Sovereignity

Definition

Defined as a state's ability to rule itself.
Is an essential principle in global politics

Internal Sovereignty

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States governing themselves independently.

States have full responsibility for what happens on their borders

They can decide and enforce their own laws, collect taxes, and spend
the money raised in priorities

External Sovereignty

How states interact externally with other states and internal organization

States respect each other borders and do not intervene or interfere in what goes on within the borders of those states.

Legitimacy

A state's sovereignty is dependent on other states recognizing the state as a state.

Aspects

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A permanent population

A defined territory and borders

effective government

Capacity and legitimacy to enter into relations with other states.

Organization

Democracy

Most Common

The states are elected by a free and fair process

Power is delegated into regions

Very powerful central goverment

Federal States

Central power over some policy

Individual states have the power to decide and enforce their own

Authoritarian States

Unitary States

Central goverment has authority over all its territory

Decisions and laws are decided by a national legisture

There is no democracy

The goverment is not elected and governs with authority that can not be challenged

Leaders remain in power as long as they want

Fragile States

The states internal sovereignty and power is weak

Monarchy

Royal Family rules the state

Is unelected, it gained its authority through generations of rule by family

Theocracy

Ruled by religion

When power is held by religious groups