Chap 2 Modern States notes

Sovereignty

The authority of a state to govern itself or another state.

Territory

An area with clearly defined borders to which a state lays claim.

External Sovereignty

The ability of a state to defend its territory and act independently without relying on external powers.

Internal Sovereignty

The state's authority to enforce laws and policies within its territory.

Legitimacy

The accepted right of a state to rule, based on various claims like tradition or laws.

Bureaucracy

An administrative system governing any large institution, characterized by specialization and hierarchy.

Traditional Legitimacy

Authority to rule based on long-standing patterns and practices within a society.

Charismatic Legitimacy

Authority to rule derived from personal virtue or extraordinary characteristics.

Rational-Legal Legitimacy

Right to rule derived from legal frameworks and laws governing the selection of leaders.

Political Goods

Benefits provided by the state such as security, legal systems, and infrastructure.

Resource Curse

A situation where countries rich in resources such as oil face underdevelopment due to reliance on those resources.

Quasi-States

States that have legal sovereignty and international recognition but lack essential domestic attributes of statehood.

Absolutism

A political system in which a single ruler holds complete authority over the territory and its people.

National Identity

The shared sense of belonging to a specific nation, which can enhance the legitimacy of a state.

Liberalism

A political philosophy advocating for the limitation of government power to ensure individual rights.

Obstacles faced by postcolonial countries

1. Borders established with little regard for precolonial political boundaries.

2. 2. Political institutions had no relationship to precolonial norms or institutions.

3. 3. Political loyalty was often divided among numerous groups.

4. Huge disparities in wealth, education, and access to power.