Political Science questions - Essay Example

Political Science Question One A number of scholars describe realism in many forms but majorly two critical philosophical descriptions detail the aspects of realism. These include the realism view as per the medieval philosophy relates realism as a representation of the position taken in relation to the problems affecting the universe. These reflected into two that is extreme realism and moderate realism that all provide a different opinion on realism. Extreme realists William of Champeaux related realism as a position in which the universals exist through an independence of the humans and other particular things related in the field. On the contrary, other philosophers viewed this realism as so extreme and considered realism in the eyes of God as the relation through which particular things are created. This moderate theory as proposed by St. Thomas Aquinas and John of Salisbury. In relation to political realism, international relations come to consideration. These relate to general theories of political realities of the world. The aspect of political realism on this international perspective reflects aspects of competiveness within international communities and conflicting aspects that relate to the ultimate security aspects. Idealism and liberalism are part of this realism parameters. Idealism and liberalism deal more with the emphasizing of cooperation’s on an international level. It is therefore fair to conclude the position of the world based on realist as a connection of different states with regard to competition that has raised conflicts through which security has soured. The competitive nature of the world has had an impact on how different aspects of the world relations come to consideration. Discussing the position of realists, the world is slowly becoming a global village in which each neighbor struggles to stand as the best from the other making a positive impact on the world conflicts that have led to security threats. Realists view the principle actors on an international level as those states that consider their own security, national interests and the daily struggles for power as a sense of direction that the world is taking. Realists believe that much of the world considers self-interests as the way for living and consider their own superiority over other states as the real center of the world peace. Based on the image portrayed, the realists consider the general prospects of peace and security for the next ten years to depend on the efforts of each state to protect its own interests and face security threats through its own developments. A view of national politics as the arm that handles aspects of authority and the development of legal aspects is the view that realists have on peace and security aspects. International politics is considered a sphere short of justice with conflicts among states as the major characteristic. These will cover the world for the next ten years. The position taken by other realists is that there is fair play in the international community and international relations (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Question Two Balance of power systems are part of the major problem that the world faces more regularly in the current world. The failure to balance power in many states has led to bloodsheds, forced eviction of leaders or the continuous struggles to end a regime in countries such as Syria. In balance of power, different aspects come to play. These range from the Machiavellianism that aimed at preserving power for the prince in quest to balance power within a given communal perspective. Balance of power has also indicated to formation of different alliances on the international standards and leading the world into formation with different groups of states coming together to protect their territories from other powerful states. A good example of this is the formations of the European Union, the East African Community, the United States of America and formations of the earlier years such as the Soviet Union. As part of the major aspects of realism, balance of power is central to ensuring international relations playing a role in shaping international relations (Gulick, p.42). In relation to the principle of balancing power, a number of issues arose during the 2014 year with many countries degenerating into war due to failure in this aspect. Much of the world realism has slowly been replaced with neorealism. According to this approach, the assumption developed was that the key factor in the social compass is the state. Through it and the effects of the Cold War, pluralism was born which relates to many states as an international village with nongovernmental organizations developing and the multinational corporations that spread from one country to another. The development of unified states too as mentioned above is part of neorealism. The year 2014 saw an enhancement of this part of realism with many nations creating ties and developing economic relations that aim at strengthening international relations. Complex interdependencies have been advocated for and through them, a picture of the world as a connected piece of independent fractions has worked to try to brighten the future. These picture aspects of relative homogeneity that creates a picture of the world as a homogeneous composition that is thought of different states each focused on its own gains but also on the advancement of the other states they relate with on this level. The continuity of this trend would promise a bright future that indicates states connected by virtue of their different locations and composition of people but by their intentions in building strong relations of mutual benefit. Through the efforts of many countries, balance of power is slowly coming to prove realistic despite a few difficulties that have led to the revolutionary attempts in the Middle East and part of the African states. Like any other ideas on international relations, neorealism has faced criticism on a large scale with many people considering it unrealistic and unachievable. Question Three Comparing the system described above with the other systems used in the earlier years that include the Bismarck’s system, pre-WW1 system, interwar system and the post-World War II system, one realizes consistent changes within the different systems. These changes aimed at creating a more better system in building world peace and encouraging of the development of related states in aspects of international peace and security. These systems developed based on efforts to control, conflict and war