Unit 4: Political Patterns and Processes - Comprehensive Study Notes

Nation vs. State

• State:

  • Consists of a permanent population residing within its borders.

  • Has clearly defined and internationally recognized borders, which may be physical or political.

  • Possesses a sovereign government with the authority to make and enforce laws.

  • Recognized by other states (countries) as an independent entity, allowing for diplomatic relations.

  • Essentially, it's a country with all the attributes of sovereignty and international recognition.

• Nation:

  • A group of people who share a strong sense of identity and unity.

  • Common culture, including shared values, customs, traditions, and social norms.

  • Common language that facilitates communication and reinforces cultural bonds.

  • Shared history that provides a collective memory and sense of belonging.

  • Common homeland, or a strong connection to a particular geographic area, even if dispersed.

  • May have self-determination (the desire to govern themselves and establish their own state).

• Key Difference:

  • Essential to differentiate between the two, particularly regarding terms like multi-state nation or multinational state.

  • A state is a political and legal entity, while a nation is a socio-cultural one; they do not always coincide.

• United States Context:

  • The term States being used to refer to the subdivisions of the USA can be confusing. Remember, in the international context, state = country.

  • Within the U.S., these 'states' are administrative divisions within a federal system, not sovereign entities in the international sense.

Nation-State

• Definition: One nation predominantly within the boundaries of one state.

• Example: Japan

  • Demographic profile shows 97.9% of the population is of Japanese ethnicity, making it a near perfect nation-state.

  • Homogeneous population: largely Japanese, with a strong sense of cultural identity and shared history.

  • High degree of cultural and linguistic uniformity contributes to social cohesion.

• Understanding the Data:

  • In FRQs, ethnic composition data can be a clue to identify a nation-state. Look for countries with a high percentage of a single ethnic group.

Multinational State

• Definition: Multiple distinct nations residing within the borders of one state.

• Example: The United States

  • Characterized by diversity and many different ethnicities, cultures, languages, and religions.

  • Immigration and historical factors have contributed to its multicultural makeup.

• Breakdown:

  • "Multi" signifies multiple nations within a single state, coexisting under a unified government and legal framework.

Multi-State Nation

• Definition: A single nation dispersed across two or more different states or countries.

• Example: Korea

  • The Korean nation is divided between two states (North and South Korea) due to historical and political circumstances.

Stateless Nation

• Definition: A nation that does not have its own independent state or political entity.

• Example: The Kurds

  • The Kurds have their own distinct culture, language, and historical identity, primarily residing in parts of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria.

  • They lack an officially recognized government and defined boundaries, meaning they are not sovereign.

  • Therefore, they are not a state, and their aspirations for self-determination remain unfulfilled.

  • Other examples include Palestinians, who seek an independent state in the Palestinian territories, and Tibetans, who aspire to greater autonomy or independence from China.

Autonomous and Semi-Autonomous Regions

• Autonomous Region:

  • An area within a state that has been granted a significant degree of self-governance and authority by the central government.

  • Has considerable control over its own internal affairs, including local laws, regulations, and policies.

  • Not fully independent, but possesses substantial flexibility to manage its own affairs within the framework of the larger state.

• Semi-Autonomous Region:

  • An area with a moderate degree of autonomy but is still subject to considerable oversight and control from the central government.

  • Limited opportunity for independent action; the larger state can easily assert its influence and override local decisions.

• Amount of Autonomy:

  • Key difference lies in the level of independence and flexibility within the larger state. Autonomous regions have more self-governance than semi-autonomous ones.

Sovereignty

• Definition: The authority of a state to govern itself without external interference, encompassing both domestic (internal) and international affairs.

• Loss of Sovereignty: No sovereignty means no state, as it loses the ability to make and enforce its own laws and decisions.

• Challenges to Sovereignty:

  • No country operates in isolation; all are interconnected through trade, alliances, international agreements, and global norms.

  • Actions on the global stage have consequences that can affect a state's sovereignty, such as economic sanctions or military interventions.

