Introduction to International Relations

IR are all the interactions. (such as )

-Political -Social -Cultural-Diplomatic -Commercial -Economic -Military between

international actors (such as)

1. -Enterprises (Multinationals, Transnational)

2. -Governments
3. -Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) 4. -International Organizations (IOs) 5. -Actors out of the law: Terrorists, Mafias etc.

6. -Individuals

 Anarchy: No rules, no government. Absence of any cohesive principle, such as laws.

One of the main problems in international relations is the absence of an effective international organism that watch and apply international laws. Therefore, anarchy forces states into a competitive relationship because there is no higher authority above them to enforce agreements or protect them. United Nations is the closest to that international organism but: although it can apply sanctions and even approve for use of military force; it doesnt have the coercive means to actually force countries to do or not do something (especially the most powerful ones)

Through: Balance of power system: nations seek to maintain an even equilibrium of power among 3 or more rivals, thus preventing the preponderance of any one state. International Organizations: such as the UN, WTO Economic integration: Free trade agreements help countries to avoid war: you dont kill your client right? Promotion of democracy in the world: Since democratic countries follow international laws, respect human rights, etc., it is more likely to have peace if all countries are democracies and not dictatorships or repressive regimes.

There are 3 main types of international power systems: Unipolar

Bipolar Multipolar

 Distribution of power within a system is located at one pole or state Hegemon: The dominant power in the international system Problem: perpetuation of unipolarity contains itself the seeds of their own destruction.

 Bipolar: A situation in which power is organized around two competing poles or locations Zero sum: what one side wins the other side looses. (Cold War) Multipolar: Mobility and flexibility replace confrontation and counteraction as the key words in in a multipolar system. Power is distributed relatively evenly around five or more poles or locations.

The nature of politics: Realism and Liberalism

The disagreement between realists and liberals about the nature of politics is perhaps the most fundamental division in all of political discourse.

The two schools of thought disagree over the very nature political human kind

Realism and the nature of politics

Realist: pessimistic about Human nature Liberals:optimistic Realists believe that political struggle is inevitable because people have an inherent dark

side.
Thomas Hobbes: humans are evil

by nature: they possess an inherent urge to dominate

Neo-realism
Neorealists focus on the anarchic nature of a world system based on competition among sovereign states. While the realists stress human nature as the factor that shapes world politics
The international system based on states, which answer to no higher authority is anarchic, with no overarching authority providing security and order. The result of such a self-help system is that each state must rely on its own resources to survive and flourish

Neo-realism
Since there is no impartial method of settling disputes (no world government) states are their own judges. The problem with this is that they (the states) often seek their own interests.

Neo realists and Realists

They agree that there is no way to escape from conflict

LIBERALISM
They reject the notion that all or most humans are inherently political predators. Liberals believe that humans and their countries are capable or achieving more cooperative, less conflictive relations. Rousseau: People live together in order to improve their lives.

NEO-LIBERALISM
As neo-realists, they believe that world conflicts are based the anarchical world system. They believe that the best way to achieve cooperation is to build international organizations.
When states can jointly benefit from cooperation we expect governments to attempt to construct international organizations to facilitate cooperation.

In sum.
Realists view the world as a dangerous political jungle filled with dangerous predators.

Liberals agree that the jungle exists, but they believe that its inhabitants can learn to live in peace.

 Struggles between states to secure their frequently conflicting national interests are the main action on the world stage. National interest = whatever enhances or preserves a states security, its influence, and its military and economic power. Morgenthau: while the individual has a moral right to
sacrifice himself in defense of an abstract principle, the state has no right to let its moral disapprobation get in the way of successful political action

Can you give examples of this???

