The State Flashcards
What key characteristics does a state have?
- set on institutions
- defined territory
- Deciding citizenship and controlling entry
- Monopolising the legitimate use of force
- Making and enforcing binding decisions
What are other characteristics of states?
- Claims to advance common interests
- Is generally accepted as legitimate
- Has a bureaucracy and tax system
- Has a constitution and legal system
- Is recognised as a state by other states
What is Top-Down theory?
States are formed by political elites
which develop long-term interest in
securing a territory, protecting it from threats,
exploiting its population and natural resources
What is the Bottom-Up theory?
Elite behaviour has limited impact on states
Cohesiveness of societies more important
Nations are most important sort of society
Woodrow Wilson
example of a failed state
Somalia
Central African Republic
who is Thomas Paine?
the rights of man; in grafting representation upon democracy. made it a dominant theory
Robert Dahl?
The second transformation of democracy
George Santayana
when a ppl exercises control over other ppls its government becomes ponderous even at home; its elaborate imperial machinery cannot be stopped, and can hardly be mended;the imperial ppl become the slave of its commitment.
