Does The Idea Of International Development Serve Particular Power Interests In Global Politics - Admission/Application Essay Example

Does The Idea Of “International Development” Serve Particular Power Interests In Global Politics? Table of Contents Introduction 3 The Idea of "International Development" 4 Power Interests in Global Politics 6 The Inter-Linkage between the Idea and the Power Interests 9 Conclusion 11 References 13 Introduction International development is deemed to be one of the debatable issues in the present global world. It is fundamentally denoted as a practice, which has been initiated to mitigate poverty, economic inequality and financial disparity prevailing within varied nations. The notion of international development was developed to increase international cooperation and most vitally to minimise the gaps of inequality amid the nations throughout the globe. Since the initiation of the concept, it has always been controversial and thus faced severe criticism from various sectors of the society. Certain theorists of the early years even criticised the concept to be a mere tool for the developed countries to emerge as superpower in the domain of global politics (Williams, 2013). However, a few of the theorists asserted that in the world where international development was being initiated, the developed countries were actually spreading their respective power politics in the global domain. Accordingly, Mearsheimar (1995) proclaims that the notion of international development is actually based on “self-interested calculations of great powers.” Certain international institutions were developed post-cold war to facilitate the idea of international development. The operations of these institutions were often found to be contrary based on their underlying objectives and the tasks that they actually performed. The recent trends of global politics suggest that certain manipulation has been envisaging the conventionalism of international development. Moreover, in larger context, the diverse first world countries have been utilising their positive positioning to develop a political power in the global domain (Korchumova, 2007). With this concern, the essay intends to determine whether the idea of international development serve particular power interests in global politics. A detailed elaboration has been made in the essay concerning the major relation prevailing between the idea of international development and power interests with focusing on analysing power interests in global politics. The Idea of "International Development" International Development or global development is a wide concern, which tends to enhance political, economic and most importantly financial positioning of less developed nations. The main focus of international development can be ascertained as minimising inequalities prevailing amid varied nations throughout the globe. The project of international development was mainly initiated by the first world countries during the Second World War to form greater international relationship with the developing nations. The initiation was initially started to develop an international cooperation amid the countries experiencing the impacts of international conflicts. Moreover, the practice of international development was started with the objective of mitigating international inequalities in terms of power and other related aspects. At the initiation phase, all the western countries were identified to embrace the idea of international development with the objective of developing the quality of life of the community members. The concept of international development initially draws its origin from the industrialisation phase of the 19th century (Korchumova, 2007). According to the initial phase of the international development, the project was initiated with the view to reconstruct peace in the world. In this regard, the idea mainly focused on the development of backward sectors persisting within varied regions of the world. In order to facilitate this development, different organisations like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) made deliberate efforts to embrace the idea of international development. These organisations used to provide loans to the underdeveloped countries to facilitate economic development. Parallel to providing monetary help, the international development was also taken into concern on developing the industrialisation sector in these parts of the globe. To promote international development, the developed countries provided aids by donating basic requirements of the people including food and clothing (Korchumova, 2007). According to Blowfield (2005), the idea of international development in the present day context is related with the goals of poverty alleviation from the nations of the world. In relation to serve particular power interests in global politics, it has been quite apparent that the concept of international development was linked with international trade and businesses, which in turn promoted international relationship. The idea of international development eventually developed the trade facilities of the underdeveloped countries, resulting in raising their economic development at large. Additionally, to facilitate the economic development and to eradicate the gaps prevailing between varied nations, several advanced tools were developed. These tools initially alleviated the imperfections that were persistent amid the nations with respect to national income differentiation (Nafziger, 2006). Initially, international development made several changes in serving particular power interests in global politics, which certainly brought greater development in various underdeveloped nations. The different aids provided under the idea of international development supported the underdeveloped nations to advance their respective economic as well as societal conditions. Moreover, the international development based programs enhanced the level of the sustainability of the underdeveloped nations. The early phases of international development based programs were developed with the multi-dimensional concepts focusing on enhancing the complex political systems of the underdeveloped countries. The international development was based on the progression of different sectors like economic, human and sustainable advancement of the nations (Bellu, 2011). It is worth mentioning that in order to avail loans and donations from any operating body, the countries had to initiate certain political changes. This phenomenon abruptly instigated a question that whether the international development has actually been serving in strengthening the power of global politics. However, in the light of various issues concerning economic, political or social, the approaches of international development certainly became highly controversial. It can be apparently observed in this similar context that the different developed nations are actually manipulating the international development based programs to display their own power strengths globally. This