IR Ch.

1
Characteristics of Modern International System

Today, rapid change and globalization dominate our world.

Global interconnectedness shapes our experience (a global village)
Absence of a world authority.
World outlines set by Treaty of Westphalia: 1700s, peace base based on sovereignty and
noninterference.
Sovereingity presents opportunity for conflict or cooperation
Politics today is a push-pull between decentralization and centralization
Decentralization: spreading/distribution of power;
Since 1970s, NSAs have played increasing role (IGOs and others)

What is World Politics?

Politics as the Authoritative Allocation of Values

Laswell: Politics is a power struggle about who gets what, when, and how.
Easton: Politics is the authoritative allocation of values or scarce resources.

Major Actors (the who that determine what and how)

Principal group: 191 sovereign states

Intergovernmental Organizations: UN, EU, NAFTA, etc
Non-State actors: groups of individuals with shared economic, social, religious, or environmental
interests. Include paramilitary, terrorist, business, scientist; a wide range.
Individuals

Interactions among the Actors

Timing: when a state decides to carry out an action

Ability to Carry out Decision:
Struggle for Power (analyzed with realism, liberalism, etc.

Allocating Resources (Political, Economic, and Social & Cultural)

Political resources: power, prestige, status, backed by military power. They are scarce resources.
Economic Resources: financial resources wealth, income, capital, investment opportunities,
industrial & agricultural production, and natural resources. Also scarce and not distributed
equally.
Most significant are energy resources (struggle for control of oil, water)
Social and Cultural Resources: health, education, clean environment, population in agreement
on values so that diversity adds to power. Also scarce and not distributed equally.

An Overview of World Politics:

Throughout history, world politics has been characterized by a struggle for power.

The Struggle for Power in European History

Birth of Modern State System: Treaty of Westphalia (1648): sovereignty, non-interference, work
towards peace.
Balance of Power: no one or two states should grow super powerful; choose allies to ensure
power is evenly distributed. Brought about after Napoleon, WWI saw its demise.
Collective Security: Maintenance of peace and prevention of war through united action of
nations. Initiated post WWI, UN created post WWII.

Terrorism and the Changed Face of the Struggle for Power

Groups/Groups of Individuals with allegiance to no state, but can influence governments with
actions. How do we deal with them? More UN power, one state take the lead, or each state
mobilizes police?

Current Political Trends:

push/pull of centralization and decentralization

US frustrated with war on terrorism, Afghans achieve elections in coop with US, who was helped
by UN and NATO
Increasing sectarian volience in Iraq demands cooperation that international community hasnt
provided.
Europe sees UN as authority, US prefers to consider UN deficiencies in calculation of its role.
US advocates economic globalization, Europe/Asia not quite ready yet.

A Peaceful World Order under a Central World Organiation

In Europe, centralization has dominated since Westphalia, culminating in UN and EU.

The Consequences of Centralization

Could lead to world government and globalization of world economy. Some say world
government would solve global problems easier; Others say world government would be too
large for efficiency. Both sides agree UN could be given more authority for binding decisions.

Rise of NSAs and Increasing Decentralizing Tendencies

NSAs form core of decentralizing forces in world today. Terrorist, Religious, Environmental
groups, etc. seek to change social structure and political outcomes.

The Consequences of Decentralization

Extreme end decent of world into chaos; NSAs destroy government.

Ferguson (Harvard): states have lost complete control (today) over means of violence and how
and what individuals communicate with each other.
Others argue its good it allows groups to have influence that they didnt have before. Recently,
citizens in Philippines overthrew dictator; media can transmit events globally instantaneously.

1.2 Why Study World Politics?

Study of world politics can help relate worlds future to rest of your life, see connection between
international issues and politics of states, and find patterns in complexity of current events.

Relating International Affairs to Your Life

World Politics and International Events

World politics affects every aspect of daily life, need it to understand forces shaping your life
and future.

World Politics and Your Career

Interdependent and transnational character of issues: Enron goes bankrupt, US corporations

follow domino effect in Europe. Asian and Latin American factories receive less orders, have to
fire employees.

Studying World Politics and Developing Analytical Skills

Book covers: building blocks of IR, major issues, theoretical and factual background that can
enable you to answer questions.

Interconnections and Patterns in Politics

World Politics and Comparative Government

World Politics studies interactions between actors; Comparative Government: compare

interactions of state actors within state borders.
In real world, cant completely separate, domestic policy impacts world politics and vice versa.

World Politics and Domestic Politics: Intermestic Issues

Intermestic: used by PS to describe interconnectedness of international and domestic politics.

