Global Politics: Midterm Review

Globalization Historical process involving the shift or transformation of human social

organization that links distant communities and expands the reach of power
relations across regions and continents. Also a catch-all phrase to describe a
single world economy or an international capitalist system.
Time-space compression Globalization erodes the relative isolation of the past in terms of the political,
economic, social, cultural, etc.
Weber’s definition of the That which has a monopoly over the legitimate use of organized violence.
state
Rise of the modern • Hanseatic League - Trade union of N. Europe commercial cities (13th-
nation-state 17th cent).
• Peace of Westphalia (1648) - "birth of the (sovereign) nation-state"
• Right of monarchs to sovereignty, armies, state religions, etc.
• Mass army, public education, nationalism
• Average size of states expanded during the 19th cent and contracted in
the 20th.
Sovereignty C-Weberian notion: "a political entity's externally recognized right to exercise
final authority over its affairs."
Nation-states (or city-states) as the "units" of global political system.
Fukuyama’s “end of • A base "ideal" drives the "actual" superstructure, grounded in people’s
history” ideology.
• “The end point of mankind's ideological evolution and the
universalization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of
human government.”
Huntington’s “clash of The inevitability of conflict as a historically proven fact.
civilizations” Argues that the next key conflicts in the world will not be economic or
ideological but cultural.
Statism, survival, self- Statism: Sovereign states are preeminent global actors. Sovereignty and
help authority over territory.
Survival: The primary objective of all states.
Self-help: Act in the interest of your own state (since no other institution can
be a reliable guarantor of survival).
Balance of power A balanced distribution of global power among states so as to deter conflict. As
contrasted with “collective security” like in League of Nations.
Anarchy Lack of a prevailing world-governing order. Can lead to distrust, anxiety,
conflict, war, etc.
Ill effects potentially minimized through internatnl cooperation (common
interest / institutions?).
Core assumptions of Modification of Realism. Economic and military capabilities as the basis for
neorealism exercising influence. Concern for issues of security, power, and survival.

Distinguish classical vs. Classical: Struggle for power from human nature, power over principle, limited
neo- (structural) realism justice & law under authoritarian governments.
Structural: Anarchy, struggle for relative power gains, all states are
functionally equivalent.
Carr on internationalism Argues a “harmony of interests” under anarchy is naïve. Calls for institutional
and the harmony of internationalism?
interests
Collective security ‘Each state in the system accepts that the security of one is the concern of all,
and agrees to join in a collective response to aggression.’ (Principle behind
League of Nations, who failed to act.)
Democratic peace (Kant, Idea that the spread of democratic among states unlikely to war (w/ each
Doyle) other). Central plank of liberal institutionalist thought.

Strands of liberalism Commercial liberalism advocates free trade and a market as a way towards
Commercial peace and prosperity;
Republican Republican liberalism holds that democratic states are more inclined to respect
Sociological the rights of their citizens and are less likely to go to war
Sociological liberalism emphasizes global civil society and the process of
interdependence.

(Neoliberal) Institutions as the mediator to achieve cooperation help govern a competitive

Institutionalism and anarchic international system and encourage multilateralism & co
& Functions of operation as a means of securing national interests.
institutions
Relative vs. absolute 'Relative gains': states compare their gains with those of other states when
gains making their decisions about security. (Neo-realist)
‘Absolute gains’: states cooperate and the greatest obstacle to cooperation is
'cheating' or non compliance by other states. Cooperation may be harder to
achieve in areas where leaders perceive they have no mutual interests. (Neo-
liberal)
Distinguish and compare Liberal institutionalists focus on cooperation, political economy, environmental
liberal institutionalism issues, and lately, human rights issues. Less concerned about relative gains
and neorealism and consider that all will benefit from absolute gains.
Neo-realists focus on security and military issues (high politics), concerned
with the absolute and relative gains.
Base and Superstructure Base: global economic arrangement, means of production, relations
in Marxist intl relations Superstructure: socio-political systems that arise according to Base realities.
theory Econ -> Politc power.
Core, semi-, and Core: industrialized production of sold manufactured goods, importing
periphery in world resources from Periphery.
system theory. Periphery: unindustrialized, exporting natural resources, but dependent on
Core manufactureds.
A global division of labor leads to permanent relative underdevelopment in
dependent Periphery.
Contradictions in Ex: Capitalists’ desire to profit off lower wages vs. needing a moneyed
capitalism, and consuming population
underconsumption
Lenin’s theory of war War is a continuation of politics.
Aim of war is to achieve military victory for the political victory of socialism.
Logic of consequences Logic of consequences: action attributed to anticipated costs & benefits
vs. logic of (utilitarian).
appropriateness Logic of appropriateness: actors are rule-following, concerned with legitimacy
(constructivism) (deontological).
Material vs. normative Base/economic/material vs. Superstructure/socio-political/ideal
structures
Levels and actors of Neo-realist: primarily nation-states.
focus under different Neo-liberal: nation-states, international institutions, NGOs, transnational
theories corporations.
Marxism: classes, means of production.
Constructivism: human consciousness, knowledge constructed orders
Social facts “Facts” in a system of political thought are determined socially through
intersubjective consensus.
Social construction of The ideas and norms people hold are the constructors of environments,
reality including political order.
Power, knowledge, Power comes from constructed orders. Knowledge influences beliefs. Identities
identities, and interests and interest play a role in constructions.
(constructivism)
Core assumptions of Political and economic realities constructed by normative social ideals of
constructivism human consciousnesses.
Ideas as structural factors. Material forces consequent of actor interpretation
of material reality.
Agents produce structures, but structures can also produce agents.
Norm emergence, norm International norms emerge from norm entrepreneurs (leaders or influential
cascade, and norm figures).
internalization Norm cascade: dynamic of imitation as norm leaders socialize other states into
(Finnermore and Sikkink) norm followers, powered by a pressure for conformity, and the benefits of an
enhanced international legitimacy.
Norm internalization occurs when cascading norms become so commonplace
that they become taken-for-granted and are almost automatically honored.
Wendt’s Three Cultures Hobbesian – enemy states: power maximizers
of Anarchy Lockean – rivaling states: security maximizers (rational egoists)
(constructivism) Kantian – friends: common self-interest, mutual gain
Asymmetric Warfare War between two parties, one with much greater relative military capability.
Weaker party often resorts to guerilla tactics such as terrorism, attack on
civilians, hostage-taking, etc.
“New wars” Occur in failed states where governments are not able to maintain law & order
over population. Characterized by vicious conflict among groups and warlords
(even child soldiers), often funded by black market economics including arms
smuggling, drug and resource trade, etc.
Private military firms & Hired guns as an alternative to state armies. Sometimes w/ revolutionary
mercenaries intentions (Eq. Guinea)
Sometimes employed by states to act outside the law in wartime (Blackwater
USA) or avoid draft.
Revolution in military Technology leads to new strategies and lower causalities in war. (WMDs,
affairs (RMA) “virtual” war, etc.)