Name:__________________________________________________ Period: ______

Unit 4: Political Patterns and Processes

the state is the primary state (country): political unit with a permanent population and boundaries that are recognized by other states that allows for the
political entity on the administration of laws, collection of taxes, and provision of defense
world political map
types of political nation: people who think of themselves as one based on a sense of shared culture and history and who desire political
entities autonomy
e.g. Japanese, German, French, Hmong

nation-state: a state with a single nation (very few exist)

e.g. Japan, Iceland, Armenia, Lesotho

stateless nation: a nation who do not have their own independent state
e.g. Palestinians, Basque, Kurds, Hmong

multi-national state: a state with two or more nations (includes most states)
e.g. Germany, France, Mexico, China, U.S., Russia

multi-state nation: a nation living across states

e.g. Koreans, Kurds, Basque, Russians

autonomous region: an area which governs itself, but is not an independent country
e.g. Greenland, The Azores, Hong Kong, Catalonia and Basque region (Spain)

semi-autonomous region: an area which can govern itself in certain areas, but does not have complete power to govern
e.g. Nunavut (Canada), Native American reservations (U.S.)
forces that shape the sovereignty: final authority over a territory and the right to defend territorial integrity against incursion
political landscape
colonialism: rule by an autonomous power over a subordinate people and place that creates unequal cultural and
economic relations

imperialism: the drive toward creation and expansion of an empire and then once established, its perpetuation
e.g. Spain, Portugal, Great Britain, Japan, China, Russia

self-determination: the process by which a country determines its own statehood and forms its own allegiances and government

independence movements: an area that believes that it should be its own country
e.g. colonized people against their colonizers
political power political power: expressed geographically as control over people, land, and resources
 government: political system with governing authority

authoritarian government: gov’t with a strong central power, no constitutional accountability, no individual freedoms
e.g. absolute monarchy (Saudi Arabia), dictatorship (North Korea), fascism (Germany)

democracy: government where power resides with the majority (Ancient Greece)

republic: government where power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected representatives
responsible to them and governing according to law (U.S., Germany, France)

democratization: the process of moving from a non-democracy (authoritarian rule, colonial rule) to a democratic system

political power is neocolonialism: form of indirect control through the use of economic/political pressures to control or influence other countries,
expressed especially former colonies in which they continue to be exploited
geographically
shatterbelt: region endangered by local conflicts within the state or between countries in the area, as well as the involvement of
opposing great powers outside the region
e.g. Eastern Europe, Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Russia)

choke points: geographical feature (sea OR land) that has significant strategic importance
e.g. Straits of Gibraltar, English Channel, Panama Canal, Suez Canal

irredentism: occurs when one country seeks to annex territory in another country because it has demographic ties to part of the
population that lives there, e.g. Nazi Germany annexing Austria prior to WWII, Russia taking control of parts of the Republic of Georgia
and Ukraine decades after fall of USSR

territoriality is human territoriality: the connection of people, their culture, and their economic systems to the land creating a desire for ownership
expressed as ownership over a defined space
over a defined space
boundaries establish boundary: line that determines the limit of state jurisdiction that is a vertical plane that cuts through the subsoil and extends into the
limits of sovereignty airspace above and often coincides with cultural, national or economic divisions
and are often contested
steps in which a boundary is established:
boundary definition: phase in which the boundary is negotiated and legally described

boundary delimitation: phase in which the boundary is drawn on the map

boundary demarcation: phase in which markers are placed on the ground (signs, walls, fences)

boundary administration: phase in which the boundary is maintained

 boundary dispute: disagreement over the location of a boundary/movement across the boundary
(migration/smuggling) and can cause conflict

irredentism: when a state wants to annex territory whose population is ethnically similar
e.g. Russia annexation of Crimea

political boundaries antecedent boundary: boundary in the natural landscape that existed before the cultural landscape emerged and stayed in
reflect balances of place as people moved in
power that have been i.e. rain forest between Malaysia and Indonesia
negotiated or imposed i.e. mountains between France & Spain
i.e. lakes between U.S. & Canada

consequent boundary: boundary that coincides with cultural groups (religion, language)
i.e. Europe

subsequent boundary: boundary that evolves as the cultural landscape of an area takes shape and changes as cultural
landscape changes
i.e. Northern Ireland and Ireland
i.e. Pakistan and India
i.e. Sudan and South Sudan

superimposed boundary: boundary that is drawn by powerful outsiders (e.g. colonizers) and ignores existing cultural
groups
i.e. Israel and Palestine
i.e. Yugoslavia
i.e. Africa

relict (relic) boundary: boundary that no longer exists as an international border, but remnants of its existence remain
i.e. North and South Vietnam
i.e. Berlin Wall

