The role of the state Notes

The State

1. Global politics involves a wide range of actors and stakeholders, but the state is often the most powerful of them all.

2. Understanding the state, how it functions internally and interacts with other states, is a key part of studying global politics.

What is a ‘state’? Our modern concept of the state is shaped by two key agreements:

Characteristics of a state (based on both agreements):

1. An independent government with authority over a clearly defined territory (with internationally recognized borders).
2. Seen as having full control over its own land and people.
3. Has the right to defend itself and be acknowledged as a state by others.
4. Operates with a system of government, which can be national, regional, or local, and usually includes a legal framework.
5. A permanent population
6. Exclusive rights within its territory, such as:
   1. The use of force
   2. Control over currency and the economy
   3. The ability to create and enforce laws, including tax systems and citizenship rules

What is a ‘nation state’?

1. There’s a key difference between a state and a nation state.
   1. A nation refers to an ethnic or cultural group with a shared identity or culture.
   2. A nation state is when this group also has its own territory and government, but not all nations do.
2. In today’s interconnected world, true nation states are relatively rare.
   1. Examples include Japan, Albania, and Iceland, where the population is largely unified by culture and governed by one state.
3. However, many nations exist without a state. These groups are often spread across different regions or countries, living outside their ancestral homeland. This is known as being in the diaspora, when people are living away from their cultural homeland, sometimes by choice, but often due to displacement.
4. Examples of stateless nations include:
   1. The Kurdish people
   2. The Rohingya
   3. The Roma (Romani) people

Different Systems of Governance

1. There are many different political systems and ways of organizing societies.
2. One common way to represent these systems is by placing them on a political spectrum, which often runs from left-wing to right-wing.
3. This spectrum helps us understand where different ideologies fall in terms of economic policies, social values, and views on power.

Left Wing

1. Far Left - Communism: Argues that inequality comes from capitalism. All people should have equal access to resources, and private ownership is abolished.
2. Left - Socialism: Supports fairer wealth distribution and reducing inequality, but can still exist within a capitalist system.
3. Centre-Left - Social Democracy: Believes in using government policies (like welfare and healthcare) to reduce inequality while keeping capitalism.

Centre

1. Liberalism: Focuses on individual rights, freedom, and equality under the law. Believes states and individuals both have roles in creating a fair society.

Right Wing

1. Centre-Right - Conservatism: Emphasizes tradition, religion, and social stability. Individuals should take responsibility for themselves with limited state interference.
2. Right - Nationalism: Prioritizes loyalty to the nation-state. National identity is central, sometimes promoting superiority over others.
3. Far Right - Fascism: Extreme nationalism mixed with authoritarianism. Power is centralized in a leader, dissent is crushed, and other groups may be targeted or excluded.

Political Parties

1. In a strong democracy, even political parties that aren’t in power can question or challenge the ruling party’s decisions, this keeps the system accountable.
2. While political parties are commonly linked to democracies and elections, they exist in all political systems, including authoritarian regimes.
3. For example, China and North Korea have only one legal political party, while countries like the United States allow multiple parties to compete in elections.