  • Example: Sanctions against Russia after the invasion of Ukraine:

    • The US wanted heavier sanctions, but European allies 依赖 on Russian natural gas and oil.

    • The US had to consider the potential harm to its allies, demonstrating the constraints on its own sovereignty.

• Importance of Awareness:

  • Even sovereign countries are not entirely free to act without considering consequences, as they operate within a complex web of international relations.

Self-Determination

• Definition: The right or desire of a nation or group of people to govern themselves, establish their own state, and freely determine their political status.

• Stateless Nations: Stateless nations often seek self-determination to achieve recognition and establish their own state to protect their rights and interests.

• Motivation: Nations seek self-determination to protect their culture, language, and identity from assimilation or suppression.

• Test Significance: Understand and study this term, as it frequently appears in AP tests, particularly in FRQs related to political geography.

Colonialism vs. Imperialism

• History Focus: Understand how the shape the world, not dates and names.

• Colonialism:

  • Direct occupation of an area by a foreign power, involving the establishment of settlements and administrative control.

  • Establishment of colonies for economic exploitation, resource extraction, and the imposition of political and social systems.

• Imperialism:

  • Policy or ideology of exerting influence or power over another place, often through economic, political, or cultural means.

  • Does not necessarily involve physical occupation, but rather indirect control or dominance.

Boundaries

• Defined: Fixed and set in place through legal agreements and treaties.

• Delimited: Process of drawing on a map the boundaries that have been agreed upon.

• Demarcated: Physical markers (walls, fences, signs) indicating the boundary on the ground.

• Constructed Idea: Boundaries and countries are constructs; they are human-made and subject to change over time.

Types of Boundaries

• Relic Boundary: A boundary that no longer functions as a border but is still visible on the landscape (e.g., the Berlin Wall).

• Superimposed Boundary: Imposed by an outside force without regard for existing cultural patterns (often seen in Africa due to the Berlin Conference).

• Antecedent Boundary: Established before significant settlement and cultural landscape development (e.g., part of the US-Canada border).

• Geometric Boundary: Straight-line boundaries, often based on latitude and longitude (common in western US states).

• Subsequent Boundary: Develops along with the cultural landscape, evolving as cultures and populations change.

• Consequent Boundary: A type of subsequent boundary that divides groups based on ethnic, linguistic, or religious differences; often due to conflict (e.g., India and Pakistan).

• Differentiating Subsequent vs. Consequent:

  • Consequent is a form of Subsequent boundary

  • College Board goes off of Subsequent being one that develops along the cultural landscape.

  • A Consequent boundary focuses on dividing ethnic groups or linguistic or due to conflict, C for conflict there for Consequent

Real-World Boundary Examples

• Relic Boundary: The Berlin Wall (parts are still around but no longer an active barrier).

• Geometric Boundary: Straight-line boundaries separating western US states.

• Superimposed Boundary: Many African boundaries created during the Berlin Conference.

  • Often led to conflict because they did not account for local cultures, resulting in ethnic tensions and political instability.

Berlin Conference

• Historical Context: European powers divided Africa without considering existing cultures and ethnic groups, leading to arbitrary boundaries.

• Impact: Created boundaries that led to states dependent on European counterparts for resources and trade, perpetuating economic inequalities.

• Relevance: Understand how it shaped Africa and contributed to neocolonialism, as former colonies continue to face challenges due to imposed boundaries.

Territoriality

• Definition: The connection people have to their culture, economic systems, and land and communicating ownership of an area through various means.

• Significance: Was a previous FRQ topic, indicating its importance for the AP test, especially in understanding cultural and political dynamics.

Shatter Belts

• Definition: A region caught between external forces, often resulting in political instability and conflict.

• Example: Cold War Europe, caught between the East and West, experiencing ideological and military pressures.

• Characteristics: Unstable regions with negative consequences due to external pressures, including political fragmentation and economic disruption.

Neocolonialism

• Definition: Using political, cultural, and economic power to influence or control another country without direct colonization, perpetuating dependency.

