1. Spatial Organization of Government
Chapter 8 section 2 Text pages
Spatial Organization of Government

2. Richard Hartshorne 1950’s Believed there are two forces within states
Centripetal Forces
Hold states together
Centrifugal Forces
Tear states apart
Largely replaced by the idea of nation-building
Comprising nations within
Defining and defending boundaries
Expressing control over territory and those in it

3. Forms of Government Promote nation-building and limits divisive forces
States choose the form they feel is most appropriate
Unitary Governments
Highly centralized with power center near a capital
Little regard for minorities
Ex. Soviet Russia
Federal Governments
Organizes territory into regions, sub-states, provinces, etc.
Strong federal systems have powerful regions
Weak federal systems have weak regions
Most are in the middle though
Ex. United States
How does this relate to the History of the U.S.? (Articles of Confederation v. Constitution)

4. Devolution Movement of power from central to regional governments
3 types (these may overlap or combine)
Ethnocultural
Economic
Spatial

5. Ethnocultural Devolution
Movement of power from central to regional governments based on:
ethnic, religious, or religious aspects
Examples:
Czechoslovakia
Yugoslavia
Scotland
Wales
Basque
Hawaii

6. Economic Devolution
Movement of power from central to regional governments based on:
Unequal economic factors
Examples
Wealthy Catalonia wanting to be independent of Spain

7. Spatial Devolution
Movement of power from central to regional governments based on:
Distance from power centers
How might physical geography and location impact this?
Being separated by mountains or bodies of water
Being located far from power centers
Examples
Basque
Hawaii
Alaska

8. Electoral Geography
How spatial configurations of electoral districts and voting patterns that emerge reflect and influence social and political affairs
Territorial Representation
Representation based on territorially defined districts (House of Representatives)
Census every ten years leads to Reapportionment
The process by which districts are moved according to population shifts so each district has similar numbers

9. Minority Voters Splitting Majority-minority districts Gerrymandering
Attempts to dilute minority voters by spreading them across districts
Majority-minority districts
Districts drawn so a majority of the population is minority, through legally enforced maximizing of representation
What problems might arise from this?
Gerrymandering
Redistricting for advantage
racial or ethnic groups or political parties can be advantaged from this