Global Politics definitions

fragile

Easily broken or damaged; not strong or sturdy.

terrorist

A person who uses unlawful violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in pursuit of political aims.

corruption

Dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.

radicalize

To cause someone to adopt radical positions on political or social issues.

multinational

Operating in several countries.

democratic

Relating to or supporting democracy or its principles.

intergovernmental organizations

Organizations composed of sovereign states working together on common issues.

hard power

The use of military and economic means to influence the behavior or interests of other political bodies.

soft power

The use of cultural or ideological means to influence others.

smart power

A combination of hard and soft power strategies.

sanctions

Penalties or restrictions imposed on a country to influence its behavior.

annexation

The act of adding territory to one’s own territory by appropriation.

infrastructure

The basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.

illegitimate

Not authorized or recognized as valid.

GDP

Gross Domestic Product; the total value of goods produced and services provided in a country during one year.

insurgency

An active revolt or uprising.

humanitarian

Concerned with or seeking to promote human welfare.

inflation

A general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money.

private sector

The part of the economy that is run by individuals and companies for profit.

public sector

The part of the economy that is controlled by the government.

authoritarian

Favoring or enforcing strict obedience to authority at the expense of personal freedom.

regime

A government, especially an authoritarian one.

empowered

Given the power or authority to do something.

unipolar

A distribution of power in which one state exercises most of the cultural, economic, and military influence.

multipolar

A distribution of power in which multiple states have significant influence.

offensive realism

A theory that states are inherently aggressive and expansionist.

defensive realism

A theory that states seek to maintain their security through balance and deterrence.

liberals

People who advocate for individual rights and freedoms.

internal sovereignty

The authority of a state to govern itself without external interference.

tariffs

Taxes on imports or exports.

external sovereignty

The authority of a state to interact with other states independently.

refugee

A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.

bilateral

Involving two parties, especially countries.

multilateral

Involving more than two nations or parties.

vetoed

Rejected or prohibited by a vote.

referendum

A general vote by the electorate on a single political question.

supranational

Having power or influence that transcends national boundaries or governments.

genocide

The deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group.

democracy

A system of government by the whole population, typically through elected representatives.

delegate

A person sent or authorized to represent others.

electorate

All the people in a country or area who are entitled to vote in an election.

federal

A system of government in which entities such as states or provinces share power with a central government.

monarchy

A form of government with a monarch at the head.

theocracy

A system of government in which priests rule in the name of God.

asylum

Protection granted to someone who has left their native country as a political refugee.

intergovernmental organization

An organization formed by multiple governments to work on common issues.

pandemics

Widespread outbreaks of infectious disease across countries or continents.