United Nations Members

1. United Nations Members Fig. 8-1: The UN has increased from 51 members in 1945 to 191 in 2003.

2. Political Geography-the study of political activity in a spatial context. • Over 200 countries and territories in the world • Great inequality of size, relative location, population, resources and potential • Some are landlocked or have little coastline • Some are surrounded by hostile nations • In the last several decades-the collapse of empires has added to the number of independent states. • Many newly independent nations have problems

3. Political Culture • Some state systems separate church & state while others are theocracies-governments led by religious leaders. • Robert Sach coined the term human territoriality to describe the way political space is organized. • Robert Ardrey compares human territoriality to the instinct of animals to control & defend territory. • Land ownership-some societies have communal ownership while others emphasize individual ownership. (Africa-imperialism, Indians of N. America). • Challenges to political territory provides a strong motivation for warfare.

4. Nation-State • Earliest rulers “regnum” ruled over a group of followers-not fixed territories. • Medieval concept of the Nation-State began with the Roman Catholic Church-that created “dominium” rule over a defined territory. • Merovingian Kings 5th-8th cent. Called themselves “Kings of theFranks”, later Capetian Dynasty 10th - 14th cent. Called themselves “Kings of France”. • Rise of the modern nation-state saw the development of distinctive territory.

5. Rise of the Modern State • European Model of the state diffused from Ancient Greece & Rome. • Middle Ages-fragmentation, on mainland, Dynastic rule & strong leaders led to greater national cohesion, Norman invasion ended the fragmentation of England. • Muslim invasion repelled. New technology-horseshoe, stirrup, horse collar, wheel barrow & wind mill introduced.

6. Rise of the Modern State • Renaissance-political nationalism & economic nationalism in the form of mercantilism developed-concept of diplomacy developed in Italy. • Mercantilism-states should acquire wealth through-colonization, plunder, protection of home industries & markets, a favorable balance of trade.

7. Rise of the Modern State • Reformation-brought a religious split Roman Catholic versus Protestant-led to a series of wars. Monarchies benefited from the Church’s loss of political power. • Age of Absolutism-emerged with Louis XIV of France as a prime example. Monarchies became the focal point of national awareness-ended regionalism and aristocratic local control

8. Rise of the Modern State • Powerful dynasties-Habsburgs, Bourbons, Tudors & Stuarts struggled for power. • Thirty Years’ War began as a religious struggle-but ended as state & dynastic struggle for control of Europe. • Peace of Westphalia 1648 ended the war-created defined boundaries & guarantees of security-Modern Europe emerged.

9. The states we perceive as “natural” and “always existing” are relatively recent phenomena. In 1648, Europe was divided into dozens of small territories.