States & Nations

What is a State?

Political Unit Sovereign government

having ultimate governmental authority in an area States have the right to defend their borders (maintain territorial

integrity)

Defined political borders Internationally recognized Examples:

United States of America Pakistan Japan

Q1

So, why “United States of America?”

History of our government systems Do we Americans have a sense of being a

‘nation’ of people? What is our common culture? We are a nation of Immigrants—complicates

things…

What is a Nation?

Culture Group Common culture—shared language, beliefs,

customs “Imagined Community” Not sovereign No defined borders Examples:

Kurds Palestinians Quebecois

Q5

The Changing Map

Conflict between states and nations may cause political borders to change

WWI and WWII Cold War Colonialism Examples

Czechoslovakia Yugoslavia Serbia / Kosovo Most of Africa

Q2

History of Old States

Origins traced to distinct kingdoms and empires going back over 2000 years

Pre-1600s, sovereignty was held over people, not a defined territory Little agreement upon where political borders are

located

Q4

History of the Modern State

Peace of Westphalia – 1648 – Ends the Thirty Years War Clearly defined political borders and guaranteed

sovereignty based on territory Consolidation of estates by Kings formed the

first ‘states’-- England, France, and Spain in the 17th and 18th C

Later, Germany and Italy in the 19th C

Q3

Peace of Westphalia

The Rise of the ‘Nation – State’

Takes root in Europe It is the belief that a culturally similar group

(a nation) should establish it’s own political sovereignty (be a state)

Therefore, political borders of a state should be the same as the ‘borders’ between culture groups

This belief becomes the basis for lots of conflicts A ‘state’ claiming control over area of similar people A ‘nation’ declaring independence, and fighting for it

Q6

The Nation-State Exists when the

perceived borders of a nation and the political borders of a state are the same

Best example: Japan Why is this desirable?

Fewer political differences

Less likelihood of internal conflict

Q7

Multinational state

A state with many nations

Ex. Canada Virtually every

country in the world is a multinational state

Q8

Multistate Nation

A single nation that is dispersed and predominant in two or more states.

Ex. Arab Nation

http://www.harpercollege.edu/mhealy/geogres/maps/nwgif/nwlang.gif

Q8

Notice that Iran is not an Arab nation. Iranians are Persian.

http://www.iranchamber.com/literature/articles/images/farsi_map.gif

Multistate Nation

Another example is the Korean nation of people, split between two states

Stateless nation A people (nation)

without a state and are not dominant in any state

May be seeking political sovereignty (statehood)

May function like a state in some ways (political organization, militias)

Ex. Kurds

Q8

Diffusion of the Nation-State Waves of

European (and US) colonialism spread the notion of dividing territory with borders N-S

Post-colonialism: government and economic ideas remain

Borders also remain

Q9

Enclaves and Exclaves

Enclave – a group of people or land that exists within the boundaries of another

Example: Native American Reservations (Within the US)

Exclave – a part of a country or people separated from the main part, surrounded by foreign territory

Example: Kaliningrad (From Russia)

Q10, 11

Enclave

Exclave

Kaliningrad – Russian exclave

Russia – main territory

Korea

A colony of Japan for many years Divided into two occupation zones after WW

II (USSR-North, U.S.-South) Country divided along the 38th parallel N. Korea invaded S. Korea in 1950 This started a 3 year war. Border stayed the

same as before the war.

Korea

Both countries want to reunite. Talks ceased with N. Korea development of

nuclear power. In 1992 both countries were admitted to the

UN as separate countries.

China and Taiwan: One state or two?

China and Taiwan

Is the Island of Taiwan a sovereign state? Until 1999 both agreed that Taiwan was part

of China Civil War fought in late 1940’s between

Communists and Nationalists. Nationalists lost, fled to Taiwan.

China and Taiwan

Until 1971, the U.S. recognized the Nationalists as the official govt. of China

Taiwan is the most populous state not in the United Nations

What is the largest landmass not part of a sovereign state?

Antarctica

Antarctica: National Claims

Fig. 8-2: Antarctica is the only large landmass that is not part of a state, but several countries claim portions of it.