Role of Governments and Their Interaction in the International System - Essay Example

? IR theorists specifically in the realist school have emphasized the important role of s and their interaction in the international system and consequently de-emphasizing the role that non-state actors play in shaping the global interaction discourse      [Name] [Course] [Professor’s name] [Date]   Introduction      International relation and the role of nations in the world politics have been in discussion all across the world. The arguments of these scholars have mainly followed three schools of thoughts. The three main schools of thoughts in international relations are the Liberalist school of thoughts, the Realist school of thoughts, and the World System School of thoughts (Goldstein & Pevehouse, 2011). The Realist school of thoughts presents the nation as the most important force in international politics. According to this school of thoughts the states are sovereign. Therefore a state’s authority is higher than all other non-state players like the transnational enterprises, the nongovernmental organizations, or the international organizations. All the states act in their own national interest. The Realist school of thoughts promotes the idea of states interlocked in a constant struggle for power to establish their supremacy over the others. However this struggle for power and the domination of one particular state over the others lead to a counter force against the dominant state. As a result the global balance is restored. In this struggle for power and the counter struggle military of the nations act as significant sources of power (Pant, n.d., 3; Spiegel, 2011). The states also collaborate with the other states for their national interest. The struggle for power between nations during the Cold War is an example of the Realist theory of international relations. The other states also adapt to the existing system of power on the world platform and align themselves according to their national interest. The most important characteristic of the states following the Realist principles is their driving force, which is their national interest (Hollis, n.d.; Collins, 2007, 23). In the age of globalization these theories on international relations have undergone changes in order to accommodate to the alterations in the international political system. Realists and Market      Globalization is a phenomenon that has caught the attention of scholars around the world. According to McGrew globalization is the growing interconnectivity and linkage that has transcended the national boundaries. It is a feature of the modern world system. By this process, any event, decision or action by a certain nation affects the residents of a different nation (Koffman, Youngs, 116). It has resulted in the integration of the entire world (Baylis, Smith, & Owens, 14, 15). According to the realists, the states have exhibited accepted globalization properly and ultimately they have played a key role in the process of globalization. Various developments had indirect influence of the state. The authors argue that the states have indeed established their sovereignty and not lost control in the age of globalization. The states have been the most significant drivers of the process of globalization through relaxing the regulation of the markets. Therefore there is a presence of state in the emergence of globalization. For a market to operate successfully there needs to be rigid enforcement of laws. The states act as the primary regulator of market. The rise in the number of multilateral trade policies shows how the states can incorporate the process of globalization in their plans and policy in the interest of their nation (Taylor, 2006).      In the age of globalization human rights have received considerable focus and international standards of worker’s and civilian rights have emerged. But the realist school advocates that this attention on human rights have been possible due to the hegemony of the powerful nations. The powerful nations are mostly democratic countries. Therefore they have set up norms of human rights. The less powerful nations take up these norms as standards in their own countries. In this way the dominance of the powerful nations persists (Usul, 2010, 34).  Globalization, Terrorism, International Organizations and Sovereign States      The age of globalization has seen an increase in global terrorism and the mode of operation of the terrorist organizations. Though violent actions by the states have existed for a long time, terrorism is different in the sense that is by a non-state actor against civilians (English, 2010, 3). The importance of multilateral organizations has become an important topic of discussion in international relations in the context of terrorism. Even when the sovereignty of a country has been threatened, it needs to rely on multilateral actions and negotiations.. This has questioned the realist idea of nation. However threats to the sovereignty had also been retaliated with immediate unilateral actions. During the Iraq War in February 2002 the US government hinted that they might go ahead with the war without consent from the United Nations Security Council or their allies. This event demonstrates that even in the modern time, for the enforcement of security the country has the highest authority as mentioned by the realists (Keohane).      