Incentives vs Sanctions

Incentives- offering closer relations, if certain conditions are met

Sanctions- Cutting off relations(trade) until the hostile “problematic behaviour” of a certain state stops

Incentives

• Generally, when countries that receive help become economically successful and self- sufficient, the world can become a safer place

• When economically unstable nation-states are offered trade opportunities, or opportunities to become more economically stable, they can be more inclined to cease actions that are viewed a problematic to other countries(for example, human rights abuse)

Sanctions

• Countries try to promote peace in other countries by imposing economic sanctions

• This includes cutting off trade and other economic ties with a country with efforts to force them to follow a particular behaviour

• It is viewed as a more favourable alternative to harsher measures (such as declaring war)

• Can be not as effective if other countries continue to trade with “problematic” nation-states

• Also seen as more harmful to citizens rather than the government

Questions

• What are your thoughts on sanctions?

• Do you believe they help to promote peace?

• Are sanctions ethical?

Peacekeeping

• Peacekeepers are sent to conflict zones only after a ceasefire has been negotiated

• Peacekeepers then set up a buffer zone (Area where no fighting occurs)

• Peacekeepers protect humanitarian workers who provide food, shelter and medical aid

• They are ONLY allowed to use force in self defense

**Peacekeepers MUST follow these guidelines:

- Consent: Respecting the sovereignty of the host country
Impartiality: Peacekeepers must not take sides
Self-defense: Peacekeepers may use force only to defend themselves

Questions

• What are your thoughts on Peacekeeping?

• Do you believe they help to promote peace?

• What are some cons with peacekeeping?

Questioning the Role of Peacekeeping

**Sometimes problems do occur with peacekeeping:

• Opposing sides may start to fight again, with peacekeepers in the middle of conflict

• Peacekeepers can sometimes be attacked

• Diplomats may not be able to reach a resolution, causing peacekeepers to stay indefinitely

• Opposing sides sometimes start killing civilians, peacekeepers are to stay out of it

• In the 1990s several peacekeeping mission failures caused people to question its effectiveness as a foreign policy tool

• This resulted in the belief that peacemaking is more effective than peacekeeping

• Peacemaking: Ending armed conflict and human rights abuses

• Peacemakers are not required to remain neutral. They may shoot to kill and enter a country without being invited

Questions

If you were a peacekeeper, which aspect do you think you would find hardest?

• Respecting the sovereignty of the host country

• Not taking sides

• Using force to only defend yourself

Questions

Why do country’s have laws and courts?

Why would it be ideal for country’s to share the same laws?

International Law and Agreements

• The foreign policies of various countries can sometimes conflict

• To help resolve the disputes between countries, a large body of international laws and agreements have been developed

• The UN’S International Court of Justice (The World Court) interprets laws and tries to settle disputes peacefully

• HOWEVER, not every country recognises the World Court

• For example, the U.S refuses to recognise this court

Foreign Aid and Internationalism

• Countries promote internationalism by providing foreign aid

• Every year, developed countries give billions of dollars to developing countries for humanitarian and other purposes (medical supplies, food, clothing, etc.) -Foreign aid donors can ensure that they provide effective help through coordinating their work

• The Red Cross and similar organizations have workers “on the ground”

• These workers are involved with communities and know where and what kind of aid is needed most

The 0.7 Per Cent Solution

• In 1969, former Canadian prime minister Lester B. Pearson wanted to aim to build a peaceful world

• Pearson issued a challenge to the richest countries in the world -The challenge called for them to spend 0.7 % of their gross national income (GNI) on foreign aid *GNI refers to to the total value of good & services produced per year, both inside and outside a countries borders

• UN members were committed to the goal, however in 2006 Canada gave only 0.33% of its GNI as foreign aid

• What are your thoughts about Canada not giving the expected 0.7%? Was this a justifiable action?

Climate Change (The Kyoto Protocol)

• Established in 1997 is an international attempt to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

• Canada and other developed countries that sign this agreement agreed to reduce their emissions by 20% by 2020

• Canadian government had said that in order to do this, it would cost the economy and Canadians $51 billion.

Questions

• What are your views on countries attempts to address climate change?

• Is the Kyoto Protocol effective? Yes or No?

The spread of diseases

• The spread of diseases from one person to another-across international borders has been a global issue for a long time

• Throughout history, health care workers and hospitals had trouble helping people who fell ill -The World Health Organization (WHO) tries to stop the spread of deadly diseases -They focus on identifying, monitoring and controlling international health threats

Questions

• Is an organization such as WHO needed to control 21st-century pandemics?

• Or should countries be left to take action on their own?

Internationalism Behaviour

• Poverty can lead to hunger, malnutrition and starvation

• 850 million people in the world do not have access to food

• In November 1996, the UN organized the First World Food Summit

• Delegates from 185 countries and the EU met in Rome

• They vowed to reduce hunger by half the number by 2015

Questions

• How effective is the international approach to address world hunger?

• Is this achievable?

Questions

• What do you think people’s behaviours are motivated by?

Needs vs Wants

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs

• Abraham Maslow-Psychologist*- studied people’s needs.

• Believed that people see basic needs as most important.

• Noted that once people had their basic needs met, they were motivated to try to meet their needs at other levels.

• Believed that people would make their way up to each level until they became fulfilled, happy human beings

Needs & Motives of Successful Nation-States

• The behaviours of nations and nation-states is also motivated by the collective needs & wants of the country’s people

• The actions of a responsible government serve the national interest

• Many nation-states, ESPECIALLY with  democratic governments are MOTIVATED to achieve and maintain:

ECONOMIC STABILITY

PEACE & SECURITY

SELF-DETERMINATION

HUMANITARIANISM