IB Global Politics - Understanding Power & Global Politics

IB GLOBAL POLITICS Notes

UNIT 1: CORE TOPICS - UNDERSTANDING POWER & GLOBAL POLITICS

SUB-UNIT 2: GLOBAL POLITICS CONCEPTS

SESSION 1: DEFINING POWER

STUDENT DISCUSSION OPENING QUESTIONS

• Question 1: What is power? Why do countries/people seek to attain it?

• Question 2: What are different types of power? Why might some be preferable to others?

• Question 3: What makes the U.S. a powerful country?

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING

UNDERSTANDING POWER IN GLOBAL POLITICS

DEFINING TERMINOLOGY CLASS ACTIVITY

• Activity Link: Directions: Students will define the terms in the Session Materials, and apply and/or provide examples of those terms.

DEFINING POWER

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER IN GLOBAL POLITICS

• Power: The ability to compel another actor to act against its own will or to ensure one's security and national interests.

• Authority: The legitimate use of power, which exists within countries since governments are granted power by their populations; however, there is no international authority.

• Essential Question: Why do states want power?

  • The world exists in a state of anarchy, leading to the primary goal of states being survival.

  • All states possess offensive capabilities.

  • There is uncertainty regarding another state’s intentions, hence the paramount need for the acquisition and maintenance of power for security and survival.

GLOBAL POLITICS THEORIST: JOSEPH NYE

• Joseph Nye, a political scientist, developed significant theories on power in international relations, highlighting the different ways states exert influence.

• His Main Contributions Include:

  • Hard Power

  • Soft Power

  • Smart Power

CONCEPT QUESTION

• What is power? Why do states want power?

HARD POWER

HARD POWER: DEFINITION AND TYPES

• Hard Power: Refers to the use of coercive means to influence the behavior of other actors in international relations, based on tangible resources like military capabilities and economic strength to achieve strategic objectives.

TYPES OF HARD POWER

• Military Force:

  • The use or threat of armed intervention, warfare, military alliances, and defense agreements.

• Economic Coercion:

  • Encompasses the use of sanctions, trade restrictions, embargoes, or economic incentives to influence another state's policies.

EXAMPLES OF HARD POWER

• Military Intervention: The U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, which aimed to topple Saddam Hussein’s regime.

• Economic Sanctions: The sanctions imposed by the U.S. and EU on Russia following the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

• Alliances and Deterrence: NATO’s military presence in Eastern Europe as a deterrence strategy against potential threats.

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER IN GLOBAL POLITICS

CONCEPT QUESTIONS

• What is hard power? What are the different types of hard power?

UNDERSTANDING HARD POWER CLASS ACTIVITY

• Activity Link: Directions: Students will research and prepare to answer the following: Choose a recent international incident where hard power was primarily used and analyze the incident, focusing on the specific forms of hard power employed. Evaluate the effectiveness of the hard power strategies considering their purpose.

POWER CONVERSION

RESOURCE POWER

• Resource Power:

  • Entails the possession of tangible and intangible assets (e.g., military strength, economic wealth, technology, cultural influence) that can be leveraged to exert influence over others. It concentrates on what an actor has.

  • Example: The U.S. has the world’s largest military budget, allowing it to project power globally.

RELATIONAL (BEHAVIORAL) POWER

• Relational Power:

  • The ability to influence outcomes through interactions, persuasion, and relationships, independent of resource possession. It focuses on how power is exercised.

  • Example: The U.S. engages in diplomacy, formation of alliances, and economic integration to maintain bases globally, thereby enhancing its ability to project power.

INTERCONNECTION

• Resource power provides the foundation for influence, while relational power determines the effectiveness of resource use.

• A country with vast resources but ineffective diplomatic strategies may fail to achieve its goals; conversely, a state with strong relational power can exert significant influence despite limited resources.

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER IN GLOBAL POLITICS

CONCEPT QUESTION

• What is the difference between resource power and relational power?

COMPARING RESOURCE & RELATIONAL POWER

CONCEPT QUESTION

• How do resource power and relational power compare with each other? How are each utilized effectively?

SOFT POWER

SOFT POWER: DEFINITION

• Soft Power: The ability to influence others through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion or force. It relies on cultural appeal, political values, and diplomacy to shape international relations and gain cooperation.

TYPES OF SOFT POWER

• Cultural Influence: The global reach of media, arts, language, and education.

• Political Values & Ideals: Promoting democracy, human rights, and governance models.

• Diplomacy & Foreign Aid: Engaging in international organizations, humanitarian assistance, and diplomatic negotiations.

EXAMPLES OF SOFT POWER

• Cultural Influence: The global popularity of Hollywood movies, K-pop, and British literature.

• Political/Social Values: The appeal of democratic governance leading to movements for political reform.

• Diplomacy: The Paris Agreement on climate change, exemplifying cooperation based on shared environmental concerns.

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER IN GLOBAL POLITICS

CONCEPT QUESTIONS

• What is soft power? What are the different types of it?

