Political and Economic Elements of Geography

Politics

Politics can be defined as : Politics can be defined as : The science and art of Political The science and art of Political

governmentgovernment

Factional scheming for power or status Factional scheming for power or status within a groupwithin a group

Government

Government can be defined as The exercise of authority over a state, district,

organization, institution, etc.; direction, control, rule

An established system of political administration by which a nation, state, or district is governed

Jefferson Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

Politics and Government

For our Geographic exploration of politics and Government we need to strive to understand these basic ideas:

The various types of systems most commonly used today The practical definition of these systems Some history of these systems Why a given system is used in a given place

The introductory information will be dealt within section 2 of chapter 3, we will do more detailed stuff when we begin our regional studies

Department of Agriculture Supreme Court

Washington Monument Federal Reserve

Economics

Economics can be defined as: Of or having to do with the production,

distribution and consumption of wealth Having to do with the satisfaction of the

material needs of people

Economic and Geography Vocab and Notes

GNP - - adjusted to include the values of goods and services from other countries used in producing goods and services. (Citizen of country “A” anywhere)GDP - the total monetary value of goods and services produced in a country during one year (in country “A” only)GNPPer capita income Per capita GDP

Vocab cont.

Exports - resources (i.e. information, technology, etc.) and finished products sold outside of the home countryImports - resources and goods unavailable or scarce in the home country yet necessary for production or consumption (food stuff)Trade balance -Historically a “favorable” balance would include more income from a higher amount of exports than imports…Is this still true in a modern Info/Tech-service based economy???

Vocab cont.

Trade Deficit?

Economic Growth - $ received from exports increases production of goods and services Employment rates Wages/Spending Interest Rate ( on Loans) set by the Fed. Res. Housing “Starts”

Waves and Worlds

3 Waves of Economic development

1,2,3 World - Can’t work anymore As out of date as poke-a-dots

Why? Developed, Developing, Under Developed Oops! - New P.C.= Advantaged, Disadvantaged

Waves of Economic Development

History tells us these “Waves” have occur in sequence (Ex. USA)

Agricultural Age----Industrial Age----Information Tech Age

1800 1860’s 1900 1970’s 2000

4 mill 6th 76 mill. 245 mill 281 mill

95% 60% 2%

3,800,000 40% 4,900,000

5% 98%

What aspects of culture and society will most likely have to change as a society moves from one wave to the next???