State in Politics Essay - 1100 Words

State in Politics (Essay Sample) Content: Role of States in World PoliticsName Institution Role of States in World PoliticsAbstract This research paper seeks to question whether states are the only relevant conceptual actors inworld politics by analysing the realist and liberal accounts of international relations theory. It also seeksto argue that globalisation has heightened the relevancy of non-state actors within the internationalrelations discourse, arguing that the role of non-state actors must be taken more seriously byscholars. It also intends to argue that there are many non-state actors that are relevant conceptual actors inworld politics and that state-centric approaches are insufficient for gaining more nuanced analysis of world politics.Table of contentsIntroductionGlobalisationRealism LiberalismConclusionBibliography IntroductionThere are numerous ways to approach this central research question but fundamentally there is aneed to analyse the realist and liberal accounts of international relations theory. There are many examples of non-state actors that are relevant in international relations. These includeinternational organisations like the United Nations, regional institutions like the European Union,transnational corporations like Starbucks and international non-governmental organisations likeOxfam. Terrorist networks like the Al-Qaeda, and drug and human traffickers are also transnational innature and are relevant conceptual actors in world politics. It is important to remember that the bigcontemporary challenges that face states are not limited to them; but require at least some formof integration and cooperation, for example, trans-boundary haze pollution across the Indonesianarchipelago, Malaysia and Singapore requires responses and problem solving mechanisms across allthree countries.GlobalisationInter-state relations have traditionally been at the heart of international relations analysis. However,it will be argued that there has been an increasing relevancy of oth er actors in world politics during thesecond half of the twentieth century. This research paper will argue that this relevancy has beenheightened in many ways by what has been termed as the third wave of globalisation since the 1980s.Within an era of globalisation it is essential to understand the importance of the role of trans-nationalcorporations (instantly synonymous with global brands like Starbucks).Globalisation has been defined as the intensification of world wide social relations which linkdistant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many milesaway and vice versa (Giddens 1990:64). Economic globalisation in the form of free trade hasmeant that trans-national corporations have flourished and profited from unregulated markets(arguably at the expense of the global south). Within the liberal-pluralist paradigm globalisation hasbeen characterised by increasing interdependence; a characterisation, it has been argued, thatrealists are ill-e quipped to deal with. This sentiment has been reinforced by Mansbach and Vasquez,who have argued that realism has supplied a narrow and incomplete description and explanation ofworld affairs (Mansbach and Vasquez 1981: 6).RealismClassical realism is the oldest theory of international relations, and one that has subsequentlydominated international relations analysis. It has been suggested that rationality and state-centrismare frequently identified as core realist premises (Donnelly 2009: 32). The realist understanding ofworld politics assumes, in the tradition of Machiavelli and Hobbes that men are by natureegotistical and act selfishly. The personification of states, coupled with the notion that internationalsociety is anarchic (as there is no central authority in the form of a world government) has meantthe assertion that states act primarily in their own self-interest has dominated our understanding ofworld politics.It has been noted that the pursuit of hegemony and world conques t by Nazism had put intoquestion the effectiveness of international institutions and stressed the role of power in worldpolitics (Geeraerts: 2009). It was ultimately a rejection of liberal institutionalism that popularisedrealism within the field of international relations. Young has argued that realism is founded onessentially homogenous political systems with regard to type of actor (Young 1972: 126). Realists essentially see international organisations as instruments of states. The United Nations, for example,is only a sum of its parts and is not above states; but is in essence a club of states unable to stoppowerful actors interests. International law, for example, did very little in deterring Tony Blairfrom invading Iraq.LiberalismOf course membership of international society is not optional, as states cannot alter theirgeographic location; territories cannot be made to go away (Knutsen 1997: 3), and although thereis no world government; liberal institutionalists have argued th at cooperation between states can beorganized and formalized in institutions (Burchill 2009: 66). Liberal institutionalists haveadvocated that conflict between states would be reduced by creating a common interest in tradeand economic collaboration among members of the same geographical region (Burchill 2009: 66).A prominent example of this can be seen in the establishment of the European Union. This post secondworld war project can therefore be conceptualised as the desire to end conflict throughpolitical and economic integration.Although not a unified school of thought the pluralist conception of international relations providedan alternative approach to state-centrism. Keohane and Nye concluded that the state is notnecessarily the only important actor in world politics nor the gateke...