Unit 4 HUG: Vocab Flashcards Political Patterns and Processes

These flashcards cover key concepts, definitions, and examples related to political patterns and processes in a comprehensive overview.

State

A political unit with a permanent population and boundaries recognized by other states that administers laws and provides defense.

Nation

A group of people who see themselves as one based on shared culture and history and desire political autonomy.

Nation-State

A state with a single nation, rare in existence; examples include Japan and Iceland.

Stateless Nation

A nation that does not have an independent state; examples include Palestinians and Kurds.

Multi-national State

A state that contains two or more nations; examples include Germany and the U.S.

Autonomous Region

An area that governs itself but is not an independent country; examples include Hong Kong and Catalonia.

Sovereignty

The final authority over a territory and the right to defend territorial integrity.

Colonialism

Rule by an autonomous power over a subordinate people, creating unequal relations.

Imperialism

The drive for the creation and expansion of an empire.

Self-determination

The process by which a nation determines its own statehood and government.

Authoritarian Government

A government with strong central power and limited political freedoms.

Democracy

A government in which power resides with the majority through elected representatives.

Neocolonialism

Indirect control over other countries, especially former colonies, through economic or political pressures.

Choke Point

A geographical feature with significant strategic importance.

Boundary

A line that determines the limit of state jurisdiction.

Irredentism

The desire of a state to annex territory whose population is ethnically similar.

Antecedent Boundary

A boundary that existed before cultural landscapes emerged.

Superimposed Boundary

A boundary drawn by outsiders that ignores existing cultural groups.

Berlin Conference

A meeting where European nations divided Africa for colonization.

International Sanctions

Policies or actions designed to change states' behavior.

Territorial Sea

The zone of water adjacent to a state’s coast where it has sovereignty.

Gerrymander

Redistricting that gives an unfair advantage to a particular political party.

Unitary State

A state governed as a single unit with a central governing authority.

Federal State

A state with a division of power between central government and local territories.

Devolution

The transfer of decision-making power from a central government to subnational units.

Supranationalism

A political and/or economic alliance of three or more states formed for mutual benefit.

Centripetal Forces

Forces within a state that promote unity and national stability.

Centrifugal Forces

Forces that destabilize or weaken a state.