ABSTRACT
In comparison with continental governance, human control over the seas is relatively limited. As ‘it is very difficult for any country to administer even a small area of ocean in the same way that it governs land,’ sharing of power is a unique feature of maritime power. Historical experience shows that the geographic environment and conditions for subsistence are the most important factors in shaping attributes of human civilization. Mighty inland rivers often nurture agrarian civilizations and societies, whereas communities engaged in fishing and commercial trade tend to congregate in regions close to seas and oceans, while lush grassland areas, such as the Mongolian Plateau, are the birthplace of various nomadic tribes. ‘Legitimacy’ is a very important concept in political science and politics in practice. In the political sense, legitimacy is defined as the extent to which the wider public accepts a certain regime or power.