 Foreign policy should be and sometimes is formulated according to cooperative and ethical standards. Such as: democracy, freedom and human rights. American presidents: Woodrow Wilson, Bill Clinton, George Bush

Realpolitik
1. To secure your own countrys interests first and worry about the welfare of other countries second (if at all) 2. Balance of power politics: Shared power among countries in order to prevent any other country or coalition of countries to dominate the system. 3. Peace through strength: realists believe that it is necessary for a country to be armed because the world is dangerous. 4. You should neither waste power on peripheral goals nor pursue goals that you do not have the power to achieve.

Liberalism and the cooperative future

Classic liberals: believe countries can cooperate without surrendering their independence.

Neo-liberals: believe countries will have to surrender some of their soverignty to international organizations in order to promote greater cooperation and to enforce good behavior. Example: The European Union: they accepted to give up part of their sovereignty and they joined it freely. Liberals would intervene militarily to prevent or stop genocide or to protect human rights.

Many scholars agree that anarchy would disappear only if one of these 3 scenarios happens: 1. Global Empire: One state imposes its rules to the rest of the world. It has never happened in the past and it is not likely to happen. 2. World government: it would be an agreement among all states in the world to follow the same rules and to give up their sovereignty in order to achieve world peace. 3. A global threat: An alien invasion.

What is the Cold War?

Cold War: Name given to the period from 1945 to 1991 when high level of distrust existed between two superpowers: United States (US) and Soviet Union (USSR) The Cold War dominated world events because each of the

two super powers tried to influence the world in ways that suited its own interests.

These interests were based on very different ideas (capitalism and communism) about the organization of society, which led to each side fearing the other.

Roots of the Conflict Soviet Expansion:

The Soviet Union occupied most of Eastern Europe by the end of World War II.

 In 1946, Winston Churchill correctly warned that the Soviets were creating an iron curtain in Eastern Europe.

 Truman had been horrified at the pre-war Allied policy of appeasement and was determined to stand up to any Soviet intimidation.

The Truman Doctrine in March 1947 promised that the USA would support free peoples who are resisting subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.

 The Marshall Plan offered huge sums to enable the economies of Europe to rebuild after World War II, and, by generating prosperity, to reject the appeal of Communism.

The Soviet Union (USSR) prevented Eastern European countries from receiving American money.

Focus on Berlin

After World War II, Germany was divided into four zones, occupied by French, British, American, and Soviet troops.

Occupation zones after 1945. Berlin is the multinational area within the Soviet zone.

Soviet blockade: East Berlin

West Germany

East Germany

West Berlin In June of 1948, the French, British and American zones were joined into the nation of West Germany after the Soviets refused to end their occupation of Germany.

Opposing Alliances In 1949, the U.S. formed an alliance with friendly European countries called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The members of NATO would defend each other against any Soviet aggression.

 In 1955, the Soviet Union formed its own military alliance called the Warsaw Pact. The Warsaw Pact was made up of Eastern European countries dominated by Soviet control. ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL

 Both Cold War superpowers used their military might to control neighboring states.

 In 1961 the CIA organized an invasion of Cuba by 1,500 Cuban exiles to depose Castro, but it was a complete failure. The U.S. cut off trade with Cuba so Castro looked to the USSR as a trading partner. The U.S had nuclear weapons in Italy and Britain and some fairly obsolete ones in Turkey, a country that shared a border with the USSR. IN 1961 Castro agreed to Khruschevs plan to secretly place Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba: Any missiles launched from Cuba would be close enough to the U.S. to score a direct hit.

 U.S. responded by mounting a blockade of the sea so that no more Soviet ships carrying missiles could reach Cuba. The ships had orders to continue on their course, and a confrontation leading to war seemed about to happen. This was the major incident in the Cold War, and one that very nearly brought about World War III. However: After many days of uncertainty a deal between Kennedy and Khrushchev was made: The missiles were withdrawn by the S.U. in return for a guarantee from the U.S not to invade Cuba. Also the U.S. agreed to later withdraw its own missiles from Turkey.

