IB Global Politics HL Unit 1

soft power

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it is a countries ability to make friends and influence other states through having attractive assets, persuasuion, or influence. It lies more in the realm of negotiation, promises of aid, cooperation and other non-military means of influencing change (Joseph Nye)

hard power

it is the ability for a state to influence others through economic incentives or military strength, and is the use of force and threats of force to influence the decision-making of those in charge (Joseph Nye). It relies on the realist measure of power which includes tangible resources such as population, territory, military, natural resources, etc.

power

• The ability to influence other group in global politics and achieve outcomes. At its simplest, power is about achieving desired goals and influencing others.

• Power can be used to achieve material gains (i.e agree a trade deal or defeat a terrorist group). It may be used to persuade others to conform to a political/economic idea (i.e states persuading other states to choose a democratic, capitalist model of government/fight corruption)

  • Power is variable → states can become more powerful, whilst others see their power decline.

Relative power

the ability to influence the actor/actors to act in a manner they may not choose for themselves

structural power

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 **the means by which states affect global politics, usually by promoting a model of politics that they favor, such as democracy or capitalism.** 

economic power

**(GDP, GDP per capita, Economic growth %)**

States can use economic power as **a form of hard power**. States often impose sanctions on other states to force them to change their behavior (i.e US sanctions on Iran to reduce its nuclear deal)

military power

**essential when using hard power.**

**Military resources (i.e land, air or sea) are the ultimate means to force another group or state to comply or to change their behavior.** 

**The most powerful states are often thought to be those with the largest armies, the most advanced weapons (comprising nuclear), and the technology/willingness to use this power.**

smart power

The combination of hard and soft power – the ability to use both when called for, or one or the other when necessary

westaphalien sovereignty

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A state’s sovereignty is dependent on other states recognizing the state as a state, mainly including the right to determine the religion of the state, the inception of international law, the beginning of embassies, alliances, etc, and more predictability/reliance in international relations.



This idea originates from classical Rome and Medieval Europe. The Treaty of Westphalia (1648) can be seen as the point where the ideas of statehood were formally established.



The principle of sovereignty has been supported by putting ideas such as diplomacy and non-intervention into practice.



Groups such as the Islamic State may call themselves a state, but if **no other states or international organizations recognize them**, they cannot be considered a sovereign state. International legitimacy is essential in order for a state to be considered an independent sovereign country.

sovereignty

Sovereignty is the supreme authority within a territory, it refers to a state's right/independence to govern and have full control to govern themselves.

legitimacy

popular acceptance of a government, political regime, or system of governance.

It refers to an action being considered "legitimate" in the sense that it is commonly considered acceptable.

This also means that certain global leaders can be considered not legitimate depending on how they rule and whether they follow the commonly accepted democratic system of governance

Interdependance

Interdependance can fall under various categories such as treaties, strategic alliances, economic cooperation, informal cooperation.

The 1933 Montevideo Convention

the treaty discussed the definitions and rights of statehood

According to the treaty states must have

• A permanent population

• defined territory and borders

• effective government

• the capacity and legitimacy to enter into relations with other states

Internal Sovereignty

it is about how states govern themselves independently

• states have full responsibility for and power over what happens internally

• they can decide their own trading rules (tarrifs/free trade)

External Sovereignty

it is about how states interact with each other

• states generally respect other borders and don’t interfere with what is going on within other states borders

• states may make grievances with other states internal affirs through IGOs such as the UN

State sovereignty becoming less significant: Permeable Borders

The traditional guarantee of territorial sovereignty (borders), are permeable in that they have increasingly been penetrated by external forces

States are affected by issues that cross borders (transnational issues) like climate change, global terrorism, and migration

State sovereignty becoming less significant: Economic Globalization

Many states are reducing barriers to trade and are joining trade agreements (TPP, EU).

There is increasing freedom of movement for people and goods.

MNCs are also very powerful, and can influence states to change their economic policies in return for investment

State sovereignty becoming less significant: IGOs

Are becoming more numerous and more powerful.

One of the most powerful organizations, the EU, has supranational powers and can make laws/enforce them on its member states

Other IGOs recognize that states face shared challenges and try to resolve these through collective action

State sovereignty becoming less significant: Collective Dilemmas

Issues that are particularly taxing because they confound even the most powerful states when acting alone (i.e global problems require global solutions)

An increasing range of issues have acquired a collective/global character (i.e climate change, terrorism, transnational crim, pandemic disease)

Need to be tackled by IGOs

State sovereignty becoming less significant: International Human Rights

International conventions like the R2P no longer regard state sovereignty as absolute, but rather conditional for states who behave responsibly.

This is based on the view that human rights, and the idea that the fundamental individual rights are morally superior to the state’s right to independence and autonomy

Example of this is the Libya 2011 intervention

State sovereignty still significant: Myth of borderless world

The image that world politics is dominated by transnational processes that elude state control is an exaggeration

• Globalizing trends do not disempower states. States choose to engage in the global economy and do so for reasons of national self-interest

• Borders still define independent states. States still decide their own economic and political policies, within their borders.

State sovereignty still significant: Economic policy

Importing, exporting, tax, trade partnerships are still decided by nation states. MNCs are undoubtedly powerful, but resolving major economic crises requires action by nation states. 

* 2008 financial collapse was resolved by states and IGOs → bailing out failing multinational banks

State sovereignty still significant: States choose to join IGOs

States choose to join IGOs and are the key contributors to IGOs. There is no world governing body with the power to act above the nation-state level. Many IGOs allow states the right to veto and protect core national interests

* Most IGOs are intergovernmental, where decisions are reached by consensus of the member state

State sovereignty still significant: States remain dominant

Although states are merely one actor amongst many on the world stage, they remain the most important actor. States exercise power in a way and to an extent that no other actor can

• Using the administrative processes of government and relying on unchallengeable coercive power, their control over what happens within their borders is rarely challenged.

• Failed states are an exception

State sovereignty still significant: Enduring attraction of the nation-state

There seems little likelihood that states will lose their dominance so long as they continue to enjoy the allegiance of the majority of their citizens. 

* As most states are nation-states, this is ensured by the survival of nationalism, as the world’s most potent ideological force.

The P5

The UN security council: Russia, China, USA, UK, France

Economic IGOs

World Trade Organization (WTO)

• Decides and enforces the rules of international trade, and resolves trade disputes between states through negotiation. The WTO is made up of member states and is therefore an IGO. There has to be an agreement amongst all members before policy is officially adopted.

  • Has been criticized for failing to make progress in helping developing countries to join global markets through its Doha Development Agenda.

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• Works to improve global cooperation on financial stability and to promote economic growth and reduce poverty across the world.

  • The IMF continues to offer both financial assistance (loans) and technical advice to help states’ economic development

Collective Security IGO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

• The most significant example of a formal security alliance – founded in 1949 by the US and European allies in response to the Cold War threat.

  • NATO has expanded continuously since, mainly Eastward to include former soviet states

• An IGO such as NATO exists to provide states with collective security – all member states offer one another military protection in the event of an attack

Hybrid IGOs

The European Union (EU)

• Complex regional hybrid IGO that has a very wide range of responsibilities and supporting institutions. It has supranational powers.

  • The idea was that member states would become politically and economically unified, and would become so interdependent that any future conflict would be near impossible

• Most advanced and integrated IGO, sometimes criticized for actions ling a nation state and challenging state sovereignty.

African Union

• Made up of every African nation state (excluding Morocco), and mainly deals with security, and political and economic development.

  • Has become more involved in peacekeeping missions in Africa, and has had considerable success.

  • It also allows African states to speak with one voice on the international stage