The State and Globalisation

1.1 The state , nation state and of a national sovereignty 1.2 Globalisation 1.3 Debates about the impact of globalisation ncluding its advantages and disadvantages 1.4 The ways and extent to which globalisation addresses and resolves contemporary issues

Define the nation state

Define the nation state

A territorial defined sovereign body , or a political community bound together by citizenship and nationality

List the key features of a state

Defined territory

A permanent population

A functioning government

Recognition by others and in international law (THE UN)

Montevideo Convention

A treaty signed at Montevideo , Uruguay - December 26 1933

The convention codifies the theory of statehood as accepted as part of customary international law.

List the key features of a nation state

Self identifying

Can share exclusive traits for e.g traits, cultures and history

‘Nation states are a relatively modern construct , they have built political sovereignty around nations’

Define political sovereignty

The political ability to exercise sovereignty - the right of a government to rule and govern itself.

The Treaty of Westphalia 1648

Laid 3 principles :

- Sovereignty of state and right to political self determination

- legal equality between states

- non intervention of one state in the internal affairs of another state

**Sir Michael Rose (**British army general and former commander of the SAS) on the impact of the EU on British Sovereignty

‘'Sovereignty and security are intrinsically linked and in recent years we have seen the EU erode our sovereignty’’

Define Globalisation

The greater integration of the world. This means that different countries, organisations , businesses have through the exchange of ideas , policies and cultures , become increasingly interconnected.

Define economic globalisation

Refers to the increasing interdependence of world economies as a result of the growing scale of border trade

List why globalisation has threatened the sovereignty of nation state

- Mass migration and multiculturalism

- The creation of supranational organisations like the EU

- The power of transnational companies (TNCs)

TNCs and their negative impact on state sovereignty

TNCs operating in host countries - transnational co operations have operated in developing countries in order to exploit market capabilities

CASE STUDY : BANGLADESH

H+M exploitation of garment industry in Bangladesh

- H+M is the largest foreign clothing buyer in Bangladesh , sourcing more than $3.50 billion worth of apparel in 2021

- Garment workers for H+M make on average $86 per month , whilst a living wage is $239 (Business of HR Resource Centre)

Kasia Paprocki ‘Threatening dystopias; development and adaptational regimes towards Bangladesh’ in a statement towards the role of out of state actors in Bangladesh

‘ongoing economic commitment towards Bangladesh created a transformation in economic policy , but also a considerable surrender over policy and regulation’

This is significant as it demonstrates how through globalisation , Bangladesh surrendered to TNCs in attempt to uphold its economy , but has in turn become victim to the disparities between the Global North v South.

Give an example where a state has retained it’s state sovereignty despite globalisation

Working class vote for Boris Johnson in 2019

C2 (skilled manual occupation) voters - 49%

DE (semi skilled and unskilled manual occupations , unemployed and lowest grade occupations) - 47%

UK has experienced mass migration - working class in the UK are nationalist and therefore voted against the Labour party

Define political globalisation

Political globalisation refers to the absence of the absolute sovereignty of a state’s political borders as a result of the increased interactions between the systems of government.

Example of political globalisation

Creation of the UN on 24 October 1945

Define cultural globalisation

Cultural globalisation is the process whereby information, commodities and images produced in one part of the world enter into a global flow that tends to flatten out cultural differences between nations

Example of Cultural Globalisation

Transnational co orporations such as Starbucks or McDona<del>l</del>ds spread American culture

Western food services now operate in many other countries in the world.

The impact of globalisation on humanitarian and forcible intervention?

Globalisation has guaranteed a world of 24/7 news through which govts have come under considerable public pressure to act in the event of humanitarian crises and emergency .

CNN effect - Piers Robinson

A theory which states that global television networks play a significant role in determining the actions policymakers take and the outcome of the effects.

CNN Effect in practice - US involvement in Somalia in 1994

Argued that the correlation between falling media support and a continuing decline in public approval ratings caused Congress to pressure the Clinton administration to withdraw

US Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali quote demonstrating impact of globalised news on intervention

‘CNN is the sixteenth member of the Security Council’

The impact of Globalisation on International Law

Globalisation has led to greater problems of state capacity to comply with human rights obligations , particularly economic and social rights such as the right to safe work place, min wage etc.

EXAMPLE - How has globalisation surrendered the upkeep of humans rights, particularly workers rights?

Rana Plaza Incident 2012

Eight story building of garments workers for foreign retail services collapsed resulting in the death of over 1,100 workers.

Globalisation means that no singular company will be held accountable for the deaths of these workers or the conditions in which they are working as it is outside their national borders and simply a host country.

What are the realist views on globalisation rooted from?

Deriving from ideas that can be traced back to thinkers such as Thucydides , Sun Dzu, author of the Art of War , Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes . The realist vision is pessimistic.

What is the realist opinion on international power?

They argue that international power is marked by constant power struggles and conflict and a wide range of obstacles which stand in the way of peaceful cooperation.

What is the liberal opinion on globalisation?

Liberalism offers a more optimistic vision of global politics , based , ultimately on a belief in human rationality and moral goodness. Liberals tend to believe that the principle of balance or harmony operates in all forms of social interaction .