Polytechnic University of the Philippines

College of Political Science and Public

Administration
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science 1-3

Collection of Compiled Reflection Essays in Political Science

Territorial Geopolitics, Geopolitical Theories, and National Territory

In partial fulfillment of the

Assignment in Fundamentals in Political Science

By

Francis Miguel A. Cruz

January 2023
 Territorial Geopolitics

From the past discussion we had, we have known the definition and functions of the State.
Recgonized as a group of people, more or less, numerous, occupying a definite portion of a
territory, having a government of their own to where the great number of inhabitants render their
great obedience, and having a freedom from foreign control. Like any other system, the State can
not stand on its own without its four main components. Mainly, the Government, People,
Sovereignty, and Territory. Without the prior existence of the four main components or when it
is lacking, the State can not exist completely. Although it is not included in the mentioned
components, another key in instituting the State is recognition. The recognition of the State is a
significant process to their indendency as a community. Like any other countries, a State that is
widely recognized, be it De Facto or De Jure, by the International Community, enjoy the rights
and privileges as an independent community under International law. As said by Bosnia and
Herzegovnia in 1992, the international recognition is important evidence that the factual
criteria of statehood actually have been fulfilled. A large number of recognitions may buttress
a claim to statehood even in circumstances where the conditions for statehood have been fulfilled
imperfectly.

Among the mentioned components, the State, by logical grounds, can not exist without a
permanent occupied area where its inhabitants and government must settle. The territory is an
indispensable element of the State. It determines whether the State can maintain its power and
existence in the modern age. Concomitantly, it is also the territory that determines the capacity of
the State to sustain the needs of its population through the available resources in its four definite
domains: fluvial, aerial, maritime, and terrestrial. In the interplay of politics, tiny States often
seek assistance to larger States who has more capacity to defend them in hope to preserve their
existence in case if a conflict escalates with the region. By the time being, it is also territory that
spark wars and conflicts in the pages of world history in the intent of attaining dominance driven
in the name of military superiority, political ideologies, religion, and wealth.

In understanding territory as either sovereign or non-sovereign geographic area, its 8

principal domains must also be analyzed and observed at.

Capital Territory
A country's seat of government is typically located in a capital district, capital area, or
capital territory, which is a specially recognized administrative entity. Because the national
capital is located inside each state or territory's borders, no state or territory in a federal type of
governance has any political or economic edge over the others. A distinction must be drawn from
administrative divisions which include national capitals, but have no special legal status
designation. Some federal countries, like Belgium and Germany, give their national capitals the
status equal to federal units.

Dependent Territory
As already been said with its name, dependent territories are those who are under the
jurisdiction of another State. Likewise, it does not possess full political independence as a
sovereign State, yet remains politically outside the integral area of the State who controls them.
Although they are not completely independent in governing most of their political affairs, there is
a certain degree of autonomy as represented by a local government. They still vote democratically
to elect their local leaders so as to maintain their territorial status. There are circumstances that
some wished to attain independence from their Mother Country, while others reject them due to
various factors including their economy and political stability.

Federal Territory
It is an administrative division under the direct and usually exclusive jurisdiction of a
federation’s national government. These are not federated states that make the federation itself to
where it shares its sovereignty. Although the phrases are employed somewhat differently in
various federations, the territory often has some autonomy, unlike a federal district.

Overseas Territory
A territorial entity that is separated, geographically, from the mainland State by an ocean
or sea. It also referred to territories which is politically an integral part of - or independent - with
a governing State. Like Dependent Territory, it also have a certain degree of autonomy if
mandated by the Mother State. In instance, the local government of that particular territory is
supposed to oversee the local politics of the area and govern the local inhabitants.

Unorganized Territory
The unorganized territory is an area where it has no local, incorporated municipal
government. Duties related to providing services and property tax administration in unorganized
territories are shared among various state agencies and county government.

Disputed Territory
 A disputed area means a disagreement to rival governments as to which sovereign State
has the right and the obligation to serve a particular geographical area. All concerned
governments in the dispute claims to have rights over the conflicted territory and has proof of
jurisdiction, either through their shared history or its legality and recognition by the international
law.

Some of the areas on earth with the largest oil and gas resources currently in contention,
as well as the most potential for future development, include the Persian Gulf, Caspian Sea, Gulf
of Guinea, South China Sea, and Red Sea. Territorial and border disputes exist in the Persian
Gulf's Herab Triangle, the southern Rumaila oil field between Iraq and Kuwait, Hawar Island
between Bahrain and Qatar, the border between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and
the border between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. All of these regions are home to significant
reserves of oil and gas.

Boundary and territorial disputes typically emerge from claims based on culture and
material assets, yet they can also be the result of significant local and global environmental
changes. On rare occasions, territorial and boundary disputes between large nations can even turn
into geopolitical confrontations. The five factors—resource scarcity, locational characteristic,
domestic politics, geopolitical competitiveness, and cultural difference—as well as how they have
significantly influenced cross-border wars in disputed territory are examined in this chapter. A
road plan for peaceful development is also provided for decision-makers involved in territorial
disputes.

