Colonialism often involves arbitrarily drawn state borders that divide ethnic and religious groups, which amounts to a division of interests in a state. This is especially true in states with a weakened sense of patriotism (often favoring nationalism instead), where it can be difficult to determine which interests within a state should be represented by a newly installed regime. This already hampers a state's ability to operate democratically and can lead to external bodies taking advantage of internal divisions. When it is possible for the powers that once held these states as colonies to continue their influence, even when they no longer officially hold power over the state, then that power's interests are represented before the interests of the state's citizens, preventing