SUPRANATIONALISM
TENDENCY FOR STATES TO GIVE UP
Supranationalism
POLITICALFRQ:2
POWER
TO A HIGHER
and OF COMMON
AUTHORITY IN PURSUIT
Devolution
OBJECTIVES (political,
economic,
military, environmental)
SUPRANATIONALISM
• Involves multiple national states (two or
more) with a common goal.
• Examples: European Union
NAFTA
UN
NATO
DEVOLUTION
• A kind of decentralization whereby a
state transfers some power to a selfdefined community, such as one of its
national groups
• Process whereby regions within a state
demand and gain political strength and
growing autonomy at the expense of
the central government.
• Breakup of a state (balkanization)
Examples of Devolution
Break up of a state
• Yugoslavia / Balkans
• Former U.S.S.R.
• Czechoslovakia
• Austria-Hungary
Demand for autonomy
UK: Scotland, Wales,
Ireland, N. Ireland
Spain: Basques,
Catalonians
EFFECTS OF SUPRANATIONALISM
• Free Trade (reduced Tariffs) = economic
prosperity
• Common Currency
• Open Borders for labor & tourists
• Greater international influence
– Greater political/eco power
– More power to compete with economies of other
countries
EFFECTS OF SUPRANATIONALISM
• Loss of Control over individual policy
• War is less likely
• Common policy
– Resources, agriculture, economic, environment,
trade, military
EFFECTS OF DEVOLUTION
• Formation of new states
• More power to regions
– Formation of new legislatures
– Local control over policy
• Local ethno-nationalism
– Linguistic
– Religious revival
• Regional separatism
EFFECTS OF DEVOLUTION
• Political instability
– Civil war
– Fighting
– Hostility
– Ethnic cleansing
• Economic instability
• Mass Migration
– Refugees
– emigration
FRQ #2 Practice
• The modern state system is engaged in a struggle
between the forces of supranationalism and
devolution.
• a. Define both terms and give a geographic example
of each. (5 pts)
• b. With reference to the political and economic
geography of Europe, briefly discuss 2 changes
resulting from supranationalism. (10 pts)
• c. With reference to the political and economic
geography of Europe, briefly discuss 2 changes
resulting from devolution. (10 pts)