COMPARING HARD & SOFT POWER

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER IN GLOBAL POLITICS

UNDERSTANDING SOFT POWER CLASS ACTIVITY

• Activity Link: Directions: Students will research and prepare to answer the following: Choose a cultural product (film, music, art, sport, etc.) from any country. Analyze how it might contribute to that country's soft power. Consider aspects like global appeal, cultural messages, and the ways it might encourage other countries to engage in similar practices.

SMART POWER

SMART POWER: DEFINITION

• Smart Power: The strategic mix of hard power and soft power to achieve foreign policy goals, involving the right balance of military, economic, and diplomatic tools for each situation.

• This concept was popularized by Joseph Nye and has been utilized in U.S. foreign policy.

KEY FEATURES OF SMART POWER

• Balanced Strategy: Combines military or economic pressure with diplomacy and cultural influence.

• Cooperation: Operates through international organizations and alliances to increase legitimacy.

• Flexibility: Adjusts the use of power depending on the context or region.

EXAMPLES OF SMART POWER

• U.S. Counterterrorism: Employing military action along with education and development programs.

• China’s Global Strategy: Combining military strength with economic projects and cultural outreach.

• EU Expansion: Using economic incentives while promoting democratic values and supporting NATO security ties.

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER IN GLOBAL POLITICS

CONCEPT QUESTION

• What is smart power? How is it effectively implemented? What are some global examples of it?

GET SMART (ARTICLE) CLASS ACTIVITY

• Activity Link: Directions: Students will read the article "Get Smart" by Joseph Nye and answer the reading questions found in the Session Materials.

UNDERSTANDING SMART POWER CLASS ACTIVITY

• Activity Link: Directions: Students will research and be prepared to answer the following: When might it be necessary to combine hard and soft power? Provide an example from a current global politics issue. What challenges or limitations exist in implementing smart power strategies?

AWESOME STRUCTURAL POWER

STRUCTURAL POWER: DEFINITION

• Structural Power: The ability of a state or institution to shape the frameworks within which others operate, influencing global norms, institutions, and economic systems. Structural power is not about direct coercion but about setting the rules of the game favorably for the dominant actor.

EXAMPLES OF STRUCTURAL POWER

• International Financial Institutions: The role of the U.S. and Western countries in shaping global economic policies through institutions like the IMF and World Bank, which set loan conditions and economic policies for developing nations.

• Trade Systems: The WTO establishes global trade rules, often favoring more developed economies with greater negotiation influence.

• Technology and Standards: Dominance of U.S. tech companies (e.g., Google, Apple, Microsoft) allows the U.S. to set global digital standards such as data privacy regulations and internet governance.

• Global Reserve Currency: The U.S. dollar as the world’s primary reserve currency provides the U.S. with structural power in global finance, facilitating most international trade and debt transactions.

• Political and Security Alliances: Institutions like NATO shape military cooperation and strategic alignments globally, typically reinforcing Western interests.

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER IN GLOBAL POLITICS

CONCEPT QUESTION

• What is structural power based on? Which examples of structural power can you connect to the United States?

CYBER POWER

CYBER POWER: DEFINITION

• Cyber Power: The ability of a state, organization, or individual to influence, control, or disrupt digital and information networks to achieve strategic, economic, or security objectives.

CYBER WARFARE

• Cyber Warfare Examples:

  • Russia’s Cyber Attacks on Ukraine (2015 & 2022): Targeted Ukraine’s power grid, government websites, and banking systems to disrupt operations.

  • Stuxnet (2010): A U.S.-Israeli cyberattack targeting Iran’s nuclear program, disabling uranium enrichment centrifuges.

CYBER ESPIONAGE

• Examples of Cyber Espionage:

  • Chinese APT Groups: Allegedly involved in stealing intellectual property and government data.

  • U.S. NSA Surveillance (2013): Revealed by Edward Snowden, the U.S. monitored global communications using cyber capabilities.

CYBER INFLUENCE AND DISINFORMATION

• Examples:

  • Russian Interference in the 2016 U.S. Election: Utilized social media campaigns and bots to influence public opinion and election outcomes.

  • China’s Great Firewall & Digital Influence: Controls domestic information access while promoting narratives abroad via platforms like WeChat.

CYBERSECURITY AND DEFENSE

• U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM): Safeguards national infrastructure and performs offensive cyber operations when necessary.

• EU’s GDPR: Regulates data privacy and security, shaping global cybersecurity standards.

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER IN GLOBAL POLITICS

CONCEPT QUESTION

• What is cyber power? What are some ways that cyber power is utilized by state and non-state actors?

ALTERNATIVE VIEWS OF POWER

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER IN GLOBAL POLITICS

CONCEPT QUESTION

• What is the difference between power over, power to, and power with? How are power to and power with different approaches to how power is usually used?

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER & REALIST THEORY

UNDERSTANDING REALIST THEORY

• Realism: The theory stating that the world exists in a state of anarchy, hence states must acquire power to ensure order and security.

• Commonly referred to as Realpolitik or power politics.

• Realists view states as autonomous actors in an anarchic system rationally pursuing their self-interest, summarizing the situation as the “rules of the jungle.”

