Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The military is a structured armed force authorized by a sovereign state or society to use lethal or deadly force and weapons to support the interests of the state. It primarily focuses on defense, warfare, and protection from external threats.
The authority of a state to govern itself or another state, free from external control.
National Security: Measures taken by a state to ensure its survival through economic power, diplomacy, power projection, and political power against potential threats.
Power Projection: The capacity of a state to deploy and sustain forces outside its territory to deter hostile actions or influence events on a global scale