political geography (chapter 8): study guide
Describe four functions of the United Nations. Please provide details on the functions that are accomplished by this organization.
One function of the United Nations is to maintain a peacekeeping force between warring states and to request states to contribute a military force. However, these efforts were hindered by any one of the five long-lasting states of the Security Council (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US) because any one of these states could oppose (or "veto") the operation in order to avoid undesired UN invasion. The ability to veto the contribution of a military force was not used in 1950 when the UN sent troops to South Korea after the Soviet Union's representative walked out of a Security Council meeting. A veto from China, France, and Russia was recently used in order to prevent the United Kingdom and the United States from receiving UN-approval for the 2003 attack on Iraq to defeat Saddam Hussein. Another function of the United Nations is to attempt to separate conflicting groups in regions such as Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Sub-Saharan Africa (which are known for the numerous state-to-state conflict). However, due to the fact that the UN directly depends on individual states to supply troops (to be commissioned by the UN), the organization struggles to keep peace successfully (because some states don't provide these troops). A third function of the United Nations is to *maintain unbiased in situations of war.* However, this has often proved difficult especially in places where the world clearly sees one powerful state opposing a weaker victim state. Lastly, a fourth function of the United Nations is to *provide a space where nations can meet, discuss, and vote on issues in a civilized manner, without having to go to war to settle their disputes.* The United Nations also provides help and relief to states/people who are in need.
How did the Soviet Union and the United States attempt to create a *balance of power* during the Cold War era?
The Soviet Union and the United States attempted to create a *balance of power* during the Cold War era by using their abilities to send troops to different areas of the world and to create military bases in regions that were not adjacent to their own land. However, these attempts to create a *balance of power* were sometimes counteracted by the admission of states to a superpower's "league". This gave the superpower that the state was joining more power than the other due to the fact that the second superpower no longer has the opportunity to gain this state.
When was the United Nations created?
The United Nations was created after World War II (specifically in the year 1945). The exact date is October 24, 1945.
Why was the United Nations established after World War II?
The United Nations was established after World War II *in order to avoid another world war in the future (WW3)* and to prevent states from foreign attack. However, this was not the world's first attempt at global unification and peacekeeping. The UN is the successor of the former League of Nations, created after World War I. This League was never a strong peacekeeping organization due to the fact that the United States didn't join because the Senate refused to ratify the membership treaty (even though the creation of the League was pioneered by President Woodrow Wilson). Additionally, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the Soviet Union had all left the League by the 1930s and the establishment couldn't stop tension and conflict between these states and their neighbors.
What is the essential goal of the European Union? Explain by giving at least two (2) examples of the successes of this organization.
The essential goal of the European Union is to promote growth amongst its member states through economic cooperation. *One example of how this goal has been successfully met is through the establishment of open-border policies between member states for trade and economic and political purposes.* Economically, this allows trade to move freely from one state into another without having to stop at a particular border along the way (which could raise prices and tariffs on the item being imported/exported). Additionally, services can move across borders of states within the EU without having to stop at these borders as well. Politically (and partially culturally), people can move freely across borders amongst states in the EU without having to stop at these borders. This leaves more opportunity for the permanent migration from one state to another to occur, which can improve the economic prospects of the country that the migrants are relocating to. *Another example of how the goal of the European Union has been successfully met is through the establishment of a common currency amongst all member states. This common currency is known as a Euro and it has been adopted as a means of currency in 11 European Union countries.* In turn, this adoption of the Euro hinders disputes in prices, interest rates, and other economic entities within the area. The effect of these two examples has transformed Western Europe into the world's most affluent market.
What is the first supranational organization established?
The first supranational organization established is the European Union (EU).
How is the European Union an example of a supranational organization?
The European Union is an example of a supranational organization because it is type of international organization where power is delegated to an authority that is comprised of the governments of member states. This authority (in terms of the European Union) is known as the European Parliament, where members are voted for by states within the European Union. The organization had six member countries when it was first created in 1958. These countries included Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. More states have been admitted to the European Union since 1958, such as Denmark, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Austria, Finland, and Sweden. The modern European Union consists of 28 states today.
Why are multinational organizations created?
1. Trade agreements save $$$ 2. Multinational organizations help solve environmental challenges 3. Economies of Scale Save $$$
Name 10 countries on each side for the answer to question number 5 above.
10 countries involved in NATO include (but are not limited to): Belgium, Denmark, West Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and Portugal. 10 countries that were involved in the Warsaw Pact included (but are not limited to): the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Albania, Latvia, and Lithuania.
Describe with details and supporting examples how two (2) states have participated in "State Support for Terrorism".
2 states that have participated in "State Support for Terrorism" include Iraq and Libya. Iraq participated in "State Support for Terrorism" by President Saddam Hussein creating weapons of mass destruction that could be given to terrorists to be used on others. This idea was first initiated by the United States prior to their 2003 Iraqi attack to remove Hussein from office. In 1998, UN inspectors found a nuclear radiation weapon program, a program for making weapons from the VX nerve agent, and a biological weapons program in Iraq as evidence that Hussein was making the alleged weapons of mass destruction for terrorist use. Libya participated in "State Support for Terrorism" when Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi provided terrorists with financial support in order to kill his enemies living in exile in Europe. This occurred after the deposition of the King of Libya in 1969 military coup. In addition, terrorists supported by Libya bombed a nightclub in Berlin heavy with stationed US military personnel in 1986, thus proving the fact that Libya participated in "State Support For Terrorism".
How does a state's form of government change during the devolutionary process?
A state's form of government changes during the devolutionary process because this state's government usually goes from being a unitary government (with centralized power) to a federal government (with local and centralized power).
