Global Politics Unit 1 Power and Sovereignty

What is power?

The ability to influence or control others.

What is hard power?

Coercive power through military force or economic sanctions.

What is soft power?

Influence through culture, values, and diplomacy.

What is sovereignty?

Supreme authority within a territory.

What is legitimacy?

When power is accepted as rightful by the people or international community.

What is authority?

Legal and formal right to exercise power.

What is realism in global politics?

States act in their own self-interest, prioritizing survival and power.

What is liberalism?

Cooperation through institutions, diplomacy, and law is possible and desirable.

What is the Westphalian model?

States are sovereign and equal; no outside interference allowed.

What are non-state actors?

Groups that influence politics without being a state (e.g., NGOs, TNCs, terrorist groups).

What is the role of the UN in global governance?

Coordinates collective action, sets norms, mediates conflict.

How do TNCs exercise power?

Economically, through investment, lobbying, and supply chain control.

Is sovereignty being eroded?

Globalization, interventions, and IGOs challenge absolute sovereignty.

Can global governance exist without a global government?

Yes, through networks of institutions like the UN, WTO, IMF.

Should powerful states be held to the same rules?

Debate over selective enforcement of international law.