ISSUE THEORETICAL VIEW

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER & REALIST THEORY

SYSTEM POLARIZATION

INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM DEFINITION

• The International System pertains to how power is distributed globally and the nodes (usually countries) from which that power emanates.

• Discussion on the preferable nature of international system/polarity is ongoing.

• Major events often align with shifts in the international system and can also be causal factors of such changes.

POLARITY DEFINITIONS

• Unipolar: A single hegemonic power (e.g., the United States post-1991).

• Bipolar: Two powers of relative equal strength (e.g., the Cold War - U.S. and USSR).

• Multipolar: Three or more powers that balance one another (e.g., Europe from the mid-19th century to 1945).

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER & REALIST THEORY

CONCEPT QUESTION

• What is the international system? How does this represent power distribution?

INTERNATIONAL SYSTEMS IN THE 20th & 21st CENTURIES

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER & REALIST THEORY

CONCEPT QUESTION

• How has polarity (distribution of power) changed over recent history? What events typically change that polarity?

REALISM & NATIONAL INTEREST

SOVEREIGN STATES VIEWPOINT

• Sovereign states are viewed as separate and autonomous entities and are the only guarantors of security for their populations.

• The sanctity of state borders and territory is emphasized, necessitating protection.

• States act according to their national interests within the international system to gain or maintain power.

• A state’s foreign policy is the strategy it employs in interacting with other states.

• Weaker states often adhere to global norms and rules enforced by more powerful states.

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER & REALIST THEORY

CONCEPT QUESTION

• How do power and national interest interact? How does it influence behavior?

AMERICAN NATIONAL INTEREST CLASS ACTIVITY

• Activity Link: Directions: Students will be divided into groups to discuss and list what the goals for the United States as a country should be.

THE SECURITY DILEMMA

• Without a centralized “World Police” to enforce international norms, the responsibility of rule enforcement and protection falls upon individual states or coalitions, often leading to conflict.

• Security Dilemma: A situation where actions taken by a state to secure its own safety can inadvertently threaten the security of other states, prompting reciprocal measures.

  • Example: Arms races, such as between India and Pakistan, result from conflicts of interest regarding national security.

  • Concerns arise from the development of retaliatory capacities, potentially leading to mutually assured destruction.

  • The absence of a world government that can reliably detect and punish aggressive states creates a necessity for precautionary measures by all states.

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER & REALIST THEORY

CONCEPT QUESTION

• What is the security dilemma? How does the nuclear arms race apply?

BALANCING POWER

BALANCE OF POWER THEORY

• Balance of Power Theory: Describes how states or coalitions use their power to counterbalance another state when a disparity in the international system is perceived.

• This theory posits regular counterbalancing actions help maintain stability of the international system while potentially altering its polarity.

• Debate arises among scholars regarding which type of polarity yields the greatest balance and serves as a point of contention within realist sub-theories.

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER & REALIST THEORY

CONCEPT QUESTION

• What is the balance of power theory? Why do states seek to balance power?

REALISM & ALLIANCES

ROLE OF ALLIANCES

• Alliances are critical in balancing power as they enhance the collective power of member states through pooled capabilities.

• Bandwagon States: Smaller states that align with larger powers, often for various strategic reasons, despite offering limited contributions to the alliance.

FLUIDITY OF ALLIANCES

• Alliances are often temporary coalitions that disband post-objective accomplishment, with exceptions existing (e.g., NATO).

• Alliances are viewed as conveniences based on national interests, subject to shifts as these interests evolve.

• Henry Kissinger Quote: “America doesn’t have friends or enemies, only interests.”

• Historic Example: The collaboration between the U.S., Britain, and the Soviet Union during WWII for mutual goals.

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER & REALIST THEORY

CONCEPT QUESTION

• How do alliances connect to power? Why are they considered fluid?

POWER TRANSITION

• Despite the perceived stability offered by balance of power, history indicates that many powers vying for dominance can result in significant conflict.

• Power Transition Theory: Suggests that large-scale wars typically arise from challenges to the leading power in the status hierarchy when a rising power threatens dominance or attempts to surpass the most powerful state.

• Key Concepts:

• Status Quo Powers vs. Revisionist Powers:

• Peace among great powers is achieved when one state firmly occupies the top position and others’ roles in the hierarchy align with their inherent strengths.

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER & REALIST THEORY

CONCEPT QUESTION

• What roles do status quo and revisionist powers play in power transition?

COMPARING STATUS QUO & REVISIONIST POWERS

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: POWER & REALIST THEORY

CONCEPT UNDERSTANDING: SUB-THEORIES OF REALISM

MAJOR SUB-THEORIES OF REALISM

CONCEPT ATTAINMENT: SUB-THEORIES OF REALISM

STUDENT REVIEW CLOSING QUESTIONS

• QUESTION 1: What is power? What are the different forms of it and how do actors utilize it?

• QUESTION 2: What is realist theory? How does it rely on power as its main defining feature?

- QUESTION 3: What are the different forms of realist theory?