can be justified by instigating the different development schemes that the developed nations have actually embraced to enhance their strengths in the domain of global politics. The on-going political instability has made it quite evident that the power display in the political domain has been a major issue faced by the developed nations. In long run, it is projected that power interests of different nations are apparently served by the so called international development programs. Moreover, with the elated effects of global politics prevailing within various nations throughout the globe, the idea of international development tends to make deliberate efforts in serving particular power interests in global politics (Blowfield, 2005). Power Interests in Global Politics Power interests have been quite prominent in the domain of global politics since the preceding years to the present day context. This can be justified with reference to the fact that “The concept of political power poses one of the most difficult and controversial problems of political science” (Baldwin, n.d.). However, the notion of global politics has been always related with human development, which ensures prevention of any sort of conflict. Initially, the concept of global politics has been developed with the notion of restructuring peace and development in the nations throughout the globe. Moreover, global politics were set up in order to refrain from the effects of poverty, social breakdown and other catastrophic issues that can negatively influence the economic development of the nations (Rajan, 2006). In early years, the concept of global politics was set with the notion of “Commitment to Global Peace”. This concept even had humanitarian approach of developing “an attitude of reverence for life, freedom and justice, eradication of poverty, and the protection of environment for the present and future generation” (Gurtov, 2007). In the present day context, the power interests of the developed nations are directly related with global politics. This phenomenon of the global world has certainly evolved the need of security and maintaining peace. It is to be affirmed that the power interests of the nations have been the only cause giving rise to pervasive insecurity across the globe. However, with the increased level of globalisation, the need of global politics has enhanced conspicuously. This could be termed as a transformational phase, leading towards eradicating the differences prevailing between domestic and international politics. Conversely, this phenomenon concerning the development of international politics seems to be demising the power of the developed world on the underdeveloped nations. Observably, global politics has been less democratic for the underdeveloped countries that are less powerful than the developed nations. This even limits the underdeveloped countries to make effective decisions in determining power interests in the domain of global politics (Mcgrew, n.d.). With the increase in the number of the participants to maintain international relation, the state centric concepts of global politics need to be replaced by the transformational concepts of meeting global needs. The increase in the need of determining power interests in global politics has certainly made the international political system quite complex. The increasing power interests amid the nations to evolve as a superpower has made the situation worse in the global domain. Moreover, with the increase in the interests of the nations to enhance their respective political strengths over certain major areas, there lays the imposition of negative impacts on the power interests in the global political paradigm. Notably, the tendency of the powerful nations to exert their influence on internal politics of the less powerful nations is quite evident in the present era of global politics (Ataman, 2003). While determining power interests in the domain of global politics, it can be apparently observed that different countries use formal international organisations (IOs) to manage various operations internationally. At certain instances, these formal IOs are viewed to make deliberate efforts towards eradicating any sort of conflict and handling stressful situations. Certain international organisations were developed initially to maintain international peace and harmony headed by the powerful countries of the world. The underdeveloped participants of such organisations hardly have any influence on making effective decisions concerning political or economic development. This display of power is often observed to raise the severe effect of international influence on domestic operations perform by the nations (Blowfield, 2005; Abbott & Snidal, 1998). The power interests of different developed nations have largely been influencing the political economy of the underdeveloped nations. This ultimately influences the developed nations to design effective international policies (Collier, 2006). The political scenario in the early years of internationalisation has made it evident that different powerful nations have been effectively influencing the diverse operations of the underdeveloped nations. In previous years, different countries struggled to emerge as super powers and thus could not develop a powerful image in the domain of global politics. The rational and moral politic orders developed from certain universally valid principles are not actually accomplished in the present international world. In larger context, the effects of international or global politics can be observed to remain precarious and based on the principles of balancing of interest. The principle of balance of interest is largely observed to be growing power interests amid the nations throughout the globe (Morgenthau & et. al., 2005). The Inter-Linkage between the Idea and the Power Interests The concept of international development was instigated for raising the efficiency level of the nations in the context of eradicating the gaps persistent between the developed and the underdeveloped nations. Notably, the different international development based programs were often handled by the above stated IOs. The policy makers being influenced by the irrationality of the nations have been the prime participants of the IOs, implementing their powers in different operational frameworks. The institutions dealing with different international development based programs followed the western design that focused in minimising the inequalities prevailing between varied nations. It is worth mentioning in this similar regard that the policy makers even framed certain policies that made the nations to compulsorily change their respective domestic political designs so as to avail financial aid. This particular factor often made the underdeveloped nations to strengthen their political decision-making procedure at the domestic level (Korchumova, 2007). With regards to analyse the inter-linkage prevailing between the idea of international development and the power interests, it can be affirmed that another