The Cuban crisis was unusual because it led to a direct confrontation between the U.S. and the USSR. For the most part, however, the Cold War was played out across the world in a less spectacular manner. Central America, South America, Africa Asia and Middle East were the battlegrounds of the Cold War.

 Vietnam, in 1954, was divided into two halves: the northern half of the country came under communist government, while the southern half of the country was left in the hands of non-communists Vietnamese groups. In 1965, U.S. sent marines to South Vietnam in order to help them against the north. In the north the so called nationalist forces became known as the Viet Cong, its leader was Ho Chi Minh. They received assistance from China and the Soviet Union. After 8 years, in 1973, a peace settlement was finally reached and South Vietnam was invaded and overrun by the North Vietnamese and the country was unified as a single communist nation.

 In 1979 Afghanistan was ruled by a communist government that did not have the support of Afghans and was propped up by the USSR.

The U.S. gave secret support to Afghan opposition and in order to crush this opposition, the USSR sent in troops to occupy the country.
The CIA provided many millions of dollars to the Mujahedeen (the name of the Islamic fighters who resisted the Soviet Occupation). As in Vietnam, the invading forces gradually became more and more committed to a guerrilla war that they couldnt win. This war was over until the end of the Cold War. Nevertheless:

The Mujahedeen continued fighting, this time among themselves, until a group known as the Taliban emerged to rule most of the country and form their own government.

 The American economy was much stronger that the Soviet one and the U.S. could better afford the high cost of increases military spending. The soviets weakened their economy further by trying to keep up with American levels of spending on military equipment. One solution was for the USSR to make drastic cuts in its military spending and channel what was saved into domestic economy. This is what Mikhail Gorbachev, the new Soviet leader, decided had to be done.

 He was elected in 1985 as leader of the Communist Party in the USSR. He represented a younger generation of Russians and

he wanted to reform his country so that people could enjoy a higher standard of living. He introduced:

The Perestroika: It was an economic reform that involved opening the Soviet economy to market forces (capitalism). Private ownership was allowed for the first time since 1920. Glasnost: Openness. It involved freedom of speech and worship which reduced the role of the state over

peoples lives.

 1986: Gorbachev proposed to eliminate all nuclear weapons. As a first step he suggested the removal of all medium-range nuclear missiles from Europe. 1988: Gorbachev declared to the UN that the Soviet army would be reduced by half a million men and that 50,000 men would be removed from Eastern Europe. 1989: Eastern countries started to demand independence when they realized that the Soviets would not use force to maintain its control over them 1989: The wall comes down

15 Soviet republics gained their independence.

Post-Soviet states in alphabetical order: 1. Armenia; 2. Azerbaijan; 3. Belarus; 4. Estonia; 5. Georgia; 6. Kazakhstan; 7. Kyrgyzstan; 8. Latvia; 9. Lithuania; 10. Moldova; 11. Russia; 12. Tajikistan; 13. Turkmenistan; 14. Ukraine; 15. Uzbekistan

Decolonizacion, New State and the Global System

After WWII Europeans lost their power and they had to depend on the NEW SUPER POWERS. For the first time in history the world would be dominited by non europeans therefore the global system after 1945 changed dramatically!!! United States and t he Soviet Union after WWII

Europeans after WWII

We are devasted! We have no $$

Consequences of WWII: decolonization

Since the European superpowers were poor and destroyed after WWII: they couldnt keep their colonies in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean (See map page 691) As a consequence 3 basic types of nationalist movements developed: 1. The nationalist goal was the end of colonial rule but not necessarily major social and economic change. 2. The nationalist movement wanted political independencia but also a new social order free of Western economic domination 3. The nationalist movement was based on race: nonwhite.

The Superpowers
Both supwerpowers sought to capitalize on the nationalist surge supplying arms to revolutionaries, economic aid and diplomatic support. Or .sometimes they supported colonial powers! Why do you think they did it??? In the 21st century Britain, France and the USA are the ones that still control small empires.

