Glossary
Anarchy
A state of society without a governing authority, where decisions are made through voluntary cooperation or are absent altogether.
Example:
Following a major societal collapse, if there were no established laws or governing bodies, the region would descend into anarchy.
Autocracy
A system of governance where one person or a small, unelected group holds absolute power and authority.
Example:
A historical kingdom ruled solely by a monarch with no checks on their power would be considered an autocracy.
Compact State
A state with a roughly circular or square shape, where the distance from the center to any border is relatively equal, facilitating efficient communication and transportation.
Example:
Poland's relatively rounded shape makes it a compact state, allowing for easier internal governance and defense.
Democracy
A form of governance where power is vested in the people, who either directly vote on issues or elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.
Example:
In a town hall meeting, citizens directly voting on a new school budget exemplifies a form of democracy.
Dictatorship
A form of autocracy where a single leader or small group holds absolute power, often seized by force and maintained through suppression of opposition.
Example:
A country where a military general takes control of the government and rules without elections or public consent is an example of a dictatorship.
Direct Democracy
A system where citizens directly participate in decision-making by voting on laws and policies themselves, rather than through representatives.
Example:
The ancient Greek city-state of Athens famously practiced direct democracy, where eligible citizens would gather to vote on legislation.
Economic Supranationalism
A type of supranational organization focused primarily on fostering trade, economic cooperation, and shared economic policies among member states.
Example:
The World Trade Organization (WTO) facilitates international trade agreements and resolves disputes, embodying economic supranationalism.
Elongated State
A state that is long and narrow in shape, often leading to challenges in internal communication, transportation, and national cohesion.
Example:
Chile's extreme north-south stretch along the Pacific coast makes it an elongated state, posing difficulties for connecting its diverse regions.
Federalism
A system of governance where power is constitutionally divided and shared between a central (federal) government and regional (state or provincial) governments.
Example:
In the United States, both the national government and individual state governments have distinct powers, such as the federal government controlling foreign policy and states managing education, demonstrating federalism.
Globalization
The increasing interconnectedness and interdependence of the world's economies, cultures, and populations, driven by cross-border trade, technology, and information flows.
Example:
The widespread availability of products manufactured in one country and sold in another, like Japanese cars in the U.S., is a clear sign of economic globalization.
Governance
The system by which a community or organization makes decisions and exercises authority, encompassing the rules and processes for decision-making.
Example:
A city council deciding on new zoning laws for urban development is an example of local governance in action.
Military & Strategic Supranationalism
A type of supranational organization where member states collaborate for mutual defense and security, often forming military alliances.
Example:
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is a key example of military & strategic supranationalism, where an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.
Monarchy
A form of autocracy where a single ruler, typically a king or queen, inherits their position and holds supreme power.
Example:
The historical rule of King Louis XIV in France, where he famously declared 'L'état, c'est moi' (I am the state), illustrates an absolute monarchy.
Oligarchy
A form of governance where a small group of individuals holds power, often based on wealth, military strength, family ties, or religious authority.
Example:
If a nation's government was exclusively controlled by a handful of extremely wealthy business magnates, it would be an oligarchy.
Perforated State
A state that completely surrounds another independent state within its borders, making the surrounded state dependent on the perforating state for access to the outside world.
Example:
South Africa is a perforated state because it entirely encloses the small, landlocked country of Lesotho.
Prorupted State
A state that is mostly compact but has a long, narrow extension or 'proruption' of territory, often to access a resource or separate two other states.
Example:
Thailand is a prorupted state with a southern extension that reaches down the Malay Peninsula, providing access to maritime trade routes.
Representative Democracy
A system where citizens elect officials to represent their interests and make decisions on their behalf in a legislative body.
Example:
When Americans vote for members of Congress, they are participating in a representative democracy, entrusting elected officials to voice their concerns.
Supranationalism
The process by which multiple countries form an organization or alliance for mutual benefit, often involving a partial surrender of sovereignty to the larger entity.
Example:
The European Union is a prime example of supranationalism, where member states cooperate on economic, political, and social policies, sometimes overriding national laws.
Totalitarianism
An extreme form of autocracy where the state exerts complete control over all aspects of public and private life, often through propaganda and surveillance.
Example:
George Orwell's fictional state of Oceania in '1984,' where 'Big Brother' monitors every citizen, is a classic literary depiction of totalitarianism.
Transnational Companies
Corporations that operate and have assets in multiple countries, often influencing global economies and sometimes challenging state sovereignty.
Example:
Coca-Cola, with its production and sales operations spanning nearly every country in the world, is a quintessential transnational company.
Unitary System
A system of governance where the central government holds primary authority, and local governments derive their powers from it.
Example:
France operates under a unitary system, where the national government in Paris holds significant control over regional and local administrations.