What is a supranational organization?
A supranational organization is when three (3) states give up some of their sovereignty and from an association that establishes shared goals (economic, political, or military). These organizations are regionalized (as opposed to international).
Who started Al-Qaeda?
Al-Qaeda was started around 1990 to unite jihad (Afghanistan's anti-Soviet fight) soldiers and supporters of the Osama bin Laden (Al-Qaeda's creator) around the Middle East.
What is devolution?
Devolution is the process whereby regions within a state demand and gain political strength and growing autonomy at the expense of the state's local government.
REVIEW: What is economic devolution? Provide an example.
Economic devolution occurs when a state is divided based on economic differences. This can be seen when Britain chooses to leave the EU in 2016 because they see it as "expensive, out of touch, and a source of uncontrolled immigration".
What are economies of scale?
Economies of scale is the idea that when more of an item is made, it costs less money to make them.
REVIEW: What is ethnocultural devolution? Provide an example.
Ethnocultural devolutionary movements are when disputes amongst people are caused by the residency of various ethnic groups within a state. These ethnic groups may define themselves as being ethnically, linguistically, or religiously different from one another. This can be seen in Belgium with the Walloons (Southern Belgians) and Flemings (Northern Belgians) although the state of Belgium hasn't been subject to devolution yet.
Name three (3) reasons why al-Qaeda created a terrorist organization designed to do harm in Western countries.
One reason why al-Qaeda created a terrorist organization designed to do harm in Western countries is the fact that Osama bin Laden (al-Qaeda's founder) believed that that Muslims are required to wage a holy war (jihad) against the United States. This is because bin Laden believed that the United States was accountable for maintaining the rulers of Saudi Arabia. Another reason why al-Qaeda created a terrorist organization designed to do harm in Western countries is that members knew that the United States was also accountable for maintaining and a predominantly Jewish state of Israel. Al-Qaeda members believed that the demolition of the Saudi monarchy and the Jewish state of Israel would free these powers from their control over Islam's three holiest places (Mecca, Madinah, and Jerusalem). A third reason why al-Qaeda created a terrorist organization designed to do harm in Western countries is the fact that the organization's leader (Osama bin Laden) most likely had resentment towards the US military. This can be inferred because bin Laden and his "troops" were exiled from both Saudi Arabia and Sudan when US troops were in place in Saudi Arabia (when bin Laden and his troops moved to Saudi Arabia) and Yemen and Somalia (when bin Laden and his troops moved to Sudan). Bin Laden and his associates were exiled from Saudi Arabia on the basis that they were opposing Saudi Arabia's choice to station US troops there during the 1991 war against Iraq. Bin Laden and his associates were exiled from Sudan because they were initiating attacks against US troops in Yemen and Somalia.
REVIEW: What is a spatial devolution? Provide an example.
Spatial devolutionary movements (also called territorial devolutionary movements) occurs amongst regions within a state that are located farther away from the capital city of this state. This can be seen in the struggle between Italy and it's island (Sardinia) who are very different.
How has membership in the United Nations changed over the last 60 years? Give three (3) specific examples of when the United Nations membership changed in 1955, 1960, and 1990.
The membership in the United Nations has changed over the last 60 years due to the addition of new states to the global organization. For example, 16 mostly European countries that had been freed from Nazi Germany oppression joined the UN in 1955. 5 years later, the UN grew to 82 members through the addition of all (but one) former African colony formerly under British or French control that participated in decolonization. Lastly, in 1990, the UN grew to 108 states due to the addition of 26 states. These 26 states joined the United Nations during the years of 1990 and 1993 due to the balkanization of Yugoslavia and the collapsation of the Soviet Union. The UN also grew in size during the 1990s because of the addition of microstates to the organization as well. There are now 192 states in the UN. In other words, new land wasn't discovered, but new political lines were redrawn on maps.
What is meant by the phrase "State Support for Terrorism"?
The phrase "State Support for Terrorism" means that states within the Middle East have aided terrorism efforts in recent years. These states have done this by providing sanctuary for terrorists wanted by other countries, supplying weapons, money, and intelligence to terrorists, and/or planning attacks using terrorists.
What are the three (3) types of movements of devolution? Explain each example.
The three types of movements of devolution are ethnocultural, economic, and spatial. Ethnocultural devolutionary movements are when disputes amongst people are caused by the residency of various ethnic groups within a state. These ethnic groups may define themselves as being ethnically, linguistically, or religiously different from one another. Examples of ethnocultural devolutionary movements can be seen in the devolution of Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. Economic devolutionary movements occurs when a state is divided based on economic differences. An example of this can be seen in Catalonia, Spain where the autonomous region produces 40% of Spain's exports. Because of this fact, Catalonia wants to become its own state, independent of Spain. Spatial devolutionary movements (also called territorial devolutionary movements) occurs amongst regions within a state that are located farther away from the capital city of this state. Examples of spatial devolutionary movements can be seen in Hawaii, which wants to form its own state due to 4,672 mile distance that separates the island from its state's capital (Washington D.C)
Name the two major regional military alliances formed during the Cold War.
The two major regional military alliances formed during the Cold War were NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the Warsaw Pact.
Give two (2) examples of individuals who have perpetrated terrorist acts on American soil.
Two examples of individuals who have perpetrated terrorist acts on American soil (include but are not limited to): Timothy J. McVeigh and Terry I. Nichols and Theodore J. Kaczynski (known as the Unabomber). Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols bombed the Oklahoma City Federal Building in 1995. Theodore Kaczynski killed 3 people and hurt 23 others by sending bombs in the mail throughout a 17-year period (from 1978 to 1995).
