Chapter 8: Key Issue #1

WHERE ARE STATES DISTRIBUTED?

Rubenstein, pp. 261-267

1) Define ​state:​
An area organized into political unit and ruled by an established government that controls its
internal and foreign affairs. Synonym for country.

2) Define ​sovereignty​:
Independence from control of its internal affairs by other states.

3) Define ​microstate:​
A state with very small land area.

4) List the ​6​ largest states​:

1. Russia
2. Canada
3. United States
4. China
5. Brazil
6. Australia

5) How many ​microstates​ are recognized? What do many ​have in common​?

About 2 dozen. Many are islands.

A World of States

6) When​ was the ​United Nations​ established? ​By whom​?

Created in 1945 at the end of WWII by the victorious Allies.

7) Identify the reason for which ​membership in the UN grew significantly in each of the following
 periods:
1955 Sixteen countries joined - mostly European countries that were liberated from Nazi
Germany.

1960s Seventeen countries joined- mostly former African colonies of Britain or France.

1990s 26 countries added - mostly from breakup of Soviet Union and Yugoslavia but also from
admission of several microstates.

8) Who are the ​5​ permanent members​ of ​UN​ ​Security Council​?

1. China
2. France
3. Russia
4. United Kingdom
5. United States

9) Identify some of the ​problems the UN faces​ as it attempts to operate and influence world affairs.
1. Opposition between countries makes it difficult to vote.
2. Not enough troops (as has to rely on individual countries to supply).
3. Difficult to maintain neutrality (esp in face of genocide, etc).

Challenges in Defining States

10) There is ​some disagreement about ​how many states there actually are in the world because of
regions which may, or may not, actually be states. Complete the table to demonstrate three cases:

KOREA (North & South) CHINA WESTERN SAHARA ​or

&​/​or SAHRAWI REPUBLIC
TAIWAN
One​ state exists​ if you agree that: One​ state exists​ if you agree that: One​ state exists​ if you agree that:
*are the same ethnicity (Korean) Taiwan is part of China, you If you agree that Morocco has
*same language (Korean) agree with the Chinese leagal control over most of the
*one peninsula and are very government and agree that the area and claims West Sahara
close in proximity Chinese have right to that area
*historical background of being
one united country

Two​ states exist​ if you agree that: Two​ states exist​ if you agree that: No​ state exists​ if you agree that:
*both their political and cultural Agree with the Taiwanese similar to Taiwan and China, you
differences are too grand for government that "stated" it's agree that they have the right to
them to be concidered one independence in 1999. You claim their own independence.
country agree that they have the right
to be their own sovereign
nation

For questions 11 & 12​:​ View figures 8-8 & 8-9. Read the section, ​“Polar Regions: Many Claims”​ (p. 265).
11) How many states claim regions in the ​South Pole​? Why?

Many states have claimed conflicting ownership - Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand,
Norway & United Kingdom all claim portions.
The US, Russia and other states do not recognize the claims of any country to Antarctica.

12) How many states lay claim to the ​Arctic region​? Why?
Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Finland, Iceland,
Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States.

Development of the State Concept

13) Define ​city-state​:

A sovereign states that comprises a town and the surrounding countryside.

14) Where did the ​first city-state evolve​? List the ​characteristics​ of a city-state.
 in the Uruk period
consisting of an independent city having sovereignty over contiguous territory and serving as a
centre and leader of political, economic, and cultural life.

15) Describe how the ​Roman Empire is an example of a ​medieval state​. What caused its ​collapse​? What
happened to the ​provinces​?
This was the medieval state that occurred in central Europe and Italy under the rule of the German
kings. This time was considered to be a restoration and continuation of the ancient Roman Empire.

16) Define ​nation-state:​

A state whose territory corresponds to that occupied by a particular ethnicity.

17) Define ​self-determination​:

The concept that ethnicities have the right to govern themselves.

18) After WWI (1919)​, what was the ​most important criterion​ used to ​create new states​?
Language

19) What effect did the ​Nazi party and WWII have on ​Germany​? How was ​Germany affected ​after the
defeat of the Nazi’s​ and the conclusion of the war (1945)?
Germany lost a lot of the land that they took and they didnt really gain anything from it.