among the different states of the world. Comparing with the Bismarck regime developed a system that maintained a balance of power through the development f treaties in different aspects to promote relationships that would last and ensure the parties of the treaties achieve protection from different states. A good example of this includes the triple alliance that was formed as a coalition of three different states in addition to the already developed Europe associations that aimed at protecting the European nations from internal wars. These relations lasted until the First World War that exposed the need to have a larger area covered in this scope. The relations had developed well but as per history, the Crimean war and the Italian war caused ripples into the European great powers. The development of these relations aimed at developing strength of numbers that countries like China enjoyed. Part of China’s new nationalism is the development of economic strength, pride and aspects of national coalitions (Gries). In the current system, the European Union has more countries consolidated into its power span making the part of the world more united and hence stronger and unlikely to succumb to wars. Through the same new system, balance of power between the states using more harmonized monetary policies and political policies has gained the countries more strength. Comparing the system to the post-World War II era that ushered in the cold war one realizes many weaknesses that the post-World War II system had. In this era, the west split into major blocks that were two in number. The balance of power aspect developed in the Eastern Block of Soviet Union, Socialist nations that located in central and eastern parts of Europe. The western block marked western democracies of France, United States, Britain and other neutral nations. From these relations, NATO developed that has worked to date with expanded territories. This system relates more with the current system and ahs many countries engaged through harmonized markets and diplomatic relations. Question Four The prospects of peace and international security of the United States stands stable for the next ten years. Based on the diplomatic relations developed and the alliances formed, the states are more stable and continue to develop more stability. The current world is faced with a more common enemy that trades in terrorism and that is the current thereat that the whole world fears in relation to war. Internal wars for the United States are based on many well-structured policies that employ democracy and harmonized markets with international support to other countries. Considering the Cuban Missile crisis, aspects of differences in national perspectives are to blame for the situation and through some fears many alliances have worked hard to balance power through the development of internal cohesion and peaceful fair and equitable distribution of power between the parties involved in the alliances (Munton & Welch). Developments of internal strengths that support different systems of governance have protected the states from degenerating into conflicts that could stem to wars. Question five A number of events taking place in the current world will affect the future through the balance of power either negatively or positively. For a strong relations on an international level, there is need to embrace more market harmonized approaches to help with a balance in power and the development of diplomacy are part of the different means through which balance of power can be attained. Enhancement of interdependencies developed in the world based on development of global governance and global financial control policies (Nye & Welch). In developing international governance, many aspects of international relations have developed. Introduction of international criminal justice systems to ensure that each acts of genocide, war or mass action leading to deaths and loss of lives leads to legal implications on the international level. International governance involves the provision of foreign aid to different states and the provision of support to different economies to ensure they are self-sustained and elimination of war from countries like the current war in Somalia. A combined effort to combat the war is part of the mission to ensure global governance is a success. Through global governance, aspects of economic importance such as the international monetary management system exists that aims at developing policies that will protect the financial bases of the world on an international level. The neglect of these measures will lead the world into another war that starts slowly from within different boarders. Diplomacy Development Development of diplomatic relations is also aimed at maintaining the global relations on an international standard and ensuring that countries work together in maintaining the international relationships. These include the sending of diplomats to base in different countries as a way of ensuring that the opinions of other countries in the development of policies in another state come to play. For the years that diplomacy has existed, international conflicts have become easy to solve, more amicable solution developed and less tensioned governments developed for the countries. Harmonized Markets Development of harmonized markets too has ensured the international relations develop. Harmonized markets have ensured a close relation between different states making it possible for a close follow up of the economic needs of the country and hence helping the different states develop more economic stability through which they develop better international relations that keep the countries on the development road. The luck of these could lead to poor international conflicts management that will drive the world into wars while their presence will guide the world relations hence preventing wars. Works Cited Gries, Peter Hays. China’s New Nationalism: Pride, Politics, and Diplomacy, 2005. Print. Gulick, Edward. Europe’s Classical Balance of Power: A Case History of the Theory and Practice of One of the Great Concepts of European Statecraft. New York: The Norton Library, 1967. Print. Nye, Joseph and Welch David. Understanding Global Conflict and Cooperation: An Introduction to Theory and History (9the Edition), 2012. Print. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Political Realism in International Relations. Retrieved on 02/11/2014 from http://plato.stanfrod.edu/entries/realism-intl-relations/. Welch, David and Munton, Don. The Cuban Missile Crisis: A Concise History, 2011. Print. Read More