level of international development, which has been serving for the power interests of the nations, is identified to be the rapid pace of industrialisation. This aspect tends to develop the economic standards of the nations at large. Moreover, with the increased level of internationalisation, social norms persisting within varied nations have been largely affected and also instigated complex challenges. Correspondingly, the initial phase of international development program was developed to assist the different nations in developing an international harmony. This phenomenon was later misused by several countries to implement their motive of power interests (Blowfield, 2005). The idea of international development is always viewed to get interlinked with the power interests of the nations. This can be justified with reference to the fact that presently, the nations are practising soft power techniques with the positive concept of international development for making greater political and most vitally financial development. In this regard, a few of the nations are observed to raise their political strengths by providing aids and performing other related activities. By following these unique methods of strengthening international power, the donor countries are successfully developing their hold on the receiving countries at large. Moreover, the above stated methods are actually developing the nations’ ability to implement their own powers on others, resulting in strengthening their respective power interests at large (Fan, 2008). In addition, it can be affirmed that power struggle between the nations is affecting international development in the form of restricting the development procedure of the nations. The main motive with which the concept of international development was initiated certainly changed making it to be a mere tool for the nations to enhance their respective power interests. Moreover, with the rapid pace of industrialisation, the developed countries were successful in conducting several approaches with the motive of making greater economic development. The increased level of globalisation even catalysed the motive with the impending need to make industrialisation a compulsion to initiate development. With this developed power interests among the nations, it has been quite evident that the gap persistent between developed and developing nations is widening incessantly. Specially mentioning, the developed nations having dominance on global politics deliberately levy their preferred policies on the underdeveloped nations with the motive of developing their power interests globally (Lim & Vreeland, 2011). In relation to determine the inter-linkage prevailing between the idea of international development and the power interests, it can be apparently observed that a few of the developed countries have been skilfully handling their respective power interests through the implementation of the idea of international development instead of utilising hard power. This certainly supported the developed nations to enhance their respective powers without going against the principles laid down for maintaining international harmony. The unethical use of the concept of international development to facilitate the personal need of strengthening power interests has been quiet evident in recent years. Notably, the developing nations have been tactfully implementing policies that would suffice their interests of power instead of actually following the ethical needs of international development based initiatives. The increasing impact of the donor nations on the recipient nations makes it quite evident that the idea of international development is being misused as a tool to serve for the power interests in global politics (Lim & Vreeland, 2011; Gurtov, 2007). Conclusion Based on the above analysis and discussion, it can be ascertained that the idea of international development is successfully acting as a tool to serve power interests of the nations in the domain of global politics. In the contrary, it can be apparently observed that in most of the circumstances, different developed and underdeveloped nations have been practising unethical approaches of international development. In this regard, one of such approaches can be the desire of strengthening power interests in global politics. The developed nations in this present day context are much inclined towards developing their respective political as well as economic powers by following the principles laid down in the idea of international development. The different IOs that developed in the initial phase of international development based programs were observed to follow the unscrupulous principles of the donor nations. This eventually made the developed as well as underdeveloped nations to make deliberate efforts in strengthening their respective power interests at large. The idea of international development paved the way for the developed countries to enhance their power strengths over the underdeveloped nations. In this case, it can be affirmed that the developed nations have misused international development based programs as a podium to enhance their respective power interests in the domain of global politics. The underdeveloped nations that were economically weak had to follow certain prescribed guidelines in order to attain the benefits of international development. In this present day context, it can be apparently observed that the international development based programs have drifted from the initial motive of social welfare and justice towards creating the need of serving particular power interests in global politics. Thus, it can be concluded that the present day international development idea is providing an effective base for the nations to develop their power interests and fulfil their motive of emerging as superpowers throughout the globe. References Abbott, K. W. & Snidal, D., 1998. Why States Act through Formal International Organizations. 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Development Projects That Work: Multidisciplinarity in Action. Globalhood Research Paper, pp. 1-32. Lim, D. Y. M. & Vreeland, J. R., 2011. Regional Organizations and International Politics: Trading Asian Development Bank Loans for United Nations Security Council Votes. Papers, pp. 1-43. Mcgrew, A., No Date. Globalisation and Global Politics. Introduction. [Online] Available from https://bookshop.blackwell.co.uk/extracts/9780199297771_baylis.pdf [Accessed August 24, 2014]. Mearsheimar, J. J., 1995. The False Promise of International Institution. International Security, Vol. 19, No.3, pp. 5-49. Morgenthau, H. J. & et. al., 2005. A Realist Theory of International Politics. Politics among the Nation the Struggle between Power and Peace, pp. 1-15. Nafziger, E. W., 2006. The Meaning of Economic Development. Research Paper, No. 2, pp. 1-17. Rajan, S. C., 2006. Global Politics and Institutions. Tellus Institute, pp. 1-32. Williams, D., 2013. International Development and Global Politics: History, Theory and Practice. Routledge. Read More