• Methods:

  • Multinational corporations: Exerting influence over areas for cheaper labor and resources, often at the expense of local communities (connects to Unit 7).

  • Core countries influencing periphery countries: China's investments in Africa in exchange for influence, raising concerns about debt traps and resource exploitation.

Choke Points

• Definition: Strategic areas that must be passed to reach a destination, making them vital for trade and military operations.

• Examples: Suez Canal, Strait of Gibraltar, Panama Canal, Hormuz Strait.

• Significance: Control over choke points provides influence and can disrupt the world economy, affecting global trade and security.

Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

• Key Zones:

  • Territorial waters: Extends 12 nautical miles from the baseline; the state has sovereignty.

  • Contiguous zone: Extends 24 nautical miles from the baseline; the state can enforce laws related to customs, immigration, and sanitation.

  • Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ): 200 nautical miles; country controls resources, including fisheries, oil, and gas.

  • International waters: Beyond the EEZ; resources are available to all states.

• Importance: Know the different zones and their implications for maritime rights and resource management.

South China Sea

• Tensions: China's island-building efforts to expand its EEZ and control over strategic waterways and resources.

• Disputes: Conflicting claims over territory and resources among China, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, and other countries.

• Significance: Potential for international conflict; involves choke points, oil, and resources, affecting regional stability and global trade.

• China's Claims:

  • China doesn't acknowledge the law of the sea and asserts historical claims over much of the South China Sea.

  • China goes off this old naval map that they found, and they're like, "Hey, we found this old map that traced this whole area, and this all belongs to China!"

• US Involvement：

  • US helps enforce the law of the sea, patrolling the area to ensure freedom of navigation and challenge China's territorial claims.

Voting Districts and Gerrymandering

• Voting District: A geographic area for conducting elections, with defined boundaries and a designated polling place.

• Redistricting: Happens every 10 years after the census, adjusting district boundaries to reflect population changes.

• Gerrymandering: Manipulating district boundaries to favor a political party or group, distorting representation.

  • Technically illegal but practiced by both parties to gain an electoral advantage.

  • Packing: Concentrating like-minded voters into one district to reduce their influence in other districts.

  • Cracking: Spreading like-minded voters across multiple districts to dilute their voting power.

Forms of Governance

• Focus: How power is distributed within a state.

• Unitary: Central government controls the majority of power; regional governments have little autonomy and are subordinate to the central authority.

• Federal: Power is shared between the central government and regional governments, with each level having its own sphere of authority.

Devolution

• Definition: Transfer of power from the national government to regional governments, granting them greater autonomy.

• Potential Outcomes: Can lead to state failure if regions demand full independence, or simply transfer of power while maintaining the state's integrity.

Key Terms Related to Devolution

• Ethnic Separatism: Identifying more with an ethnic group than with the state, often leading to demands for autonomy or secession.

• Ethnic Cleansing: Government attacks on an ethnic group to remove them from the state through forced displacement or violence.

• Irredentism: Attempting to reunite parts of a nation across different states or borders, often leading to territorial disputes (e.g., Russia and Ukraine).

Causes of Devolution

• Physical Divisions: Geographic barriers leading to cultural divergence and regional identities.

• Ethnic Separatism and Cleansing: Ethnic tensions and conflicts leading to demands for autonomy or independence.

• Terrorism: Acts of violence and intimidation aimed at destabilizing the state and promoting regional autonomy.

• Economic and Social Problems: Disparities between regions fueling discontent and demands for greater control over resources.

• Case studies:

  • Spain (Basques & Catalans)

  • Belguim

  • Canada

  • Myanmar

  • Nigeria

• Irredentism: Claims over territories in neighboring states based on shared ethnicity or historical ties.

Additional Definitions

• Disintegrate States: Breaking up into smaller parts due to internal conflicts and centrifugal forces.

• Democratization: The increase in democracy with technology being more prevalent, empowering citizens and promoting political participation.

• Supranational Organization: An entity formed by multiple states to achieve common goals (e.g., UN, EU, NATO, AU), pooling sovereignty for collective action.

Centripetal