Global Politics - Unit 1 - PSIR

Definition of Power

The capacity to bring about desired outcomes and influence

Joseph Nye

“power is transitioning and diffusing”

What does: “power is transitioning and diffusing mean?

Power changes and spreads depending on:

• who has power

• different ways (types) in which one has power

• contexts in which power is meaningful

Realism - Power

1. How does realism believe states act?

2. What do states prioritise to a realist?

3. What is Hobbesian War?

4. What level of analysis are realists concerned with?

5. What does realism stress?

6. Game theory

7. What is offensive realism?

8. Who came up with offensive realism?

9. What is defensive realism?

1. States act in their own self-interests => power seeking

2. States prioritise security => security dilemma

3. All vs All => seek autonomy and reject interdependence

4. States

5. Conflict and security driven answers

6. Zero sum (I win, you lose)

7. Expansion of global power => pre-emptive strikes to keep a state safe

8. John Mearsheimer

9. Defending themselves from external threat => maintaining the status quo (balance of power)

Liberalism - Power

1. What does liberalism believe about states?

2. What do liberals do before turning to conflict?

3. What do liberals believe about the international system?

4. What levels of analysis are liberal concerned with?

5. How do liberals use power

6. Game Theory

1. States are most powerful when they work together

2. Exhaust every other option

3. Creates opportunities for co-operation and conflict => it is up to actors to take advantages or not

4. States are important, but MNCs, religious/social movements matter

5. Use power by conforming to a world order governed by international law

6. Positive Sum (we both can win)

Constructivism - Power

1. What do constructivists believe about the world?

2. What do constructivists believe about international politics

3. What levels of analysis are constructivists concerned with?

4. What is constructivism linked to?

5. Primary concerns of constructivism?

1. The world is something built from ideas

2. International politics has no set ideas => everything is changing upon perception

3. All levels of analysis => who’s writing the story?

4. Linked to perception, belief and reputation

   • state exists because of its reputation to the people => state loses the ability to convince its citizens of its credibility => state ceases to exist

5. States are the core units of analysis, state structures are intersubjective, state identities and interests are socially constructed

Hard Power

1. What is hard power?

2. Explain hard power

3. Example of forms of hard power?

4. What is a real world example of hard power?

1. Achieving aims through force

2. State A forces State B to do what it wants. B is aware it is being forced and is less powerful than A

3. Military force, sanctions

4. Military action led by IS in Syria and Iraq against ISIS and others

Smart Power

1. What is smart power?

2. Explain smart power

3. Example of forms of smart power

4. What is a real world example of smart power?

1. Achieving aims through force, persuasion and influence

2. Combination of hard and soft tactics

3. Diplomacy, trade

4. Hezbollah uses hard power against adversaries but participates in democratic coalition parties in Lebanon, building schools, health care facilities

Soft Power

1. What is soft power?

2. Explain soft power

3. Examples of forms of soft power?

4. What is a real world example of soft power?

1. Achieving aims through persuasion or influence

2. State A persuades State B to do what it wants. With or without B being aware it is what A wants

3. Cultural ties, outreach

4. China pledged $1.4T in infrastructure investment in Africa. In return China has favourable access to African natural resources

Military Power

1. What is military power?

2. How is military power measured?

3. Examples of military power

1. Military resources as a means of forcing another actor to comply or change their behaviour

2. Armies, weapons, defence budget, success when used, whether objectives are achieved

3. US Military, War on Terror

Economic Power

1. What is economic power?

2. How is economic power measured?

3. Examples of economic power?

1. Smart power through sanctions and trade, a country with influence over the global economy

2. GDP, GDP per capita, economic growth

3. Western sanctions of Russia, China and African countries trading investment for resources

Structural Power

1. What is structural power?

2. How is structural power measured?

3. Examples of structural power

1. States influencing political ideas, structure and framework of global politics

2. Success of influencing and spreading the political models they favour

3. Pushing different economic models, Western powers trying to remove authoritarian regimes and build up democratic models of government

Relational Power

1. What is relational power?

2. How is relational power measured?

3. Example of relational power

1. Using a relationship with another state to influence it to change its behaviour by using a combination of power (smart, economic, military)

