A
satellite state (sometimes referred to as a
client state) is a political term that refers to a
country which is formally independent, but under heavy influence or control by another country. The term was coined by analogy to stellar objects
orbiting a larger object, such as smaller moons revolving around larger planets, and is used mainly to refer to
Central and
Eastern European countries of the
Warsaw Pact during the
Cold War or to
Mongolia between 1924 and 1990, for example. As used for Central and Eastern European countries it implies that the countries in question were "satellites" under the
hegemony of the
Soviet Union. In some contexts it also refers to other countries in the Soviet
sphere of influence during the Cold War - such as
North Korea (especially in the decades surrounding the
Korean War) and
Cuba (particularly after it joined the
Comecon). In Western propaganda, the term has seldom been used to refer to states other than those in the Soviet orbit. In Soviet propaganda, the term was used to refer to the states in the orbit of
Nazi Germany and
Fascist Italy.
A
satellite state is a country that is dominated
politically and
economically by another nation. In times of
war or political tension, satellite states sometimes serve as a buffer between an enemy country and the nation exerting control over the satellite. "Satellite state" is one of several contentious terms used to describe the (alleged) subordination of one state to another. Other such terms include
puppet state and
neo-colony. In general, the term "satellite state" implies deep ideological allegiance to the hegemonic power, whereas
puppet state implies political and military dependence, and
neo-colony implies (abject) economic dependence. Depending on which aspect of dependence is being emphasised, a state may fall into more than one category.
Soviet Satellite States
At the end of
World War II, all eastern and central European capitols were controlled by the
Soviet Union.
The Soviets remained in these countries after the war's end.
Through a series of coalition governments including Communist parties, and then a forced liquidation of non-communist coalition members, communist systems were established in each country.
Communists gained control of existing governments, police, press and radio outlets in these countries.
Soviet satellite states in
Europe included:
The
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is sometimes also referred to as a Soviet satellite,
though it broke from the Soviet Union in the 1948
Tito-Stalin split and subsequently helped to form the
Non-Aligned Movement. The
People's Republic of Albania, under the leadership of
Stalinist Enver Hoxha, broke ties with the Soviet Union in 1960 following the Soviet
de-stalinization.
These countries were all members of the
Eastern Bloc.
Post-Cold War use of the term
Commentators have sometimes expressed concern that United States military and diplomatic interventions in the Middle East might lead to the equivalent of a satellite state.
William Pfaff has warned that a permanent American presence in
Iraq would "turn Iraq into an American satellite state." The term has also been used to describe the relationship between
Lebanon and
Syria, which has been accused of intervening in Lebanese politcal affairs.
See also