NEO-COLONIALISM
Decolonization often resulted in necolonialism, a continuing strong political and economic influence by the former colonizers. Another type of neo-colonialism is realated to Multinationals!!!!!! Can you give examples of these?

Social Revolutionary States

During the twentieth century, revolutionary activity erupted in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, intensified by the drive to end colonialism and other forms of Western Domination. Revolutionary intellectuals, often Marxist took advantage of peoples unhappiness to mobilize support although those sho joined their movements did not always embraces their radical ideas. Between 1949 and 1980 social revolutionary regimes came to power through force of arms in Algeria Vietnam, China, Cuba and many others. These regimes were opposed by the U.S.A. and they had to ask for help to the USSR for political, economic and military support. Planned economies: economic decisions are made centrally by the governments, rather than through free markes , as in capitalist societies.

The New Global System Before WWI the World was divided in: Europe and the rest
of the world. After WWII:

1st world: Industrialized democracies of western Europe, North America, Australia, New Zeland and Japan 2nd world: Communist nations led by the USSR and China 3th world. Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean= poor 4th world: the poorest countries

Prosperity in the West

According to the Human Development Report (2009)* these are the countries withe the highest standars of living: 1 Norway 2 Australia 3 Iceland 4 Canada 5 Ireland 6 Netherlands 7 Sweden 8 France 9 Switzerland 10 Japan
Mexico is the 53th
*Up to date available in: http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2009/chapters/

Global Organizations and Activism During the Cold War, more than ever before pubic and private
organizations emerged with a global reach and mission to promote political cooperation and address various causes. The United Nations was founded in 1945 with 51 members and became a key forum for global debate and diplomacy. The UN influenced international relations by discouraging, although not preventing states from using force whenever they desired. To gain support for military actions, nations often felt it necessary to make their case before the policy making Security Council: sometimes they received support Some times they dont: USA- Iraq

World Politics since 1989

Many people thought that with the end of the Cold War thw world woul finally live in peace. However, other kind of conflicts (religious and ethnics) developed in the 90s. 1991: Iraq-Kuwait war: Saddam Hussein ordered his army to invades and occupy Iraqs small neighbor Kuwait. The U.S.A. opposed and organized an international coalition funded by arab nations, and they defeated the Iraqis.

Globalization

Globalization is a pattern in which economic, political, and cultural processes reach beyond nation-state boundaries. This trend reduced barriers between countries and turned the world into a more closely integrated whole. Events occurring or decisions taken in one part of the world affect societies far away. For example: Rising or falling prices on the Tokyo or New York stock exchanges quickly influence stock markets elsewhere.

The Uneven impact of globalization

The United States now the axis of the world economy, has been the major proponent of globalization, with its leaders arguing that open markets and conditions favorable to investment and trade foster prosperity. However some argue that globalization promises riches it does not always deliver, distributing the benefits unequally. Economic growth in a country does not, by itself, improve the living conditions of the majority of people; better conditions also require well-functioning governments, secure rights, and social services.

International Lending and Trade agreements. World Bank: One of its goals is to reduce
poverty through loans and advice. International Monetary Fund: Regulate currency dealings and helped alleviate severe financial problems. It has the right to dictate economic policies to countries borrowing from it, favored Western investment and free markets, often at the expense of government funding for social services such as schools and health clinics.