2. Whether the state being influences changed, extent of this change

3. • Threats and rewards => encourage the state to reach desired goal

   • Controlling agenda => limiting choices of a state to reach goals

   • establishing preferences => getting a state to share the same goal

Social and Cultural Power

1. What is social/cultural power?

2. How is it measured?

3. Examples of social/cultural power

1. Exportation of cultural resources connecting diverse populations at a human level rather than state strategic

2. Popularity of a piece of popular culture => tends to have less of an impact

3. Global brands (Apple, Facebook, Samsung, BBC) becoming universally known and popular

Cyber Power

1. What is cyber power?

2. How can it be measured?

3. Examples of cyber power

1. The technological capacity to access information, data or controlling information

2. Access levels => lower statuses unable to access certain files

3. MNCs have more cyber power than some states => services like google have access to browsing history

What is distribution of power an indicator of?

Global stability

Why is conflict more likely if there is an imbalance of power?

States feel they have enough power to achieve their aims

States feel an adversary is becoming too powerful

Unipolar Distribution

When one state is more powerful than all the others

Example of unipolar distribution of power

The USA post-Cold War

Bipolar Distribution

When two states are equally powerful, and the main competition is between these two powers and not otherse

Example of a bipolar distribution of power

US-Soviet Union during the Cold War

US-China today

Multipolar Distribution

When many states are powerful and compete with eachother

Example of a multipolar distribution of power

Europe before WW1

Definition of Sovereignty

A state’s ability to rule itself with full control and authority over what happens inside its borders

States should _______ the sovereignty of other states

respect

States should _______ and _______ their own sovereignty

maintain and defend

What is internal sovereignty?

A state governing themselves independently

• decide + enforce laws, collect tax, spend money as they wish

What is external sovereignty?

External interactions with states and IGOs

What is mutual non-intervention?

Not intervening in internal affairs

What is reflexivity?

Recognising the internal sovereignty of a state

What is autonomous operation?

Autonomously operating as an independent actor on the world stage

The Westphalian Conception of Sovereignty (WCS)

1648

What is the WCS?

Point when ideas of statehood were formally established

Principle that each state has exclusive sovereignty over its territory in international law

What is essential for a state to be considered an independent sovereign country?

International legitimacy

Montevideo Convention

1933

What are the criteria for a state to be sovereign?

1. Permanent population

2. Defined territory

3. Effective government

4. Capacity and legitimacy to enter relations with other states

What is an identification problem with permanent population?

Refugees => insurgency in Iraq and Syria (more recently look to the Afghan refugees being sent out of Pakistan_

What is an identification problem with defined territory?

• Disputed borders → Israel-Palestine, Kashmir

• Non-state groups taking control => 2014 IS ,caliphate across Syria and Iraq

What is an identification problem with effective government?

• Fragile states (Somalia) => don’t have authority across the whole state

• EU acts like a state, creating laws and forcing compliance

What is an identification problem with capacity to enter relations?

Observer states in international organisations (Kosovo and Palestine)

What is a state?

A nation or territory considered as an organised political community under one government

What is a nation?

A large body of people united by common descent, history or culture inhabiting a particular country or territory

What is a nation-state?

A sovereign state where citizens are unified by the features of a nation

What is a stateless-nation?

An ethnic group/nation that doesn’t possess its own sovereign state and isn’t the majority population in any nation-state

Who agrees the legitimacy of state borders and recognises states?

UN

What are importance statements concerning international border/sovereignty disputes?

UNSC resolutions and ICJ decisions

Kosovo

1. Who did Kosovo declare independence from?

2. Did Kosovo hold a referendum?

3. How many states recognise it?

4. What is their external sovereignty like?

2008

1. Serbia

2. No

3. Very few => it is not a full member of the UN

4. Lacks international recognition from many states

South China Sea

1. What does China want to do?

2. Who’s authority does China not recognise

3. What does the US carry out in response to this

1. Extend its territorial waters that the US considers to be international waters

2. ICJ’s and won’t comply to their decisions

3. The US carries out ‘freedom of navigation’ patrols regularly

Realism - Sovereignty

1. Is sovereignty an essential feature of global politics to realists?

2. Realists are prepared to ____ sovereignty as an absolute, ______ principle

3. When are realists prepared to breach sovereignty?

4. Give an instance when the USA was reluctant to intervene (1994)

5. Give an example of when the USA felt it was necessary to intervene

1. Yes

2. Defend, inviolable

3. When it is in national interests

4. Rwanda genocide => even though it was clear, acting wouldn’t benefit them so they didn’t

5. Iraq (2003) => US acted with military force against Saddam Hussain’s Iraqi regime as they believed it to be in their national interests although there was not yet international approval from the UN