According to the realism theorists the paradigm of the international politics is anarchic. There are no other forces above the states that can control the actions of the same. Another feature of this line of thought is that there exists mistrust among the various states. The different states never know the intentions of each other. Alliances are formed between the states so that they can gain more power in the international scenario. The realists cite the example of NATO during the time of Cold War. According to the realists, these international organizations have very little power in maintaining the security of the countries. Any country can disregard the rules and regulations of the other international organization. Moreover, more often than not these international organizations reflect the interests of the permanent members. Therefore these organizations reflect the distribution of power in world politics (Durmaz, 2007, 27). The realists argue that the states have pertained to their sovereignty. They still retain their role of providing security and ensuring the welfare of their citizen in the context of globalization (Taylor, 2006). Another significant example that can be considered is the operation of the United States Security forces to track down Osama Bin Laden within Pakistan, another sovereign state.      Role of states      The role of states has undergone considerable change in the past few decades. The states in the age of globalization are more eager to attract capital for their nation than to wage wars to gain territories. Similarly the increase in completion in the international markets has led to the reduction of the welfare provided by the governments in the form of socialism. According to Scholte, globalization has not removed the power of state though it has reduced the role of democracy (McKellar). Realist Henry Kissinger has predicted the global polarization of power between at least six great nations. Unlike some other proponents of the realist theory he gives sufficient importance to several phenomenon’s’ like multi-polar power and the multi-culture phenomenon that has occurred in the recent times. He acknowledges the phenomenon of globalization and admits that there are a number of new issues that needs to be dealt with in a global platform. He has spoken of issues like environment, nuclear power and the interdependent economies. However according to Gilpin the there is international authority and non-state actors can never work without the state power and their intentions to enforce that power. Therefore the theory of state supremacy is confirmed (Guzzini, 1998, viii).      Concluding remarks      The legal power always lies with the state and in that role the state shall always have their relevance in the global politics. For example, even in the European Union individual government are relevant. Moreover the participation in a multilateral organization is voluntary for a nation and they can withdraw at their will. Therefore the state still remains the most important force in the world politics. Similarly in the global politics the governmental authorities cannot lose their importance. According to him, though the integration of states can occur in the world of economics, politics shall still remain fragmented into states (Day, 2007, 400 -442). Though some changes in the form of trans-governmentalism and neo liberal institutionalism has been proposed, but still the focus remains on the governments.   References  1. Baylis, J. Smith, S. & Owens, P. (2011) The Globalization of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relation, Oxford University Press 2. Collins Allan (2007, Contemporary Security Services, UK, Oxford University Press 3. Day, R. B. (2007), Globalization and Political ethics, Netherlands, BRILL. 4. Durmaz, H. (2007), Understanding and Responding to Terrorism, Amsterdam, IOS. 5. English, R. (2010), Terrorism: How to Respond, UK, Oxford University Press. 6. Guzzini, S. (1998), Realism in international relation and international political economy: the continuing story of death unfold, UK, Routledge. 7. Hollis, R. (n.d.), The State in the International System: Alternative Theoretical Frameworks, Passia, Retrieved on May 24, 2011 from: http://www.passia.org/seminars/98/US&Canada/day-one.htm 8.   Keohane, Robert O. (2003), The Globalization of Informal Violence, Theories of World Politics and the (Liberalism of Fear”, Cambridge Journals, 1(1), 38, Retrieved on May 30, 2011, from: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayFulltext?type=1&pdftype=1&fid=149066&jid=DIO&volumeId=1&issueId=&aid=149065 9. Koffman, E. & G. Youngs (1996), Globalization: theory and practice, Continum International Publishing Group, New York: Continuum International Publishing Group 10. Pant (n.d.), Intl Relations in 21st Century, Delhi, Tata McGraw-Hill Education. 11. Taylor, N.A.J. (2006), Globalization and the Borderless world hypothesis: A brief introduction for undergraduates, Taylor McKellar, Retrieved on May 24, 2011 from: http://taylormckellar.com/?p=511 12. Usul, A. R. (2010), Democracy in Turkey: The Impact of EU Political Conditionality, UK, Taylor & Francis Read More