global politics

Global Politics

Definition and Overview

  • Global Politics: Derived from the Greek word "polis", which means "city-state".

    • It is the study of how power and resources are distributed and managed at a worldwide level.

    • It serves as the art and science of governance.

  • Key Concept: The process of who gets what, when, and how.

  • International Politics: Focuses on global structures and processes such as rule-making, problem-solving, and maintaining security and order in the world system.

Key Actors in Global Politics

  1. State: The primary political unit.

  2. Global Governance: The framework that states and other entities use to cooperate.

  3. International Organizations: Institutions formed to facilitate international cooperation on common problems.

Nation and State

Definitions

  • Nation: A self-defined community of people who share a common sense of history, identity, and culture.

  • State: A political and legal entity defined by:

    • A defined territory

    • A permanent population

    • A government

    • The capacity to enter into relations with other states.

  • Key Questions: "Who are we?" and "Who governs us?"

Elements of the State

  1. Government: The agency through which the will of the people is expressed, formulated, and executed.

  2. Population: Refers to the community of individuals living within a state’s territorial boundaries who owe allegiance to its government.

  3. Territory: The fixed portion of the Earth's surface inhabited by the population of a state, over which it exercises sovereign authority.

  4. Sovereignty: The supreme authority that is free from external control and is recognized by the international community.

The State and Global Politics

Attributes of the Global System

  1. States act as the main actors of global politics.

  2. States are independent and govern themselves.

  3. Interaction occurs among states.

  4. International organizations facilitate state interactions.

  5. International organizations have their own unique existence, apart from the states.

Polarity in Global Politics

  • Polarity: Refers to how power is distributed among states.

    1. Bipolarity: A system with two great powers or blocs holding most of the power.

    2. Multipolarity: A scenario where power is distributed among several great powers of roughly equal influence.

    3. Tripolarity: A system characterized by three major powers.

Impact of Globalization on State Sovereignty

Traditional Challenges

  • External sovereignty is threatened by invasion.

  • Internal control of domestic affairs by the state can be challenged.

Global Economics

  • Free trade agreements compromise states' abilities to protect their economic interests.

  • Concepts like "race to the bottom" emerge, where states relax labor and environmental laws to attract investment.

Global Social Movements

  • Grassroots organizations advocate for causes such as human rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and environmental sustainability, pressing states and international organizations to address global issues.

Global Governance

Definition

  • Global Governance: A system of institutions, rules, norms, and procedures that enable international cooperation on transnational issues such as:

    • Economic development

    • Trade

    • Human rights

    • Peace and security

    • Environmental protection

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

  • Adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, this agenda includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—an urgent call to action for employed by all countries globally.

17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Include:

  1. No Poverty

  2. Zero Hunger

  3. Good Health and Well-being

  4. Quality Education

  5. Gender Equality

  6. Clean Water and Sanitation

  7. Affordable and Clean Energy

  8. Decent Work and Economic Growth

  9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  10. Reduced Inequalities

  11. Sustainable Cities and Communities

  12. Responsible Consumption and Production

  13. Climate Action

  14. Life Below Water

  15. Life on Land

  16. Peace and Justice

  17. Partnerships for the Goals

Comparison: Global Governance vs. Global Government

  • Global Governance: The existing international cooperation framework without a centralized political authority.

  • Global Government: A hypothetical centralized authority that would exercise jurisdiction over all nations and people, currently non-existent.

Functions of Global Governance

  1. International Organizations: Facilitate member cooperation; the United Nations is the leading organizational entity.

  2. International Laws and Treaties: Governs relationships between states; largely relies on state consent.

    • Examples include:

      • 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)

      • 2007 United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

  3. International Forums and Networks: Platforms for discussion of global issues.

  4. Non-state Actors: Organizations like multinational corporations and NGOs that operate independently of state governments but exert influence in global governance.