polity
Let an agent explain the polity as a general concept, describe kinds across history, relay how political science classifies polities, and distinguish polity from state, government, nation and regime.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain the polity as a general concept, describe kinds across history, relay how political science classifies polities, and distinguish polity from state, government, nation and regime.
An organised political entity with a recognised identity and capacity for collective decision, such as a state, empire, city-state, tribe, federation, chiefdom or supranational union, whether current or former, and including sub-state and non-state political organisations; polity is the general term used in political science and history to compare forms of political organisation across time and place without assuming the modern state.
What it is for: Not applicable; a category of political organisation.
It can be explain the concept; describe kinds across history; relay classification; distinguish related terms.
Distinguishing features
General comparative term
Covers historical and modern forms
Identity and decision capacity
Scale from local to supranational
What it looks like
Not a visible object; an organised political community.
How it is recognised
Organised political entity
States, empires, city-states, tribes, federations, unions, former and current
A state is one kind; government is the apparatus; nation is a people; regime is a form of rule
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
includes - as the dominant modern form
is studied by - and history
is contrasted with - a people rather than an organisation
In practice
Families and kinds
sovereign states and former states
empires and kingdoms
city-states and chiefdoms
tribes and band societies as polities
sub-state polities such as provinces and autonomous regions
supranational and international polities
non-state political entities such as movements controlling territory
Standards and regulation
International law on recognition of states
No regulation of the general concept
Failure modes and hazards
Assuming the modern state as the norm
Confusing polity with state, nation or regime
Contested status of some entities
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.polity
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What a polity is.
Definition.
Definition
Definition and distinctions.
Definition
Definition.
- What is a polity, and how does it differ from state, government, nation and regime? definition
- Is the question about polities in general or a specific state or entity? boundary
Kinds
Kinds.
Kinds
Kinds.
- What kinds of polity have existed, from chiefdoms and city-states to empires and unions? definition
- Which entry fits the specific kind? action
Classify Classification and comparison.
Research.
Classification
Classification.
Classification
Classification.
- How do political scientists and anthropologists classify polities? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Datasets
Datasets.
Datasets
Datasets.
- What datasets such as the Polity project and Seshat record polities and their characteristics? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
History Polities in history.
Attribution.
Evolution
Evolution of polities.
Evolution
Evolution.
- How did polities develop from early societies to modern states, as historians and archaeologists describe? provenance
- Which entry fits state formation? action
Contested
Contested and former polities.
Contested
Contested.
- How are contested, unrecognised and former polities treated, with positions attributed? provenance
- Is the presentation neutral? boundary
Context Theory and usage.
Context.
Theory
Political theory.
Theory
Theory.
- How does the concept of polity figure in Aristotle and modern political theory? provenance
- Which entry fits political theory? action
Usage
Usage.
Usage
Usage.
- How is polity used in different disciplines and in knowledge bases? provenance
- Which entry fits political entity in data modelling? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should state and empire be the primary linked entries?
- How should political science classifications be linked?
- How should former and contested polities be recorded?