3. Centripetal forces
Forces that promote national unity and
solidarity.
The ultimate centripetal force is the nation’s
raison d’être:
Its ‘reason for being’
Every state must have a reason to exist:
Defending a culture or ideology
Standing up to a common enemy
Special status in the world
States that don’t have a raison d’etre try to create
one to unify the people.
4. Examples of centripetal forces
1.
Nationalism is the primary source of group
identity in the modern state.
It is the idea that a person derives a significant
part of his identity from a sense of belonging to a
nation.
States try to create allegiance to keep country
stable: want their populace to accept the
ideology, adhere to laws, participate in its
operation.
Icons—flags, national sports teams, holidays.
5. Centripetal forces
2.
Unifying institutions: schools, the armed
forces and state churches.
*Religion can be a unifying, cohesive force, like
Buddhism in Thailand, Judaism in Israel.
2.
3.
4.
Organization and administration of the
government.
Transportation and communication.
A perceived threat to a group’s sense of
identity.
6. Centrifugal forces
Forces that disrupt internal order and further
the destruction of a country.
Ethnic conflicts; competing claims among ethnic
groups.
Religion
Poorly run government and/or transportation
systems.
A dissident minority seeking autonomy
Devolution: transfer of power from the state’s
central government. to separate political
subdivisions within its territory.
7. Government systems and
Cultural Diversity
Homogenous populations with similar languages,
religions and shared history—a single identity—are
best governed as unitary states. Reaction by the
people against unitary rule can generate strong
centrifugal forces.
Heterogeneous population are best governed as
federal states. Allowing people to govern themselves
close to home can generate strong centripetal forces.
8. Size and shape
Can influence the viability of a state.
The size may encourage unity or division
The shape may also encourage unity or
division
Thus either size or shape have the potential
to generate centrifugal or centripetal forces.
10. Advantages
Large
Size
Small
Size
Disadvantages
Large population:
more talent
large army
More natural resources
Economic selfsufficiency
Difficult to unify
Population: more spread out,
more culturally diverse.
Transportation difficult
Everyone pays attention
Easier to unify
Population is closer
together
Less culturally diverse
Transportation easy
No one pays attention
Small population:
Less talent
Small defense force
Vulnerable to attack
Fewer resources
Economic vulnerability
