Recent Developments

Question 1

the extent to which realism and liberalism explain recent developments in global politics

Answer 1

all topics in global politics can be understood from a realist and liberal perspective; state and globalisation, global governance, power

Question 2

STATE AND GLOBALISATION: realists
what are realists sceptical about?

Answer 2

realists are sceptical about the novelty and extent of globalisation
they argue that globalisation is nothing new and that its impact has been exaggerated, they point to the East India Company and the Silk Route as historical examples of trade and cultural influence

Question 3

STATE AND GLOBALISATION: realists
what do realists argue about the state?

Answer 3

globalisation has not weakened the standing of the state; the state continues to be the most important actor in the international
system
after all, it is states rather than ordinary citizens or other groups that are represented in international organisations like the UN

Question 4

STATE AND GLOBALISATION: realists
what have states promoted?

Answer 4

states have promoted globalisation in their own interests, especially the West and the USA
for instance, the USA created the Bretton Woods system of fixed exchange rates pegged against the dollar to promote financial stability to ensure markets for US goods

Question 5

STATE AND GLOBALISATION: realists
what will greater interdependence lead to?

Answer 5

greater interdependence will lead to ‘mutual vulnerability’
arguably, Brexit came about because the UK voters felt that British interests were being undermined by EU membership

Question 6

STATE AND GLOBALISATION: liberals
what do liberals argue about globalisation?

Answer 6

liberals argue that globalisation is novel and intensifying
trade and the number of TNCs grew exponentially in the latter half of the 20th century

Question 7

STATE AND GLOBALISATION: liberals
what is globalisation leading to?

Answer 7

globalisation is leading to the declining importance of the state as an international actor and the growing importance of organisations such as the EU, which is now the largest aid donor in the world and a leader in addressing climate change

Question 8

STATE AND GLOBALISATION: liberals
who benefits from globalisation?

Answer 8

everyone benefits from globalisation
the integration of national economies allows for ‘comparative advantage’ (which refers to the production of goods at the lowest price and to the best quality - China has become the workshop of the world because its goods are cheap but well made)
economic interdependence spreads ideas and values such as democracy and human rights (the Arab Spring of 2011 can be seen as a product of globalisation)

Question 9

STATE AND GLOBALISATION: liberals
what does globalisation promote?

Answer 9

globalisation promotes economic, cultural and political interdependence, which leads to peace and cooperation
for example, the UN resolves conflict and was established to prevent a third world war, which it has been successful in doing

Question 10

GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: realists
what are realists sceptical about?

Answer 10

realists are sceptical about the ability of international organisations to deliver systems of global governance, seeing them as weak and ineffective
states will not cooperate in international organisations because they are always competing for power, which is why there have been so many failures in UN peacekeeping

Question 11

GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: realists
why is the growth of international organisations undesirable?

Answer 11

the growth of international organisations is undesirable as they undermine state sovereignty, this explain Euroscepticism across EU member states
international organisations can be useful for powerful states who can use them to promote their own national interests, as seen in the US domination of NATO, IMF and the World Bank

Question 12

GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: liberals
why do liberals advocate global governance?

Answer 12

liberals advocate global governance through international organisations as a way to promote peace and cooperation in the world
the UN, through the General Assembly and UN Charter, provides a forum and a set of rules to promote peaceful cooperation

Question 13

GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: liberals
why do states cooperate?

Answer 13

states cooperate because it is in the interests to do so, which is why there has been a growth in the number of international organisations and in the level of integration, as in the EU

Question 14

GLOBAL GOVERNANCE: liberals
what do international organisations promote?

Answer 14

international organisations promote complex interdependence by
enforcing a set of rules that prevent states from ‘free riding’ or
defecting, as the EU does with its regulation of the single market

Question 15

POWER: realists
what do realists argue about unipolarity?

Answer 15

realists argue that in a unipolar system, the dominant power can act as the world’s ‘police officer’ and guarantee economic and financial stability by setting and maintaining ground rules for economic behaviour
for instance, the USA was widely seen as the guardian of peace and security at the end of the 20th century

Question 16

POWER: realists
what do realists argue about bipolarity?

Answer 16

realists favour a system of bipolarity between states because it is stable and relatively peaceful
they believe that bipolar systems tend to produce a balance of power and a natural tendency to world order
states seek to establish a balance to prevent the emergence of a hegemon
the Cold War produced a bipolar system that was stable and relatively peaceful

Question 17

POWER: realists
what do realists argue about multipolarity?

Answer 17

neo-realists claim that multipolarity leads to fluidity and uncertainty, which can only lead to instability and an increased likelihood of war
arguably, the world has become a more uncertain and dangerous place with the rise of China and the re-emergence of Russia which some claim has created a system of multipolarity

Question 18

POWER: liberals
what do liberals argue about unipolarity?

Answer 18

unipolarity promotes megalomania on the part of the dominant power and creates fear, resentment and hostility towards the dominant power among other powers
for instance, the USA’s invasion of Iraq was an act of megalomania that increased hostility towards it in the Middle East and spawned new enemies such as Islamic State (ISIS)

Question 19

POWER: liberals
what do liberals argue about bipolarity?

Answer 19

liberals claim that bipolarity causes tension and insecurity due to its tendency to breed hegemonic ambition and prioritise military power
bipolarity led to an arms race that came near to producing a nuclear conflict in the Cuban Missile Crisis

Question 20

POWER: liberals
what do liberals argue about multipolarity?

Answer 20

multipolar systems are characterised by a tendency towards multilateralism which involves greater cooperation and integration
for example, the agreement at the Paris Climate Change conference to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius shows how cooperation can increase in a multipolar world