State vs. Nation
Political geography is the study of the political organization of the world. Political geographers study the appearance and changes that occur within governments at a variety of scales. At the global scale (world wide), we have divided the world into individual countries that political geographers calls states. A state is a politically organized area with a permanent population of people, a defined territory or land, and a government.
The concept of a nation is different! A nation is group of people who occupy a particular area and have a strong sense of unity based on a set of shared beliefs.
At the world scale, the states of the world have the last say, legally, over their territories. Sovereignty means having total control over a territory, politically and militarily. Under international law, states are sovereign and have the right to defend their land and territory from other states. This is not true of nations!
The concept of a nation is different! A nation is group of people who occupy a particular area and have a strong sense of unity based on a set of shared beliefs.
At the world scale, the states of the world have the last say, legally, over their territories. Sovereignty means having total control over a territory, politically and militarily. Under international law, states are sovereign and have the right to defend their land and territory from other states. This is not true of nations!
Types of Government
A government is the system by which a state is governed. Government regulates the relationships among members of a society and between the society and outsiders. Governments have the authority to make decisions for the society and do so to achieve certain goals.
In this class, we studied different forms of government that range in size and scope.
Monarchy - Type of government when one person holds total/supreme power. The power is often hereditary and typically limited by others. Examples = King, Queen
Theocracy - A government in which God, or a god, is recognized and looked at as the supreme ruler. In a theocracy, religious beliefs are supported by the government.
Communism - A political and economic system where factors of production are collectively owned and directed by the state. There is usually a dictator that ensures equal distribution of goods.
Republic - A type of government ruled by the people through their elected representatives. The people vote and elect representatives to help run their society.
Monarchy - Type of government when one person holds total/supreme power. The power is often hereditary and typically limited by others. Examples = King, Queen
Theocracy - A government in which God, or a god, is recognized and looked at as the supreme ruler. In a theocracy, religious beliefs are supported by the government.
Communism - A political and economic system where factors of production are collectively owned and directed by the state. There is usually a dictator that ensures equal distribution of goods.
Republic - A type of government ruled by the people through their elected representatives. The people vote and elect representatives to help run their society.
Supranational Organizations
As the world becomes increasingly connected, there is more of a need for supranational organizations. A supranational organization is when a group of countries works together to achieve a common cause. Causes range from international security to economic success to establishing political alliances. Below are some examples of supranational organizations we covered this year! The United Nations (UN) was formed in 1945 to prevent another world war and establish international standards of behavior. The UN tries to get the states of the world to work together to build cooperation with one another. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed to create a political and military alliance between 28 countries from North America and Europe. The purpose of NATO is to protect every member involved in it. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) works to improve trade amongst the United States, Mexico, and Canada. It allows for the three countries to trade freely with one another. The European Union (EU) has tried to bring Europe together economically. Member states have adopted a common currency called the Euro. The purpose of the EU is to foster trade and allow easier transportation of goods and people. this will allow European countries to compete in the global economy. |