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Puppet State for Dummies

noun


What does Puppet State really mean?

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Puppet state is a term used to describe a country or a government that appears to be independent and in control of its own decisions, but in reality, it is actually controlled or heavily influenced by another more powerful country. It's like a puppet on strings, where the puppeteer, or in this case, the more powerful country, is the one pulling the strings and making the puppet move the way they want.

Imagine you have a puppet, a cute little toy that you hold up using strings attached to its arms and legs. You control every movement that the puppet makes by pulling those strings. The puppet doesn't have a mind of its own; it's completely controlled by you, the puppeteer. In the same way, a puppet state is controlled by another country, being manipulated and influenced in its decision-making processes.

Let's say you have a sibling or a friend who always wants you to play a certain game, even though it's not your favorite. They keep persuading you and convincing you to play by maybe offering you something you like, or telling you how much fun it will be. Eventually, you give in and play the game they want. In this scenario, your sibling or friend is the controlling country, and you are the puppet state, doing what they want even if it's not necessarily what you want.

Historically, there have been numerous examples of puppet states. One example is during the era of the Cold War, where the United States and the Soviet Union sought to gain influence over other countries. They would support leaders or governments that aligned with their own interests, forging alliances and exerting their control, often to advance their own political or economic agenda. These puppet states would be seen as independent on the surface, but the controlling country would have significant control over their policies and decisions.

So, to sum it all up, a puppet state is a country or government that appears to be independent but is actually controlled or heavily influenced by another more powerful country. It's like being a puppet, where someone else is pulling the strings and making you do things their way.


Revised and Fact checked by Michael Miller on 2023-10-28 17:10:14

Puppet State In a sentece

Learn how to use Puppet State inside a sentece

  • When a country is under the control of another country and only appears to have its own government, it is called a puppet state. For example, during World War II, Germany created puppet states in some countries it occupied.
  • Imagine you have a toy robot that you control with a remote. You make all the decisions for the robot and it can only do what you tell it to do. In this scenario, the robot is like a puppet state controlled by you.
  • Let's pretend you have a big sister who always tells you what to do and makes decisions for you. She doesn't let you have any say in what you want or need. In this case, your big sister is acting like a puppet state over you.
  • Sometimes in a group project, there is one person who wants to be in control of everything and doesn't let others make decisions. The rest of the group just follows that person's orders without having a say. It's as if that person is treating the group like a puppet state.
  • Imagine you have a favorite stuffed animal that you play with. You can make the stuffed animal move and talk however you want it to. It may seem like the stuffed animal has a mind of its own, but really, it's you who controls it completely. In this case, the stuffed animal is like a puppet state.

Puppet State Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

Puppet State Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.