Thinking and Caring about World Politics
“Be not too tame neither, but let your own discretion be your tutor; suit the action to the word, the word to the action.”
— William Shakespeare, Hamlet
Putting World Events in Context:
Thinking Theoretically
Realism vs. Liberalism (Idealism)
Two Competing Worldviews
Realism and Idealism: Some Travel Notes on Two Roads
Understanding the basics Realism: The traditional path that emphasizes the centrality of the state on the world stage and the pursuit of national self-interest above all else
Idealism: The alternative path that emphasizes a more cooperative, globalist approach and the important role of global institutions and regional organization as authoritative actors on the world stage
Realism and the Nature of Politics
Influence of Thomas Hobbes and Hans Morgenthau: conflict is inevitableLargely pessimistic: Humans are aggressive and self-serving, and they are unlikely to changeNeorealism: Focus on anarchic nature of world system based on competing sovereign states
Liberalism and the Nature of Politics
Influence of Jean-Jacques Rousseau: humans join civil societies and cooperate to achieve mutual benefits
Neoliberalism: Emphasize international organization to build effective cooperation (aka – neoliberal institutionalism)
The Roles of Power and Principles
Realism: an emphasis on powerPower-based perspective--survival of the most powerfulEmphasizes pragmatic, self-help policy prescriptions‘Might makes right’
Liberalism: an emphasis on principles Based on cooperative and ethical standards Seeks to create policy norms of justice and peace ‘Right makes right’
Prospects for Competition and CooperationRealism: realpolitik
approachPlace own country's interests first Practice balance-of-power politicsAchieve peace through strength Do not waste power on peripheral issues
Liberalism: globalist approach
Power is not the essence of international relations
Power politics is futile and destructive
Peace is achieved through cooperative relations
Willingness to surrender some sovereignty to international structures promoting cooperation
Assessing Reality:Realism and Liberalism
Comparing the ability of realism or idealism to explain world history
Competition has dominated world history
Realpolitik is the order of the day
Both realism and idealism influence current policy
‘What should be’ and ‘What will be’ remain far more important questions than ‘What is’
The Evolution of The International System
“I am amazed, me thinks, and lost my wayAmong the thorns and dangers of the world.”
-William Shakespeare, King John
Power DistributionPolarity refers to the number of independent power centers in the system.
Multipolar system: Has five or six centers of power, which are not grouped into alliances.Tripolar system: With three great centers of powerUnipolar system: Has a single center of power around which all others revolve (hegemony)
Power transition theoryHolds that the largest wars result from challenges to the top position in the status hierarchy, when a rising power is surpassing or threatening to surpass the most powerful state. But does this apply in today’s world? If so, how?
The Modern International System
The Treaty of Westphalia (1648)
Emphasis on state sovereignty within anarchical political system
Decline of papal authority
Collapse of multinational empires
The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries:
Emerging Themes Surrounding the Sovereign State Growth of the multipolar system and the preservation of the balance of power
Shifting alliances and numerous major powers
Era of Euro-American imperialism
The Twentieth Century :A Period of Rapid Change
Democracy rapidly eroding the legitimacy of monarchs
Nationalism increasingly undermining the foundations of multiethnic empires
Europe collapses as a global power center
The United States, Japan, and even China emerge as major world powers
Multipolar system quickly becomes a bipolar system with the end of WWII and the beginning of the cold war
The Rise of the Bipolar System
East-West Axis established; cold war runs its course
Containment Doctrine--globalization of U.S. policy
Confrontation--Cuban missile crisis, Vietnam, NATO
Détente
The fall of the USSR and the end of bipolar system
The Twenty-First Century: The Genesis of a New System
Changes in the Power Stucture:A unipolar moment–U.S. hegemony
The multipolar urges–regional powers such as the European Union
Limited unipolarity–power of states restrained by international organizations, international law, and interdependence
Future polarity–highly contested
Weakening Western OrientationColonial possessions become independent states
Increase in number of non-Western independent states:
Strong presence in UN
Joining together to promote their causes (Group of 77)
Different value systems
Less developed countries
Challenges to Authority of States
External challenges--McWorld
Political integration:
Increase in number and importance of international actors
Economic interdependence
Social integration
Internal challenges— Jihad
Ethnic rivalries and tribalism:
State disintegration e.g., former Yugoslavia, Kosovo, Sudan and Darfur
Increased number of refugees Movement toward autonomy (e.g., Quebec)
Clash of Civilization
Huntington argues the real conflicts in the post-Cold War World will not be between nations but between civilizations.7-Western, Slavic, Islamic, Latin, Confucia (Chinese), Hindu, and Japanese.Competing cultures cause conflict.
Biggest Conflict: Islam vs. Others“Islam has bloody borders.”Examples:-Arab-Israeli conflict.-Russia-Chechen Wars.-Serbia, Kosovo, Bosnia.-Lebanon.-India-Pakistan.-International Terrorism
Huntington argues within Islam there is a epic struggle over who will govern Muslim countries: moderates vs. fundamentalists (Islamists-Sharia).Sudan and Iran Islamist States.Algeria, Pakistan, TurkeyWest versus Islam-History
Security in the Twenty-First CenturyNational security traditionally based on self-reliance
High costs involved in providing security:
Economic and human costs of war.
Advent of WMDs changes the nature of such costs
Asymmetrical warfare: new responses toward unconventional political violence needed
Alternatives to self-reliance:
Arms control
International security forces
Economic Interdependence Transnational flow of trade, investment capital and currencies linking all countriesCreation and strengthening of global and regional economic organizations (World Bank, IMF, the WTO, and the EU)Emphasis on free trade, particularly within regional alliances (NAFTA, EU, ASEAN and Mercosur)Trade and monetary tensions still exist
Economic Disparity: The growing gap between North and South
GNP disparity between EDCs and LDCs
Less developed countries demand new international economic order– ne with an equal distribution of wealth
EDCs must recognize the complex link between poverty and political violence
The Quality of Life in the 21st Century
Increasing importance of human rights
Women’s rights
International Criminal Court
Emphasis on the environment
Idea of sustainable development
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