Political Processes and Power

Political Processes and Power

• State: A political unit with defined boundaries, a permanent population, and some form of government powers, either full or shared. Independence requires sovereignty (power to rule itself) and recognition by other states. Legitimacy is also important.
• Examples of States: USA, Canada, Egypt, (Potentially) Kosovo. Other examples (Utah (USA), NCR (national capital region), etc. are considered political units, not independent states).
• Self-determination: The right of a group of people to form their own independent state. Example: Kurds.
• Nation: A group of people sharing common culture, homeland/territory, history, and political society. Nations can be ethnonationalist (based on ethnicity) or civic nationalist (based on shared citizenship).
• Examples of Nations: Jewish people (Ethnonationalism), Americans, Canadians, Australians (Civic Nationalism).
• Nation-state: When a nation and an independent state occupy the same territory. Example: Iceland.
• Multinational state: An independent state with more than one nation within its borders. Example: India (Punjabis, Gujaratis, etc.).
• Multistate nation: A nation existing in multiple independent states. Example: Hungarians, Tamils.
• Stateless nation: A nation without its own independent state. Example: Kurds.
• Autonomous region: A region within a state with significant government power, operating somewhat independently. Example: Hong Kong.
• Semi-autonomous region: A region with a degree of self-governance. Example: Native American reservations.

History of Political Maps

• Historically, concepts like "state" and "sovereignty" were less prevalent, with empires, dynasties, and kingdoms being more common.
• The Peace of Westphalia (1648) marked a significant shift, recognizing the right of independent states to govern themselves without external interference.
• Colonialism and imperialism (e.g., European powers in Africa) continued to influence the political map after Westphalia.
• Decolonization happened extensively after World War II.
• The Cold War (1945-1991) characterized by rivalry between the US and Soviet Union. Proxy wars and alliances.
• The end of the Cold War led to the creation of numerous new independent states.

Defining Political Boundaries

• Types of Boundaries: Physical (e.g., rivers), Geometric (e.g., latitude/longitude lines), Cultural (e.g., language regions).
• Classifications of Boundaries: Antecedent (pre-existing population), Subsequent (drawn after development or events), Consequent (cultural changes), Superimposed (forced/imposed by outside powers), Relic (no longer used).
• Example (Subsequent boundary): Ireland/Northern Ireland following religious divisions.
• Example (Superimposed boundary): Berlin Conference division of Africa.
• Example (Relic boundary): North/South Vietnam border (doesn't exist today).

Political Boundaries and Administrations

• Boundary functions: Defined (legal), delimited (drawn on maps), demarcated (markers on the ground), and administered (monitored).
• Demilitarized zone (DMZ): A region prohibiting military activity. Examples: the border between North and South Korea.
• Boundary disagreements: Definitional (language), Locational (physical), Operational (function), and Allocational (resources).
• Shatterbelt: A region subjected to conflicts from multiple forces. Example: Korea during the Cold War
• Chokepoint: A strategically important location/navigable area. Example: Strait of Hormuz, vital for oil/gas movement
• Water boundaries: Defined by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), which divides sea borders into territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and high seas.
• Effects of Boundaries: Disputes over resources (e.g., oil, water).

Internal Boundaries

• Boundaries exist within countries (municipalities, school districts).
• Redistricting: Redrawing voting district lines.
• Gerrymandering: Drawing boundaries for political advantage (packing & cracking).

Forms of Governance

• Unitary governments: Power concentrated at the national level. Example: France, China.
• Federal governments: Power divided between national and subnational levels. Example: USA, Canada.

Devolutionary Factors

• Devolution: Transfer of power from central to subnational levels.
• Causes of devolution: Physical geography, cultural/ethnic differences, economic disparities, irredentism (desire to unite culturally similar people across borders), and violence.
• Examples of devolution: Quebec (Canada), Catalonia (Spain), Flanders and Wallonia (Belgium), Countries of the former Soviet Union, Nigeria, South Sudan.

Challenges to Sovereignty

• Supranationalism: Cooperation amongst independent states for common purposes. Example: EU, UN, NATO, ASEAN, African Union.

Centripetal and Centrifugal Forces

• Centripetal forces: Unify people. Example: Fair laws, strong leadership, economic growth.
• Centrifugal forces: Divide people, e.g. Unfair laws, poverty, ethnic differences which leads to potential Ethnonationalism, conflict and potentially the failure of a political unit.

Explore the concepts of states, nations, and self-determination in this quiz. Delve into the definitions, examples, and nuances that differentiate various political units and movements worldwide. Test your understanding of political legitimacy and the formation of nation-states.