Liberalism - Sovereignty

1. Sovereignty is important but not an _____ principle in IR

2. Do liberals believe states can be punished if they commit crimes within their borders?

3. Where and when did NATO intervene authorised by the UN?

4. What was the basis of this intervention?

5. Liberals believe sovereignty isn’t absolute and can be ______ and _______

1. Exclusive

2. Yes

3. NATO intervention in Libya 2011

4. R2P (responsibility to protect => global political commitment endorsed by the UNGA) civilians from mass violence

5. Pooled and challenged

What are arguments that sovereignty is being eroded consider to be challenging state sovereignty?

• Political, economic and global globalisation

• International organisations

• International trade

• MNCs

• Global terrorist networks

Realists

States are still the most powerful factors in international politics despite globalisation

Liberals

The rise of IGOs is becoming important, and sometimes more important than the role of states in the global order

Arguments sovereignty is decreasing in significance

• Borders decrease in significance

• Economic globalisation

• IGOs increasing in power and number

• International conventions no longer regard state sovereignty as an absolute

• NSA’s challenging sovereignty

Borders

1. How are borders decreasing in significance

2. What is an example of this?

3. What is the significance of climate change, migration and terrorism?

1. Border checks are disappearing

2. EU Schengen Agreement

3. These are across-border issues that states are affected by

Economic Globalisation

1. What do the examples of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and EU demonstrate about trade?

2. What is there more freedom of movement for?

3. What does it mean if MNCs increase in power?

1. Decreasing of barriers to trade and trade agreements

2. People and goods

3. They can force some states to change economic policies for investments

IGOs

1. What kind of powers does the EU have?

2. What does this mean?

3. What do other IGOs try to do to resolve shared challenges

1. Supranational powers

2. It can make and force laws onto member states

3. Use collective action

International Conventions not regarding sovereignty as absolute

1. What are international conventions conditional on?

2. Examples of external intervention by states acting unilaterally or through IGOs

1. States behaving responsibly

2. Afghanistan (2001), Iraq (2003), Pakistan (2011), Libya (2011), Ukraine (2011)

NSAs

How do NSA’s like terrorist groups define new borders? Give an example

Terrorists take control of regions => defines new borders of the original government.

For example, ISIS took control of large parts of both Syria and Iraq in 2015

Arguments sovereignty is still significant

• Borders still define independent states

• Economic policy

• States choose to join IGOs

• Human Rights/international law broken with impunity

• NSA’s challenging sovereignty isn’t widespread

Borders

1. What kind of policies do states still decide within their borders?

2. Are border checks still maintained?

3. How does national identity still matter?

1. Economic and political policies

2. Yes

3. It is a unique identifying and unifying source

Economic Policy

1. Who decides on economic policy?

2. Who resolves major economic crises?

3. Give an example of an economic crisis

1. States

2. States

3. 2008 financial crisis

IGOs

1. What is there not that could act above a nation-state level?

2. What do many IGOs allow states to do and what does this mean?

3. How are decisions reached?

1. An overarching world governing body

2. Veto, which means they can protect national interests

3. Consensus of member states

Impunity over breach of Human Rights/International Law

1. What is external intervention dependent on?

2. Are violations of borders common?

1. International agreement

2. No

NSA’s challenging sovereignty isn’t widespread

1. What does international consensus of remain?

2. What are attempts to seize territory by militant groups widely seen as?

3. What are such actions met with?

1. What makes a state legitimate

2. Illegitimate

3. Military action to reassert sovereignty

Federal States

1. What kind of power does the government hold?

2. What do governments at a sub-national level do?

3. Give an example of a federal system

1. Central power over some policy (foreign policy)

2. Make and enforce law

3. USA

Unitary States

1. What do central governments have more power and authority over in a unitary state?

2. What does national legislature decide on?

3. Give an example of a unitary state

1. What happens in its territory

2. Decisions and laws

3. Scotland from the UK can make its own laws in certain areas

   • These powers are delegated by the legislature

Fragile States

1. What is weak in a fragile state?

2. What is the state of government?

3. Give a example of a fragile state

1. Internal sovereignty and power is weak

   • democratic or undemocratic

2. Non-existent, illegitimate, too weak to have authority over its territory

3. Somalia => civil war + insurgency

   • Central government doesn’t have control

   • War prevented elections from being held

   • almost a total collapse of power to keep law and order or provide healthcare and education

