Power Quiz

Types of power, multilateralism vs unilateralism, state vs nation vs nation-state

Power

the ability to exert control and influence

Soft power

state’s ability to shape and influence others through attraction, persuasion, and the appeal of their culture, value, and policies without coercion, force, and government action

Hard power

state’s ability to influence and shape international affairs through military force, economic coercion or other forms of tangible coercive means

Sharp power

use of non-military, often covert or deceptive means (like disinformation, propaganda and economic leverage) by states to influence other actors

Smart power

strategy that combines both hard and soft power to achieve foreign policy objectives, emphasizing a balanced approach to international relations

Multilateralism

multiple states working together on a given issue

Unilateralism

one state working alone on a given issue

Peace of Westphalia

series of treaties signed in 1648 that ended the Thirty Years' War in Europe, establishing a new political order based on the principles of state sovereignty and non-interference

Nation

group of people who share a common identity often based on factors like culture, language, history and geography

State

sovereign and independent political entity with defined borders, government, and recognized by other states

Nation-state

homogenous nation governed by its own sovereign state

Multination state

state containing well defined nations within it (Ex: Catalan and Galicia in Spain)

Stateless nation

nation that does not fall into one state (Ex: Kurdistan)

Micronation

entity that claims to be an independent state but sovereignty is not recognized

Microstate

sovereign states with extremely small territories; are internally recognized (Ex: Vatican City, Liechtenstein)

Sovereignty

state’s ability to govern within its territory without external influence