Ex. How does bickering between US executive/legislature affect foreign policy inputs/outputs.

Finding Patterns in the Complexity of Current Events

Principal patterns are centralizing and decentralizing forces at work today.

Centralization can be seen in processes of globalization and global interdependence.

Decentralization can be found in ethnic nationalism, terrorism, and immediate citizen access to
information.
Ex. 9/11 Terrorists rallied Muslims (decentralization), States rallied around US (centralization).

1.3 What New Forces are shaping The Planet?

Five most significant forces: Information Technology, New Global and Transnational Issues,
Increasing Inability of States to Solve Their Problems, Rise of Ethnic Nationalism and Religious
Fundamentalism, New Citizen Activism.

Information Technology

Since 1980, technology has made distances shorter and increased communication speed.

The Global Village: The Internet and Videotechnology

On 9/11 everyone saw towers on CNN. Since then al Qaeda has used mass media to publicize
goals, views, and killings. Have held attacks all over world. Successful by combing old technology
(bombs, airplanes) with new (rapid communication, instant replay, mass audience).

Information Technology and Global Financial Markets

Technology has allowed individuals to manage own stock transactions. It has created 24hr
virtual stock market.
IT is on one hand a centralizing force integrating global markets, on the other a decentralizing
providing access to information previously unattainable to common man.

Information Technology as a Decentralizing Tool

Terrorist killing immediately seen by public on television. Cause a reaction from public that
influences government reaction.

IT: A Tool for World Centralization or Decentralization?

IT has liberated individuals from dependence on authority for information, thus decentralizing.
IT also can transmit information around the globe, leading to instant global connection, thus
centralizing

The New Global and Transnational Issues

The Global Economy

Transantional corporations can run a business without having a home. It can invest somewhere,
but pull out when the business climate in that country shifts.
Today there is large gap between rich and poor. Global capital responds to global market, acting
at odds with international community to help weak/failed states (think investing in Afghanistan)

Global economy allows corporations of industrialized countries to take advantage of cheap costs
in poorer countries. Plus side: global benefit, Downside: drive out local companies, causing
large-scale unemployment.

Environmental Degradation

Problems require a transnational approach

1980s brought recognition of degradation to global commons areas shared by everyone
(oceans and atmosphere).
Local Problems can have international affects: deforestation can contribute to regional droughts
and global warming.

International Terrorism

Terrorists have no face, networked all over world, and attacks have become more deadly
Identifying terrorists and preventing attacks are transnational issues
These and other new issues operate as a force pushing towards world cooperation and
international community building.

The Increasing Inability of the State to Solve Problems

In 21st century, states are not always able to solve domestic issue alone.

Transnational Problems and Transnational Solutions

States cant solve transnational problems alone.

Ex. Worldwide emissions reduction requires global agreement on nature of problem and
solutions.

Inability of States to Solve Problems at Home

Ex. Fair wage, right price for wheat, industry standards.

Ex. Congress raises wage, businesses move elsewhere
Centralization: Globalization reorients state problems to IGOS.
Decentralization: perceived erosion of state control leads to increase in decentralizing
tendencies within state borders.

Rise of Ethnic Nationalism and Religious Fundamentalism

Weakening of state power has encouraged decentralization in many areas.

Inability of state government to quell ethnic tensions results in persistent low-level civil war
state.

Ethnic and Religious Tensions

Have increased in many parts of the world and led to civil war

Driving force behind rise of religious fundamentalism has been rise of militant Islam, which aims
to replace existing world with caliphate.

New Citizen Activism

People are frustrated by what they see as apparent failure/weakness of state to pay attention to
their needs.

Citizen Activism and Citizen Empowerment

Efforts of citizens to take power and change politics has increased since 1970s.
In many examples, citizen activism brought changes in government: Iran (Shah), Indonesia,
Georgia/Ukraine
New technology gives individual ability to find & send info, and to communicate with individuals
with similar viewpoints.

Rise of Non-State Actors

NSAs: Non-states acting on international stage

Four Groups: International Paramilitary/Terrorist, Businesses, International media, and
nongovernmental organizations.
NGOs: organizations of citizens with common agenda/ demands for government.
Can be grassroots (local), national, or international
In late 1980s, UN agreed to give legal standing to NGOs registered with them.
New citizen activism can reinforce centralizing tendencies at work through formation of NGOs
that can act at local, national and international levels.
Also can strengthen fragmentation of politics through proliferation of groups with specific
agendas.