The Full Territorial Hierarchy

The nation-state (L5) is the central focus in modern times, due to the prevalence of war amongst countries.

Countries can be subdivided for political-governance purposes, and countries can combine for political-governance purposes. Political purposes means a determination to create a focus of wealth and power so as to promote and protect the good of each person and a territorially-defined community.

Subdividing the Nation-state

Territorial subdivisions containing natural communities of various types usually exist within any country. In all, there are four lower tiers of social territory:

• Regional Governance (L4): distinct sub-cultural features.
• Local Governance (L3): the area for living, working and most services.
• Neighbourhood Governance (L2): walking about and direct social interaction.
• Household Arrangements (L1): the sphere for private arrangements.

Difficulties Abound 

Each of these tiers may be problematic:

• in size or community composition so impeding effective governing,

  or

• a tier may self-evident but governance may be poorly designed.

Distinguish Politics from Administration

The nation-state-L5 is also usually subdivided in a variety of ways for organizational (or administrative) purposes i.e. to ensure efficient and effective provision of governmental services. Confusion in regard to boundary decisions is commonly found to reside in conflating political and organizational needs.

Read more about social and organizational territories

Combining Nation-states

Nation-states come together in two ways:

• by force—i.e. in accord with the lust for power and wealth, when combining forms an empire that is inherently unstable and ultimately transient;
• by spontaneous aggregation—i.e. in accord with human nature and social life, as investigated within THEE.

In all, there are two spontaneously generated tiers of social territory that encompass nation-states:

• Consortia (L6): neighbouring nation-states sharing cultural similarities who wish to deepen relationships.
• Global Assembly (L7): the international community of nations sharing the whole globe.

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Continue either with:

• Subdivisions
  
  OR
• Combinations

Originally posted: August-2009; Last updated: 15-Nov-2010