 General Agreements on Trades and Tariffs (GATT) Set general guidelines for the conduct of world trade and rules for establishing tariffs and trades regulations. Then it was replaced in 1995 by the World Trade Organization (WTO)

Multinational Corporations
They are called multinational because they operate all over the world, gained a leading roles in the global market place Some 300 or 400 companies, two thirds of them U.S. owned dominate the world production and trade. By 2000, half of the worlds one hundred largest entities were countries and half were multinational corporations. Supporters: enterprises offer jobs for people that normally have no jobs. Critics: these jobs very low wages, require long hours, and often offer little future. See example pg. 702-703

Collaborative Activity
Instructions:
Join your base group and read the next: The spread of industrialization Pg. 703 Underdevelopment Pg. 704-707 including An agenda for the New Millennium (Pg. 706) You have 10 minutes to read. Once you have read: Write the most important ideas of each topic and answer the questions of pg. 706 You have 10 minutes to write the most important ideas

 During the past fifty years, the worlds population has grown faster than ever befores in history. Two thousand years ago, the earth had between 125 adn 250 million people. At the end of WWII the population had rise to 2.5 billion and by 2006 it had more than doubled to 6.5 billion people.

Demographers now envision a world population of some 9 to 9.5 billion by 2050, and some experts fear such major population growth could lead to increasingly severe social, economic, and environmental problems for the world.

 Population growth has been more rapid in some world regions than in others. Most of it has occurred in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Europes share of population fell from one qurter in 1900 to 1 eighth. Because of their fafalling birthrates, various European nations and Japan have declining and aging populations, which put a growing burden on those of working age to support elderly populations. Italy and Spain have the worlds lowest fertility rates. By 2000 more than 1 billion people around the world were desperately poor and unable to obtain basic essentials, such as adequate food.

Country
1.China 2.India 3.United States

Population
1,330,044,605 1,147,995,898 303,824,646

Japan fits in Mexico 5 times!

Mexico fits in China 4.8 times

4.Indonesia
5.Brazil 6.Pakistan 7.Bangladesh 8.Russia 9.Nigeria 10.Japan 11.Mexico

237,512,355
191,908,598 167,762,040 153,546,90 140,702,094 138,283,240 127,288,419 109,955,400

Mexico fits in India 1.6 times

Mexico fits in U.S.A 5 times

New Global Networks and their consequences

Global village: an interconnected world community in which all people, regardless of nationality, share a common fate. Globalization has reshaped politics and cultures as well as economic patterns, fostering not only the movement of money, products, and labor, but also of people, diseases, cultures and religions. These transitions and encounters have not always gone smoothly, but they have often been creative.

Religion and globalization

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. By 2000, the world contained: 2 billion christians Almost 1.3 billion muslims 800 million hindus 350 million Buddhists 900 practice a local faith (Africa) Religion sometimes has become the basis for national identity: Islamic Iran, Roman Catholic, etc.

Global Terrorism
For centuries, various groups and states used terrorism to support their goals. After 1945, Palestinians under Israeli control, Basque nationalists in Spain, and Irish nationalists in Britain, among others, engaged in terrorism for their causes. While terrorism has often remained local in scope, an increasingly interconnected world has stimulated some terrorist organizations to operate on a global level. The most active of these networks formed by militant islamists have exploited communication and transportation networks to operate across naational borders.

Osama Bin Laden and AL QAEDA

All started in Afghanistan in 1979 when they started to fight against the Soviets.

Al Qaeda (The base) was created formally in 1988 in order to help It main leader, Osama Bin Laden comes from an extremely wealthy family and used his wealth to support the Aghan rebels mostly devout Muslims who were also funded and aremed by the U.S.A!!!!!!!!!!!! After 1989, when the Soviets abandoned Afghanistan, Al Qaeda moved to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iraq in order to help Islamic militants who were suppresed by secular regimes.

Osama Bin Laden and AL QAEDA

Al Qaeda used modern technology, publicizing their cause by setting up websites, using e-mail and satellite phones, and releasing videotapes to cable news networks of bin Ladens messages. FATWA to kill Americans and their allies is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possile to do so

September 11, 2001

Al Qaeda members hijacked four U.S. commercial airliners and crashed them into New Yorks World Trade Center and the Pentagon near Washington D.C., killing more than 3,000 people. Bush responded by declaring a war on terrorism. U.S attacked Al Qaeda bases in Afghanistan, and then occupied the country, whose government, controlled by Islamists who had fought the Soviets, shielded bin Laden, but the U.S. failed to capture bin Laden and still faced resistance from Islamic militants.

