Puppet state

A puppet state is a country that is officially independent but is not so in practice. Puppet governments are usually kept in power by military force provided by an occupying country and are strongly controlled. Puppet states are generally not internationally recognized by most countries, except by the countries which control them and by a few other countries.

It is a biased term and is used in criticizing the government of the alleged puppet state.

Related pages
 Client state 
 Suzerainty
 Protectorate
 Satellite state
 Neocolonialism
 Banana republic

Category:Politics
Category:Legal terms