geometric boundary: boundary that follows a straight line or arc

i.e. U.S. and Canada, western U.S.
i.e. North and South Korea
i.e. colonial boundaries in Africa (Berlin Conference)
boundaries reflect Berlin Conference: a meeting (1884-1885) between European nations to divide Africa among them for colonization with the intent of
power preventing conflict over the process

colonization in Africa: from the 17th to 19th centuries, large parts of Africa were divided
according to which pieces of land belonged to which European colonizer and not
by the existing patterns of different tribal people/ethnicities living on the land

de-colonization in Africa: the superimposed boundaries of Africa remained in place

after independence, which has led to much of the current conflict and lack of ability
to establish effective leadership

demilitarized zone (DMZ): a buffer zone created by treaties/agreements between two or more
military powers that falls on either side of the actual boundary
e.g. DMZ between North Korea and South Korea (no peace treaty so officially still at war)

boundaries and international agreements: establishment of formal commitments between countries on world related issues that can
international either encourage interactions (trade) or discourage disputes (resources)
agreements can e.g. trade, environment, economic development, refugees, boundaries/borders
encourage or
discourage interaction international sanctions: policies or actions designed to induce states to change their behavior
e.g. embargo (ban) on military, technological, and luxury goods with North Korea/Cuba
e.g. freeze on Iranian assets
e.g. boycott of trade with South Africa over Apartheid (racial discrimination policy similar to Jim Crow in
southern U.S,)

establishment of rights Law of the Sea (UNCLOS): established rights and responsibilities of states concerning ownership/use of oceans/seas and
and responsibilities over their resources as developed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
oceans/seas by the
United Nations 4 zones under Law of the Sea:

Territorial Sea: zone of water adjacent to a state’s coast (12 miles) in which a state has sovereignty

Contiguous Zone: zone of water adjacent to Territorial Sea (24 miles) in which state can enforce customs,
immigration, and sanitation laws

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): zone of water adjacent to Contiguous Zone (200 miles) in which a state has the
right to explore, exploit, conserve, and manage resources
 international waters (High Seas): ocean beyond the EEZ, in which all states have equal access

median-line principle: method used to divide the waters between states that do not have 400 miles between them

internal boundaries voting district: subdivision for electing members to a legislative body
affect election results at
various scales redistricting: when voting districts are redrawn due to changes in population

gerrymander: redistricting that is unfair and gives an advantage

to a particular political party by concentrating voting strength

forms of governance unitary state: state that is governed as a single unit with a central top down
within states form of form of governance where local territories only have
power that is granted by the central government
e.g. U.K., France, Spain, China, Italy

federal state: state where there is a division in power between a central

government and local territories/provinces/States/oblasts
e.g. Canada, U.S., Russia

challenges to state subnational political territorial unit: region that is given greater autonomy from the central government
sovereignty
autonomous region: an area which governs itself, but is not an independent country
e.g. Greenland, The Azores, Hong Kong, Catalonia and Basque region (Spain)

semi-autonomous region: an area which can govern itself in certain areas, but does not have complete power to govern
e.g. Nunavut (Canada), Native American reservations (U.S.)
factors that can lead to devolution: the transfer of decision-making power from a central government to a lower level
devolution
CAUSES of devolution:
- ethnic separatism (religion, language, ethnicity) - centrifugal forces
- economic and social issues - terrorism
- irredentism - ethnic cleansing
- physical geography
devolution occurs when: states fragment into subnational political territorial units
e.g. Spain: Basque/Catalonia
Belgium: Flanders/ Wallonia/Brussels
Canada: Nunavut
Nigeria: Western Region/Eastern Region

devolution occurs when: states disintegrate

e.g. Ethiopia/Eritrea
Sudan/South Sudan
East Timor/Indonesia
U.S.S.R. break up
Yugoslavia: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia

supranationalism can supra-nationalism: political and/or economic alliance of three or more states that is formed for mutual benefit to promote shared
promote mutual goals and resolve disputes, but can limit the economic or political actions of member states creating a challenge to state sovereignty
benefit, but can also
place limits on member - United Nations (UN): union formed to promote international world peace and security after WWII, comprised of 6
states principal organs that meet to decide on common issues and policies

- European Union (EU): economic alliance between European countries (1992) that established free trade and open borders
and a common currency (Eurozone)

- North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): economic alliance to gradually eliminate tariffs and trade barriers
between the U.S., Canada, Mexico

- African Union (AU): political, economic and social alliance aimed at promoting greater unity, cohesion, and efficiency of
African states and reducing the strains of their colonial roots

- NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization): military alliance formed after WWII between the U.S., Canada and
26 European states to ensure mutual assistance in times of aggression

- ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations): economic alliance aimed at improving development in Indonesia,
 Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, and Brunei

- Arctic Council: alliance aimed at promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among Arctic states, Arctic
indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants on issues of sustainable development and Environmental
protection in the Arctic
members: U.S., Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Russia

supranationalism is the military alliance: alliance between two or more states who agree on mutual protection and support in case of a crisis
result of global efforts e.g. NATO formed to defend against threats by communist countries after WWII
to address transnational (Cold War: period of political and military tension between the USSR and Western states after WWII)
and environmental
challenges trade agreement: treaty between two or more states who agree on trade, tariffs, taxes, and often includes investment
guarantees
e.g. NAFTA formed to eliminate tariffs on trade between Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.

economies of scale: cost advantages gained by an increased level of production

The Paris Agreement: establishment of protocols dealing with greenhouse gas emissions by the United Nations
communication political change: advances in communication technology have facilitated devolution, supranationalism, and democratization
technology and political
change
centripetal forces forces within a state that promote unity and national stability (nationalism)

- effective government/institutions/infrastructure (public education, military, justice system, transportation/communication)

- language/religion/ethnicity
- healthy economy
- national holidays (July 4th, Bastille Day), flags, symbols

centripetal forces can lead to ethnonationalism, more equitable infrastructure development, and increased cultural cohesion
centrifugal forces forces within a state that divide, destabilize or weaken it
- centrifugal forces can lead to failed states, uneven development, stateless nations, and ethnic nationalist movements

- ineffective government/institutions/infrastructure (public education, military, justice system, transportation/communication)

- language/religion/ethnicity
- separatist movements
- struggling economy
- peripheral location
- religious extremism
Geopolitical forces that Genocide- any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group,
change balance of as such (organized and systematic):
power, influencing a. Killing members of the group;
today’s demographic b. Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
maps c. Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
d. Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
e. Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
- term created by Polish lawyer Rafael Lemkin in an attempt to understand the Holocaust, first recognized as an international crime by
United Nations in 1946
- UN tribunals by International Criminal Court: Nazi Holocaust 1941-1945, Cambodia 1975-1979, Bosnia-Herzegovina (former
Yugoslavia) 1992-1995, Rwanda 1994
Geopolitical forces that Ethnic cleansing (crimes against humanity, war crimes)- systematic forced removal of ethnic, racial and/or religious groups from a
change balance of given territory by a more powerful ethnic group, often with the intent of making it ethnically homogeneous (does not necessarily
power, influencing include mass killing which makes many events not qualify as genocides)
today’s demographic - the rise of extreme nationalist movements during the 20th century led to an unprecedented level of ethnically
maps motivated brutality
- examples: Native Americans 1800s, Aboriginals (Australia) 1840-1897, Armenia 1915-1917, Algeria 1830-1871,
Serbia 1941-45, Rwanda 1994, Bosnia/Serbia 1941-45, Darfur (Sudan) 2003-present, Rohingya (Myanmar) 2017-
present, Soviet famine 1932-33

COLD WAR - a state of political hostility between countries characterized by threats, propaganda, espionage, and other measures
short of open warfare.
 the state of political hostility that existed between the Soviet bloc countries (satellite states) and the US-led Western powers
from 1945 to 1990.

Collapse of Communism
– November 1989 fall of Berlin Wall (Germany)
- USSR/United Soviet Socialist Republics collapsed and 15 republics became independent states
- breakup of Yugoslavia 1991 (balkanization) erupted into ethnic cleansing
- Russia intervened militarily to support separatist movements (irredentism - ) in the Republic of Georgia (2008) and
Ukraine (2014), resulting in condemnation and economic sanctions by some UN members

Korean War - The Korean War ("Fatherland Liberation War"; 1950- 1953) was a war between North Korea (with the support
of China and the Soviet Union) and South Korea (with the support of the United Nations, primarily from the United States). The war
began in 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea following a series of clashes along the border. As a product of the Cold War, the
Soviet Union and the United States divided Korea into two sovereign states in 1948 with the border set at the 38th parallel. A socialist
state was established in the north under the communist leadership of Kim Il-sung and a capitalist state in the south under the anti-
communist leadership of Syngman Rhee. No peace treaty has been signed, so a demilitarized zone was set up to divide the opposing
communist and democratic forces, which remains today.

Vietnamese War - The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, and in Vietnam as the Resistance War Against America
or simply the American War, was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1955 to the fall of Saigon in 1975; formerly North
Vietnam and South Vietnam merged into one state under Communist control.