Occupied Territory
 A territory is declared "occupied" in terms of international law when the hostile army has
taken control of it. Although it does not fully annexed the territory, it does, however, possess a
full control over its premises and inhabitants to which laws can be codified by the occupying
army. Recent rulings by international courts have also reaffirmed the occupying power's
commitment to uphold human rights in occupied territories and with regard to those who are
effectively under its effective control as a result of occupation or imprisonment. These rulings so
affirm that in these circumstances, the human rights agreements work in conjunction with
international humanitarian law. In regard to European nations' military engagement in and
occupation of Iraq, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has rendered notable rulings on
violations of the European Convention (infra Jurisprudence).

Maritime Territory
It is a word used in international law to describe coastal waters that are in close proximity
to the sea but are not territorial waters. The dominion of the neighboring state is constrained in
the case of territorial waters. The exercise of dominion over maritime territory is unrestricted.
Therefore, any strait through which foreign vessels cannot pass freely and any bays that are
completely enclosed by land and cannot be considered to be a part of any ocean highway are
considered to be maritime territory.

Territory is more than what we imagine it is. It is undeniable that territory plays a
significant role in determining the progress of the State, especially its conditions, particularly in
its economy, politics, and military capacity. The situation of its territory and its geographic
location determine what efforts a State must do to craft policies for its affairs to protect and
preserve its existence. Looking through world history, we have known that the Island States, like
Japan and Great Britain, developed their strong navy and air force to protect themselves from
foreign attack. The case of the State's location is a point to consider in realizing a direct invasion
or a potential tension that could escalate within the region at any given moment. Commonly,
landlocked countries are often subjected to annihilation from countries with strong military
capacity, having their borders susceptible to any ground and aerial attacks. Unless, there are
natural barriers that could impede the rallying armies toward the center of the State, particularly
mountain ranges and natural landforms. Otherwise, they are extremely vulnerable to military
dominion.

While territory is crucial in military advantage, it is also integral in determining the

capacity of the State to sustain its population by the availability of significant resources that are
largely used to feed the people, maintain their industries, and cultivate and utilize the
technological and material output of the State's important sectors. The size of the territory is not
always equitable to how resource-rich the area is. There are cases that a small territory is
abundant in natural resources, while other large areas are not. The struggle for natural resources
with the growing population sparked wars and conflict, not only within their region, but in the
international community, and drives countries to dominate and annex each other in the hope to
have a share with the majority of the foreign resources that they can exploit to bring back on their
homeland to fund their development and military capacity while leaving the conquered territory
in shackles.

The territory is an integral part of the State to which it can attain its existence. However, it
is also territory to be blamed for why the State's existence can also be threatened. It gives a
physical presence to states and provides them with resources and other benefits. The territory also
defines boundaries between countries that serve to protect their sovereignty. Furthermore, it
allows for international trade, communication, and cultural exchange among nations. Finally,
territory can be used as a symbol of national identity and pride which helps create unity within a
country. The relation of territory to geopolitics is that it plays a major role in the international
relations between countries. The territory is used as a way for nations to assert their sovereignty
and protect their borders. It also determines how states interact with each other, such as through
trade agreements or military alliances. Furthermore, territorial disputes can lead to conflict if not
resolved in an amicable manner. Therefore, understanding the importance of territory in
geopolitics is essential for world peace and stability. Geopolitics is a complex and ever-changing
field of study that has implications for all nations on Earth. It involves understanding the
relationships between countries and how their respective policies affect each other. From security
threats to trade agreements, geopolitical issues are constantly in flux and require constant
monitoring by governments across the globe. To ensure peace, cooperation, and stability among
nations it is essential to understand the nuances of geopolitics forged by a strong inclination to
democratic policies and diplomacy.
 Geopolitics and National Territory

The international community is constantly evolving. As it continues to progress, new

conflicts arise concerning economic, social, and political policies that States have adopted. Such
trends with the growth of emerging market economies, rapid globalization, health concerns, and
the rise of populism clash with the range of opportunities and threats to sovereign States,
including also its people and other significant sectors like industries and sectoral groups. They are
largely affected by the changes in regulation and policies influenced by global trade, escalating
conflict within the region, and tension and pressure with the international community.

These important factors, however, are tied to the geographic location of a State, and the
measures it has created or will be in the future are tied to the preservation and protection of its
existence and inhabitants.