War in Iraq 2003

In 2003, the United States, claiming that Saddam Husseins Iraq was closely linked to Al Qaeda an possesed weapons of mass destructions, invaded Iraq, removed Saddams brutal, despotic government, and imposed a U.S. military occupation. However, the Americans did not find evidence or any ties between Saddam and Alqaeda or any weapons of mass destruction. This invasion killed 10,000 of iraqi civilians, resulted in more than 25,000 U.S. casualties and was unpopular around the world

Chapter 26
The Remaking of the Global System, Since 1945

In 1980 at Zimbabwes national stadium, police attacked a crowd gathered outside to hear Bob Marley perform. Marleys music reflected the frenetic conjoining of post-war world systems and cultures,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v =JnpBtRlfdjc

Every man gotta right to decide his own destiny, And in this judgement there is no partiality. So arm in arms, with arms, we'll fight this little struggle, 'Cause that's the only way we can overcome our little trouble. Brother, you're right, you're right, You're right, you're right, you're so right! We gon' fight (we gon' fight), we'll have to fight (we gon' fight), We gonna fight (we gon' fight), fight for our rights! Natty Dread it in-a (Zimbabwe); Set it up in (Zimbabwe); Mash it up-a in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe); Africans a-liberate (Zimbabwe), yeah. No more internal power struggle; We come together to overcome the little trouble. Soon we'll find out who is the real revolutionary, 'Cause I don't want my people to be contrary. And, brother, you're right, you're right, You're right, you're right, you're so right! We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), we gonna fight (we gon' fight) We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), fighting for our rights! Mash it up in-a (Zimbabwe); Natty trash it in-a (Zimbabwe); Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe); I'n'I a-liberate Zimbabwe. (Brother, you're right,) you're right, You're right, you're right, you're so right! We gon' fight (we gon' fight), we'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), We gonna fight (we gon' fight), fighting for our rights! To divide and rule could only tear us apart; In everyman chest, mm - there beats a heart. So soon we'll find out who is the real revolutionaries;

And I don't want my people to be tricked by mercenaries. Brother, you're right, you're right, You're right, you're right, you're so right! We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), we gonna fight (we gon' fight), We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), fighting for our rights! Natty trash it in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe); Mash it up in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe); Set it up in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe); Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe); Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe); Natty dub it in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe). Set it up in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe); Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe); Every man got a right to decide his own destiny.

DECOLONIZATION, NEW STATES, AND THE GLOBAL SYSTEM

The United States and Soviet Union battled in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, even as these places sought to decolonize.

Decolonization
Between 1946 and 1975, most of the Western colonies in Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean won their independence, with the greatest number achieving independence in the 1960s. Decolonization reshaped the global political map.
Copyright (c) Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

A. Nationalism and Decolonization

In nearly one century after the rise of nationalism in the West, the rest of the world went through a similar process, which manifested itself in three forms. The main goal of the first kind of movement was to end colonial rule. In addition to ending foreign rule, the leaders of some movements espoused changing the social structure, often under Marxist influence. The third form was a rebellion by the nonwhite population against their white colonizers.

a. Colonialism Succumbs to Nationalism

Under political and economic pressures, Western Powers abandoned their colonies by 1975.

In a few cases such as Algeria, Vietnam, and Indonesia violent resistance brought the colonial rule to its end.

b. The Superpowers
The United States and USSR tried to capitalize on the nationalism in the colonies by supporting them. The Soviet Empire, which controlled most of Eastern Europe, came to its end in the late 1980s. As of the early 21st century, Britain, France, and the U.S. maintained remnants of their colonial empires.

African Independence
In 1961, the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, made an official visit to newly independent Ghana, the former British colony of the Gold Coast. Here she walks under a ceremonial umbrella with the Ghanaian president, Kwame Nkrumah.