Authoritarian States

1. What is the key defining feature of an authoritarian state?

2. What is unique about its authority?

3. What is a key feature of its leader?

4. What is the relationship between a state being authoritarian and Human Rights abuses?

5. Give an example of an authoritarian state

1. No democracy => government is not elected

2. Authority cannot be challenged or held to account

3. Leaders remain in power as long as they wish or until they are ousted by a coup or external intervention

4. Human rights abuses are more likely and widespread as rule of law is not respected and there are no checks and balances

5. Iraq (under Saddam Hussain), Egypt (under President Mubarak)

Monarchy

1. What is a monarchy?

2. How has a monarchy gained authority?

3. How can monarchies differ, give examples

4. What happened as a result of the Arab Uprisings in 2011

1. A hereditary monarchy or royal family that is unelected

2. Gained authority through generations of rule

3. Some may have a symbolic role or greater political control

   • Symbolic => UK, Sweden, Norway

   • Political Control => Saudi Arabia (powerful ruling royal family)

4. Morocco and UAE monarchy actively tried to reduce their power and give more power to the civilian elected governmennts

Theocracy

1. What is a theocracy?

2. Who holds power?

3. Explain how Iran is a theocracy

4. Explain how Saudi Arabia is a theocracy

1. Rule of government by religion

2. Religious groups rather than non religious political parties

3. Islamic Republic of Iran

   • ruled by Islamic supreme leader => has the power to decide which non-religious candidates can stand for president

4. Saudi Arabia

   • ruling Shura council can make and enforce Saudi Arabia’s Sharia law (alongside the ruling monarchy)

What are the challenges to sovereignty?

• Globalisation

• Indigenous rights

• Humanitarian intervention

• Supranationalism

Globalisation - Economic

1. How are economies becoming increasingly interconnected?

2. What does this limit?

3. Give an example of an IGO that poses a threat

4. How does this IGO pose a threat?

1. Through trade, investment and technology

2. A state’s ability to fully control economic policies

3. WTO (world trade organisation)

4. Challenging a state’s sovereignty over trade regulations and tariffs as well as monitoring domestic policies that affect trade

Globalisation - Cultural

1. What is cultural globalisation?

2. How does this challenge a state?

3. What does this undermine?

1. Spread of global culture through media, technology and popular culture

2. Challenges a state’s cultural and social norms

3. Potentially undermines traditional values and indentities

Indigenous Rights

1. What do indigenous rights movements claim?

2. Why do they claim this?

3. What do they demand?

4. How does this challenge territorial sovereignty?

5. Give an example of a real life threat

1. Spiritual sovereignty

2. They have been linked to the land for generations and they were there first

3. Demand autonomy, self-determination and recognition of their unique legal and political status

4. Governments may have to cede land to them which would create indigenous autonomous regions (operating under their own legal and political system) => diminishing state control over those territories

5. Navajo Nation

   • has its own government with the branches

   • exercises considerable authority over education, healthcare and resource management

Humanitarian Intervention

1. What actions are sometimes taken to protect human rights?

2. What do some external actors do to prevent human rights abuses?

3. What is R2P?

4. How does it challenge the traditional notions of sovereignty?

1. Foreign military or non-military action

2. Intervene in the internal affairs of a sovereign state (sometimes without consent)

3. Responsibility to Protect

4. Asserts the international community’s responsibility to protect populations from mass atrocities

Supranationalism

1. What do supranational organisations have the authority to do?

2. In what aspects do states willingly delegate authority to the organisation?

1. Make and enforce laws that can supersede those of individual member states

2. Trade, competition policy and environmental regulations