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What is a State?

What is a State?. Differentiating Terms State Max Weber defines it as the organization that maintains a monopoly of violence over a territory Must have sovereignty – the ability to carry out actions or policies within a territory independently from external actors or internal riots

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What is a State?

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  1. What is a State? • Differentiating Terms • State • Max Weber defines it as the organization that maintains a monopoly of violence over a territory • Must have sovereignty – the ability to carry out actions or policies within a territory independently from external actors or internal riots • Sovereignty requires power, physical and otherwise, to defend against these other actors • Institutions are what we call actors which carry out the state’s responsibilities (i.e., executive branch, bureaucracy, military, courts, etc.)

  2. What is a State? • Differentiating Terms • Nation • People group that is bound together through shared political aspirations (i.e., self government) • Regime • fundamental rules and norms of politics • Can change gradually or through rapid trauma or revolution • Government • The leadership presently entrusted with running the state • Can change through elections, or transitions of power

  3. Comparing State Power • Strong States • Weak States • Failed States • These are simplistic ways to express the power of a state

  4. Comparing State Power • Capacity – the ability of a state to wield power in order to carry out the basic tasks of providing security and reconciling freedom and equality • High Capacity – well organized, legitimate, able to enforce its own laws • Autonomy – the ability of a state to wield its power independent of public approval • High Autonomy – state acts on behalf of the public with no regard to public opinion • Low Autonomy – state acts at the behest of private individuals and groups

  5. Centralization vs. Decentralization • Unitary – one national government, local/regional units have little or no say in policy • Examples : Great Britain, China, Iran

  6. Different Forms of Government • Federal – local units share power with the central national government • Examples : U.S., Mexico, Nigeria, *Russia*

  7. Different Forms of Government • Confederal – smaller regional governments hold the most power, united by a weak central government • Examples : European Union, other IGOs

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