Lesson 5: Global Interstate System

Global Interstate System

The system of interactions among various political entities, mainly states, that shape international relations.

System

In international relations, it refers to interactions among political entities, forming a structure that can be global or regional.

State

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

Elements of a State

People, Territory, Government, and Sovereignty.

Government

The governing body of a state, nation, or community responsible for administration and law enforcement.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)

A Genevan philosopher who explained that European powers formed a system linked by religion, law of nations, customs, and letters.

Interstate System

A system in international relations that specifically deals with relations between governments or state authorities.

Divisions of International Relations

Interstate, intersocietal, and interpersonal relations.

Interstate Relations

Authoritative actions, understandings, or commitments between government authorities of different states.

Intersocietal Relations

Authoritative actions, understandings, or commitments between organizations or groups that transcend state boundaries.

Interpersonal Relations

Relations between citizens of different states acting in their personal interests, such as migrants, students, and tourists.

Effects of Globalization on Governments

Globalization influences governments by affecting state sovereignty, economic policies, and international interactions.

Joyce S. Osland

A scholar who studied globalization’s effects on governments, noting both positive and negative impacts on state power and sovereignty.

Positive Effects of Globalization on Governments

Economic growth, infrastructure expansion, knowledge transfer, and increased interdependence.

Negative Effects of Globalization on Governments

Reduced sovereignty, corporate influence over policies, tax evasion by multinational corporations, and economic instability.

Treaty of Westphalia (1648)

A series of peace treaties that established the modern state system, emphasizing state sovereignty.

International Treaties

Agreements between states that affect their legal, economic, and political actions.

Institutions that Govern International Relations

Organizations and frameworks that regulate interactions between states and non-state actors. Examples include the United Nations (UN), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), World Trade Organization (WTO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Purposes of International Relations

Studying war and peace, power dynamics, and the changing roles of states and non-state actors.

Significance of International Relations

Promotes trade, travel, cooperation on global issues, and cultural exchanges.

Humanitarian Organizations

Groups like Action Against Hunger and Oxfam that provide aid and assistance globally.

Government Agencies

State-run institutions like the Department of Homeland Security that play a role in international affairs.

Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs)

Organizations composed of sovereign states, such as the United Nations and NATO.

International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs)

Non-state organizations like the Red Cross that operate internationally.

Hague Conventions (1899, 1907)

International treaties aimed at regulating warfare and ensuring humane treatment of war prisoners.

International Organizations

Entities that facilitate cooperation between states, influencing trade, law, and global policies. Examples include the United Nations (UN), World Trade Organization (WTO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Health Organization (WHO), European Union (EU), Organization of American States (OAS), International Labour Organization (ILO), and International Criminal Court (ICC).

Internationalism

Political, economic, and cultural cooperation among states while maintaining national sovereignty.

Globalism

The ideology that people, goods, and information should move freely across borders, leading to dilution of national sovereignty.

Global South

A term referring to developing and less-developed nations, particularly in Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia.