Topic 4: The State

• A state (country) needs people, land, a government, and independence from other countries.
• People – Citizens of the state.
• Territory – The land, air, and water controlled by the state.
• Government – The group that makes and enforces laws.
• Sovereignty – The state’s ability to govern itself.
• A country needs people, land, a government, and independence to exist.
• Elements of the States

  • People
  • Territory
  • Government
  • Sovereignty
• Internal Sovereignty – Power over people inside the state.
• External Sovereignty – Independence from foreign countries.
• Types of Sovereignty

  • Internal Sovereignty
  • External Sovereignty
• A country must control its own people and not be controlled by other countries.
• Absolute – No one else is above the government.
• Comprehensive – Covers all people and areas.
• Permanent – Lasts as long as the state exists.
• Indivisible – Cannot be shared.
• A state’s power is complete, applies to everyone, lasts forever, and cannot be divided.
• Characteristics of Sovereignty

  • Absolute
  • Comprehensive
  • Permanent
  • Indivisible
• Types of Sovereignty

  • Legal Sovereignty
  • Political Sovereignty
  • Popular Sovereignty
  • De Facto Sovereignty
  • De Jure Sovereignty
• Legal Sovereignty – Power based on laws.
• Political Sovereignty – Power based on elections.
• Popular Sovereignty – Power comes from the people.
• De Facto Sovereignty – Power without legal recognition.
• De Jure Sovereignty – Power legally recognized.
• Sovereignty means having legal power, political power, or power from the people.
• Sovereignty means having legal power, political power, or power from the people.
• State – A political entity with government and sovereignty.
• Nation – A group of people with shared culture, language, or history.
• A state (country) is about government, while a nation is about culture.
• State – The whole country, permanent.
• Government – The group of leaders, temporary.
• A state stays the same, but the government can change.
• Forms of Government

  • Democracy
  • Monarchy
  • Oligarchy
  • Dictatorship
  • Unitary
  • Federal
  • Presidential
  • Parliamentary
• Democracy – People vote for leaders.
• Monarchy – A king or queen rules.
• Oligarchy – A few powerful people rule.
• Dictatorship – One person has total control.
• Unitary – The national government has all power.
• Federal – Power is shared between national and local governments.
• Presidential – The president is elected separately from the legislature.
• Parliamentary – The legislature chooses the leader.