europe
Superimposed Boundary
boundaries forced by outsiders, ignoring local cultures
- ex: Borders in Africa created by European colonizers
Relic Boundaries
old boundaries that are no longer used between countries
- ex: the Great Wall of China, which was built during the 3rd century B.C as a defensive border to repel invading Mongols from the north
Disputes often arise over boundaries, define positional disputes.
occur when countries disagree about the interpretation of boundary documents
Irredentism
the situation arises when an ethnic group supports & seeks to reunite with its ethnic population in a neighboring country
Resource disputes
often occur as 2 countries dispute ownership of a natural resource that lies on the border.
- dispute over a rich oilfield on Iraq’s border w/ Kuwait was a major reason for Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990 or 1991 & the resulting Persian Gulf War.
Imperalism
the use of military threat, cultural domination & economic sanctions to gain control of a country & its resources
Colonialism
the actual practice of claiming territories & settling there to exert economic & social control
- ex: Spain colonizing South America, British colonizing South Asia
- today, many countries with multiethnic populations still suffer conflict bc of the superimposed boundaries placed by European colonial powers
Decolonization
the process by which former colonies gain their independence
Heartland Theory
- Developed by Halford Mackinder to justify European colonization.
- Heartland = core of Eurasia (Russia, Eastern Europe, Central Asia); Rimland = surrounding territories.
- Key idea: Control of the heartland leads to global dominance due to its land size, resources, and defensibility.
- Influenced European efforts to limit Russia’s expansion.
Rimland Theory
- Control of the Rimland (coastal Eurasia) is key to global power.
- Rimland is an economic & trade hub with major sea routes.
- Its strategic location makes it the pivot of world politics.
- Influenced policies like naval expansion and military action.
The Domino Theory
- Anti-communist theory shaping U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War (1950s–1990).
- If one country became communist, nearby countries would fall too — like dominoes.
- Led the U.S. to enter the Vietnam War to stop the spread of communism.
Terrorism
the use of violence in a controlled & intentional way to force attention onto issues.
- terrorist attacks are aimed at a population & not a particular person
Describe the concept of a sovereign country.
- has full control of its territory, including social, economic & political matters
- has the right to make decisions without the interference from other countries
- & it can defend itself from military threats, maintaining authority both politically & militarily
Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)
- NGOs reflect special interest groups such as women’s and children’s rights, AIDS prevention, etc.
- They often use the media to pressure the central governments of countries to take or limit action.
A federal state
a type of gov. that gives local political units, like states or provinces, power to govern themselves.
- ex: USA, Canada, Australia
- federal govs. are established bc a country’s pop. is heterogenous, or the country is geographically large
- laws & policies differ between jurisdictions
Unitary states
allocate most of the power to a strong central gov.
- ex: France, Sweden
- central gov. makes all laws
- laws & policies are applied uniformly throughout the country
- central gov. can create or abolish local gov. units
- unitary govs. are established bc a country’s pop. is homogenous & the country is geographically small
Devolution
the process of transferring some power from the central gov. to regional govs.
- often refers to the transfer of power that occurs when a state breaks up, when regions that were once unified in 1, central gov. gain power & sometimes, independence.
An exclave
a part of a country that’s separate from its main territory & enclosed within another country.
- EXclave = like an EX-member (separated but still part of the country)
Enclave
a piece of land completely surrounded by another country but not part of it
- ENclave = “ENclosed” (surrounded by another country)
List strong centripetal forces in a country.
- a strong, charismatic leader
- national anthems
- holidays
- institutions such as schools
List strong centrifugal forces in a country.
- religious differences
- poor transportation
- poor communication systems
can all be strong divisive forces within a country.
Nationalism
the strong love of & loyalty to one’s country which is also a potential unifying force.
- it can also serve to divide a country when an ethnic or a cultural minority seeks political autonomy or the right to self-governance.
- also involves the concept that a nation has the right to govern itself without the interference of others.
Separatism
the desire of a group of ppl within a country to break away & form their own independent state.
- separatist groups include: the Basques of Spains, the Kurds from Syria, Turkey, Iran, Iraq & the Sikhs of India
- often happens when the group has a distinct identity, such as different: culture, language, religion, ethnicity.
- separatist movement usually want more autonomy (self-rule) or complete independence bc they feel marginalized or diff. from the rest of the country.
Supranational organizations
entities where 3 or more countries form an alliance for cultural, economic, or military reasons to achieve goals they couldn’t reach independently.
- ex: NATO –> military
- Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
(OPEC) –> Oil Pricing Cartel - NAFTA –> Free-Trade Zone
- Organization of African Union (OAU) –> Regional Diplomacy
- World Bank and International Monetary
Fund (IMF) –> Government Loans
Alliances
associations among countries for the purpose of mutual defense or trade purposes.
- regional scale: Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
- international scale: the UN
Territorial organization
govs. divide areas into regions for fair representation.
Gerrymandering
redrawing districts unfairly to give one political party an advantage.
Territoriality
the practice of creating geographic boundaries in response to social & political conditions
Policy of Containment
- was influenced by Mackinder’s Heartland-Rimland Theory.
- It aimed to prevent the spread of Soviet influence & communism, especially in Europe.
- The U.S. joined alliances like NATO to stop Soviet domination.
Transnational corporations
companies that operate across many countries, making decisions beyond the control of any 1 government.
