POLS*1500 WORLD POLITICS - Lecture #6: The State

Flashcards covering key concepts from Lecture #6 on The State in World Politics, including definitions and important theories.

Sovereignty

The principle that within its territorial boundaries, the state is the supreme political authority, and that outside those boundaries the state recognizes no higher political authority.

Peace of Westphalia

A 1648 agreement that established the principle of cuius regio, eius religio and marked a shift from the feudal system, emphasizing non-interference in other states' internal affairs.

Anarchy

The state of world politics lacking a supranational authority, where order is based on the recognition of each state's independence.

International order

Regularized practices of exchange among discrete political units that recognize each other as independent (i.e. states).

Hierarchy

The nature and variation in power relations between superior and subordinate actors in international relations.

Status

Collective beliefs about a given state's ranking on valued attributes such as wealth, coercive capabilities, and diplomatic clout.

Material capabilities

Tangible resources that determine a state's power and influence, including military strength, economic power, and technological advancements.

Soft power

The ability to influence others through attraction and persuasion, rather than coercion.

Statelessness

A condition where a person is not considered a national by any state under the operation of its laws.

Declarative theory

The view that an entity can declare itself a state if it meets certain criteria, independent of recognition from other states.

Constitutive theory

The view that an entity is recognized as a state only if it is acknowledged as sovereign by at least one other state.

UN membership

The status acquired by a state upon acceptance of its application for membership in the United Nations, requiring a majority vote in the UN General Assembly.

Rohingya conflict

A prolonged crisis beginning in 1947 involving the persecution of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar, leading to significant statelessness and humanitarian issues.

Causes of Statelessness

Factors that can lead individuals to become stateless, such as gaps in nationality laws, discrimination, and loss or deprivation of nationality.