UPI/Bettmann/Corbis

c. The Superpowers
The United States and USSR tried to capitalize on the nationalism in the colonies by supporting them. The Soviet Empire, which controlled most of Eastern Europe, came to its end in the late 1980s. As of the early 21st century, Britain, France, and the U.S. maintained remnants of their colonial empires.

d. Neo-Colonialism
The departure of colonial officers did not mean the disappearance of colonial hegemony, particularly in term of the economy, as with French influence in Cote dIvoire. Some peoples in Africa and Asia advocated decolonizing the mind.

B. Social Revolutionary States

The exploited peasants in parts of the developing world often engaged in revolutionary warfare to redistribute land and wealth. Amilcar Cabral of Guinea Bissau reminded his colleagues that poor people fought for material betterment, not necessarily revolutionary ideas. The United States and Soviet Union faced off in their opposition and support for these regimes, respectively.

a. Planned Economies
These states often did not fully integrate with the world economy and were in favor of the state control of the economy. Some revolutionary states went through civil war and severe economic hardships, as with Angola. While other states such as China increased their economic powers by adopting capitalistic reforms after going through an initial phase of having a socialist economy. .

C. A New Global System

With the end of colonialism, some observers divided the world into four categories, which were based on the economic development of each nation. The First World included the United States, the Western European democracies, Australia, and New Zealand. The Second World comprised China and the USSR. The Third World included most Asian, African, and Latin American countries. The Fourth World included the poorest nations of the world such as Mali, Laos, and Bangladesh.

a. Economies in Transition
Some experts rejected the idea of lumping distinct nations into simplistic economic categories without considering their histories and traditions. Also, several countries such as Dubai, South Korea, and Malaysia achieved high rates of growth while the rich Communist countries collapsed.

b. Post-War Japan
The economic prosperity of the West and Japan brought the standards of living to the same level as the United States, though with less income inequality than in the U.S.

c. Prosperity in the West

The gap between the rich and poor nations of the world grew even larger in the decades following decolonization. The economic prosperity of the Western countries brought them a high degree of political stability. On the other hand, the poor nations faced political instability and violence due to their low economic status.

U.N. Peacekeepers in Congo

The United Nations has regularly sent peacekeepers into troubled countries such as the Congo. This photo, from 2003, shows U.N. troops from Uruguay guarding a U.N. office while a Congolese woman and her four children, displaced from her village by factional fighting, seek U.N. help.
AP Images

Corbis

The Global Economy Cambodian Buddhist monks, following ancient traditions, collect their food from
the devout in the capital city, Phnom Penh, while advertising for American cigarettes entices Cambodians into the global economy, despite government concerns about the health danger posed by tobacco products.
AP Images/Ou Neakiry

Rich and Poor in Brazil

The stark contrast between the wealthy and the poor in many nations can be seen in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. Seeking jobs in expanding industries, millions of migrants flock to the city, building shantytown slums and squatter settlements in view of luxury high-rise apartment and office buildings.

Stephanie Maze/Woodfin Camp & Associates

World Population Growth This map shows dramatically which nations have the largest

populations: China, India, the United States, Indonesia, and Brazil. It also shows which regions experience the most rapid population growth: Africa, South Asia, and Central America.
Copyright (c) Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

World Religions

Christianity has the most believers and is the dominant faith in the Americas, Oceania, Europe, Russia, and central and southern Africa. Most people in the northern half of Africa, western Asia, and Central Asia embrace Islam. Hindus are concentrated in India, and Buddhists in East and Southeast Asia.

Copyright (c) Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Internet Cafe in Thailand In this photo, a waiter at a cyberspace caf, operated by the Swiss multinational
ice cream company, Hagen Dazs, in Bangkok, Thailand, helps a young Thai woman navigate one of the caf's computers.
AP Images/Richard Vogel