Geopolitics studies how geography affects politics and a State's international relations.
With that being said, scholars and experts of geopolitics analyze and study actors – the
individuals, organizations, multinational companies, and national governments that maintain and
execute political, social, financial, and economic activities – and how they interact with one
another. These relations matter since it determines the tide of political activities in local, regional,
and international politics. It is uncertain for an individual to declare that the measures executed by
their national government should not be addressed and called out by the international community
since every country are part of a much larger community – brought closer by trade and economy
– and that the intervention of other countries is important to maintain peace and justice.
Moreover, they also define the progress of the State since they matter to their economic policies
that contribute to important economic drivers, including industries, agriculture, and other
significant sectors. This also determines the prices of material goods that will chip into the
development of the sovereign nation and will also distinguish the future that awaits them.

But geopolitics encompasses various territorial theories that would define how students of
political science view international relations.

First is the Organic Theory that view countries as living organisms that enter different
life stages and like organisms, they must, therefore, eat to survive. But in its application to
sovereign States, they must expand and conquer other sovereign States to ensure their survival
and preserve their existence in the ever-changing international environment. When a sovereign
State conquers a territory, the latter is subject to their policies regardless it is not benevolent.
Their resources are also consumed and exploited for the use of the conquering State.

Second is the Heartland Theory. With the influence of his Heartland Theory, British
geographer Halford Mackinder brought geopolitics back into popular consciousness in 1904. In
his dissertation "The Geographical Pivot of History," Mackinder made the following prediction:
"In the industrial age, the natural resources of Central Asia—"the great pivot"—will be so
plentiful that they will be used as a geostrategic tool for the state that controls it to become "the
empire of the world." At the moment, the Heartland is made up of Russia and the former Soviet
Republics of Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan). In any geostrategic
examination of the Heartland, these new republics are crucial since they make up the
contemporary core of Mackinder's pivot region. The regional hegemon of the Heartland is and
has always been Russia. In light of modern warfare's preferences, Mackinder's theory is largely
seen as being out of date. At the time he developed his idea, he solely considered the history of
the globe in the context of conflict between land and maritime forces. He said that nations with
sizable ships had an advantage over smaller nations who had the strength to control the seas and
navigate the expanse of the oceans. In the modern era of combat, airplanes have significantly
impacted the ability to direct the course of battle, acquire territory, and offer defensive
capabilities.

Third is the Rimland Theory. A notion that refuted Mackinder's Heartland theory was
developed in 1942 by Nichols Spyman. The key to governing the World Island, according to
Spyman, is the rimland, or coastal regions, of Eurasia. Heartland is contained within rimland. In
the end, the World Island would be under the power of whoever held the rimland. Soon, the
world will be under the dominion of whoever had the World Island. Whoever would control the
World Island would soon control the world. It was further popularized during the Cold War and
on the period on the height of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republic (USSR). The reason is to
contain the power of the Soviet Union, repressing their capacity to spread around the world in the
hopes of the Western powers to stop the spread of Communism, which threatens the imperialism
and hegemony of the United States of America and its allied powers.
 The national interest is predetermined by geopolitics or the history of country.
Important political leaders never just followed interest – they were concerned
about the interest of their people.

Joseph Nye

The geopolitical situation of countries made them resort to drastic measures born out of
their held ideologies to preserve their existence as sovereign States and further ensure that they
can sustain their growing population with resources from newly conquered territories. It has been
seen since humans have ventured to the Earth to establish their civilizations from strategic
locations where they waged wars to attain supremacy in their region, insist superiority of their
races, and further encapsulate their hegemony over natural resources and manpower that will be
exploited under their jurisdiction.

But in the principles of geopolitics, not all "large" territories are considered effective. It is
also their portion that can bring their State to its dominion. While their location can be an
advantage militarily, it can be a downturn in other sectors including transportation, services, and
mobility.

The inability of the national leaders to develop policies that will defend the best interests
of the State has a negative impact on geopolitics. When it fails to respond fast in the face of the
uncertainties of the moment, the State they presided over is likely to suffer as a result of their
incapacity and inconsistent behavior in failing to act in the best interests of its citizens and their
sovereign nation. True global leaders are more urgently needed as the globe's geopolitical terrain
becomes more complicated and the bipolar (or perhaps tripolar) international order takes hold in
world politics and economy.

It is frequently necessary to look beyond national concerns and consider the big picture,
but relatively few people are actually able to do it. The characteristics of a geopolitical leader are
discussed in the paper, along with the ways in which political leaders differ from one another and
what makes one become a global geopolitical leader. A few pertinent examples that speak to the
state of the world today are given and thoroughly examined. The standing of a country
determines a geopolitical leader's standing internationally. The geopolitical leadership of a nation
or state cannot be distinguished from the geopolitical leadership of the head of state as an
individual. Only when mankind is conscious of its shared interests and common threats and is
able to bring all nation states together into a single international state of Earth inhabitants will the
battle for geopolitical leadership between nations and the constant appearance of geopolitical
leaders come to an end. The state's administration will be able to disband all national armies and
armies of armed coalitions, leaving just state troops operating on state territory. The resources
that have been released can be used to effectively address the world's challenges. National states
and their leaders won't go away at all; instead, they'll turn into areas of a single, unified world.