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Page 1: Organization of States

Governance Efficiency
- States are organized into smaller regional units for efficient governance.
- Internal boundaries reflect the power balance between national government and regional units.
Unitary States
- Central authority (e.g., Japan) manages most governance with some autonomy to local prefectures.
- Examples include: France, the United Kingdom, and Norway.
- Laws and policies are conveyed top-down from central government.
Federal States
- Power is divided among regions (e.g., United States).
- Regional units like states or provinces maintain self-governance and autonomy.

Cultural Boundaries
- Cyprus has a majority Greek population and a Turkish minority; it was partitioned in 1974.
- Lebanese archaeologist Anna Antoniou explored unity among divided communities.
- Residents desire cultural unity despite political divisions.

Unitary States
- Majority of UN member countries are unitary; have centralized power.
- Decisions are made by a single government entity (e.g., Norway).
Federal States
- Distribute power across multiple levels (e.g., Mexico).
- Federalism contributes to regional diversity and responsiveness.

Unitary Advantages
- Efficiency and rapid implementation of laws.
- Examples: Norway and the Netherlands.
Unitary Disadvantages
- Centralized government may overlook local needs.
Federal Advantages
- Diversity of laws allows for regional governance by local issues.
Federal Disadvantages
- Potential for conflicts and inequitably distributed policies across regions.

U.S. Federal System
- Powers shared among federal, state, and local governments.
- Local governance allows citizens to influence local policies more directly.
State Powers
- Examples include establishing school curricula and regulating utilities.

Concept Definitions
- Patriotism is love for one's country; nationalism can lead to exclusionary practices.
Impacts of Federalism
- Federalism can enable diverse political representation but can also lead to conflict among states.

Federalism Benefits
- Local governance promotes political engagement.
Challenges
- States can prevent federal progress on central issues (e.g. civil rights laws).

Nunavut as a Federal Territory
- Established for Inuit self-governance; has its legislation and official Kit languages.
- Benefits from federal government support for local needs.

Census and Redistricting
- Census impacts congressional district configuration and representation.
- Reapportionment reallocates congressional seats based on population.

Gerrymandering
- Process of manipulating district boundaries to favor one party over another.
- Techniques include packing (concentrating opponent's votes) and cracking (spreading votes).