Devolution & Supranationalism
Possible answer:
Devolutionary forces in Canada include language differences in Quebec and
demands for control of resources and revenue by people in the Yukon. The
government responded by declaring French to be Quebec's official language and
giving more resource management to the Yukon. The U.S.S.R. dealt with a
challenging physical geography, a failing economy, a weakened military,
widespread ethnic separatism, and unpopular reforms. The result of these
devolutionary forces was the break-up of the Soviet Union.
Describe how the United States government is spatially organized and how power is distributed among its units.
The United States is divided into 50 states and those states have numerous
localities, like cities and towns. As a result, its power is shared and distributed
among the federal government, state governments, and local governments.
Describe how mapmaking is a political process.
Possible answer:
Maps send a message to people about who control territory. Countries draw borders to show the land that they claim as theirs.
Describe the cultural and economic aftereffects of imperialism.
Possible answer:
Cultural effects: Language: People speak English in the United States and Australia
because these lands were settled by British colonists. People throughout Central
and Latin America speak Spanish because of Spanish colonists. Religion: Latin
America has the world's largest percentage of Catholics due to Spanish
missionaries. Economic effects: Africa's economic instability can be traced back to
the Berlin Conference, which was designed to maximize economic advantages for
the European powers.
Describe how sovereignty is related to devolution.
Possible answer:
Challenges to state sovereignty like physical geography, ethnic separatism, or
irredentism can lead to devolution.
Compare key spatial elements in unitary and federal systems.
Possible response: In a unitary system, regional and local units may have their own
governments, but they are subject to the supreme authority of the central
government. As a result, the coordination between levels of government is
typically efficient and fair. In a federal system, power is shared between a central
government and its regional units. This can cause instances of spatial inequality;
for example, schools across the United States are not funded equally.
Is the United States a nation-state? Why or why not?
No. The United States is a multinational state.
Compare subsequent and superimposed boundaries.
Subsequent boundaries arise over time among groups living in a territory and who
have established cultural landscapes there. Superimposed boundaries are drawn
by an outside power and may not take into account existing governments or
cultural landscapes.
Describe the benefits of a supranational organization for a state with a small GDP.
Alone, a state with a small GDP usually wouldn't have much economic influence
internationally. Being part of an economic alliance opens doors to increased trade and
other economic freedoms.
Explain how reapportionment can impact the political power of a state.
During reapportionment, a state may gain or lose seats in the House of
Representatives based on population shifts. Gaining or losing a seat in the House
reflects a change in its power in Congress. Losing a congressional district during
reapportionment results in a slight loss of national political power as well.
Describe the relationship between territoriality and the open display of local pride.
Possible response:
When people overtly express local pride, they are asserting some control over their
geographic area.
Describe how the nature of a country's boundaries is linked with its history and political situation.
Possible answer:
Different types of boundaries arise from historical and political events. A country
with superimposed boundaries likely has a history of colonial domination and may
struggle with conflict among cultural groups as a result of the boundaries. A state
with consequent boundaries is likely to be more like a nation-state with a more
unified national viewpoint, because consequent boundaries tend to follow cultural
lines.
Explain how a supranational organization might challenge the sovereignty of a state.
A state gives up sovereignty in a supranational organization by limiting its power to
make decisions about issues that directly affect it. In the case of an organization like the
EU, open borders and shared currency also can result in a loss of national identity.
Describe the arguments against gerrymandering
Possible answer:
Opponents to gerrymandering argue that it disenfranchises voters. For example, if
a congressional district is gerrymandered to be heavily Republican, the argument
goes, then the vote of a Democrat counts for less, if at all. Additionally,
gerrymandering produces maps that do not reflect the overall partisan vote of the
state. It is not unheard of for a state with an evenly divided popular vote to be so
gerrymandered that its congressional delegation is severely tipped in favor of one
party or the other.
Explain why chokepoints are important to the global economy.
Possible answer:
Enormous amounts of export goods such as food and oil flow through maritime
choke points every day. If the flow of these goods was interrupted, the economies
of both the importing and exporting countries would suffer. The exporting
countries would not be able to sell their goods. The importing countries could
experience shortages or higher prices.
Explain why countries find it necessary to delimit their boundaries.
Possible answer:
When boundaries between countries are not delimited, the countries are in a
better position to stake claims on one another's territories.
Explain how symbols such as the Taiwanese flag act as a centripetal force.
Possible response:
The Taiwanese flag provides a sense of identity for the Taiwanese people that separates them from surrounding East Asian states, particularly China.
Explain how the concept of self-determination might challenge the political structure of a multinational state.
Possible answer: People of different nations, along with their diverse cultural values, may have
different ideas of how they should be governed. When people of diverse nations
are gathered within a multinational state, these ideas may come into conflict when
determining the form of government for a state they all share.
Explain why coastal countries seek to expand and defend their maritime boundaries.
Countries have exclusive rights to exploit valuable resources such as fish and
energy sources within their maritime boundaries.