global politics and liberalism

what is global politics?

• the workings of organisations at a global level

• how states work together to tackle issues that affect all parts of the world

• means looking at the different levels that operate at a global level

how are national and global similar?

• taking legitmate decisions

• accountablity

• solving shared decisions

• resolving disputes

• sharing rescources fairly and peacefully

what are the differences?

• in global politics, there is no form of world government

• in global politics, there is rarely a clear authority to create laws and provide legitmacy

• no organisation has complete soverignty

what is involved with global politics?

• states are the primary agents

• amount of power each state is different so the more powerful states are likely to achieve more

• number of non state actors that contribute to it

what is realism view of global politics?

• states are the most important actors and their primary goal is to protect their own national interests.

• world is anarichal and selfish

• no single authority above states to impose order

what is liberalism view of global politics?

• states interests are linked and interdependent, they best advance through intergovermental work

• democracy and human rights are essential

what do realists believe about states?

realists like Hobbes believe that states are selfish and motivated by greed/suspicion

what are realist two main beliefs?

1. people are selfish and competitive, defined by egoism

2. there is no higher authority than the soverign state

how do realists believe is the best way to constrain conflict?

‘balance of power’, but this could lead to a security dilemma

what is international anarchy?

the notion that states are self contained units that frequently clash with each other

what is the billard ball model of global politics?

• global politics is determined by self contained states. hard outer layer represents soverignty between nation states. collisions of the balls are caused by security and miltary matters

• external factors cause pressure on the balls aka the states

• suggests an unequal distrubution of power where some balls are bigger than others

• realist theory

what are consquences of international anarchy?

• igos like the un will be limited in their effectiveness

• states will want to prevent igos make decisions that are not in their national interests

• international law is not always enforceable

why do realists think conflict is inevitable?

• states will want to maxmise their power so they will provoke conflict if needed

• states are selfish so will promote their own national interests

• no authority that can prevent conflict

what is liberal world view?

• liberals have a more optimistic view

• like kant

• human nature is rational and morally good

what are the key ideas if liberals?

• states are not the only actors, igos and ngos are also influnetial, known as a mixed actor model

• hsitory is progressive

• world order should be based on clearly agreed international rules

• trade and interdependent is mutually advantageous ad likely to limit war

• democratic states are less likely to fight

how do liberals believe global politics operate?

complex interdependence: states are linked and they rely on each other

what is liberal cobweb theory?

Keohne and Nye (1977) argued that due to globalisation states have more interdependence and interconnectedness and that rather than being like billiard balls, states interact more like a cobweb.

If one strand breaks, the cobweb can start to disintegrate as other strands are pulled down.

It can also grow bigger and stronger by making more links.

why do liberals believe their is a chance of harmony and balance in global politics?

1. democracy

2. igos

3. economic interdependence and trade

for liberals why can democracy make harmony?

1. democractic states are less likely to fight

2. governments in democratics states are more accountable to their citzens than in non democratic states

3. governements in democratic states usually have to seek permision to engage in conflict

for liberals how do igos help harmony?

1. they provide a peaceful dispute between the states

2. even though they do not have full authority over states, liberals believe they are the best soloution to anarchial systems

3. offer a forum for debates, etc

how does economic interdependence and trade help harmony?

1. the more states are trading with each other the more they are dependent on each other and more likely for conflict is to be mutually harmful

2. liberals believe free trade in a system governened by rules has legitmised sharing global rescources