C hap t er 1: Why Study IR? Lecturer: Som Savuth MPS and B.Ed. h

Outlines IR in Everyday Life Brief Historical Sketch of the State System Global State System and the World Economy IR and Changing Contemporary World of States Conclusion

IR in Everyday Life Academic subject of IR World population is divided into separate political communities and independent states that affect the way people live Independent states: a clear-cut and bordered territory with a permanent population under jurisdiction of supreme government (a sovereign state—about 200 independent states in the world) States are independent from each other (legally) (They) have sovereignty, do not meant they are isolated from each other…but they adjoin each other to affect, find ways to coexist and to deal with each other (They) form a state system, which is a core subject of IR

States are involved in international market which affect policies of their government, wealth and welfare of their citizens People usually suffer from the states isolation and cut off from state system (e.g. Union of Myanmar, Libya, North Korea..) Subject of IR dates back to the early modern era (16 c and 17 c) in EU; Sovereign states were initially established Since 18 c, relations b/t such independent states have been labeled “IR”

16 and 17 Century Independent states were Initially established in EU 18 Century Relations b/t such independent States labeled “IR” 19 and 20 Century State system were expanded to encompass the entire territory of the earth The world of states is basically a territorial world: a way of politically organizing the world populated territory, different kinds of political organization, based on distinctive governments are legally independent from each other IR is the study of global state system from various perspectives Today (21C)

IR Values and Theories Focus Security Power politics, conflict and war Freedom Cooperation, peace and progress Order and Justice Shared interests, rules and institutions Welfare Wealth, poverty and equality Theories Realism Liberalism International Society IPE theories

Understanding the Significance of IR It’s necessary to grasp what living in states basically involves – What do it imply? How important is it? How should we think about it? In respond to these questions, we should look at five basic social values: (1) security, (2) freedom, (3) order, (4) justice, and (5) welfare Social values are so fundamental to human well-being, must be protected and ensured – by social organizations (family, clan, ethnic, religious org.) – In modern era, the state has usually involved as the leading institution to ensure these basic values.

Views of the State Traditional View States are valuable institutions: they provide security, freedom, order, justice, and welfare People benefit from the state system Alternative view States and the state system create more problems than they solve The majority of the world’s people suffer more than they benefit from the state system

Value of Security Fundamental concern or interest of states is to provides protection of their citizens from internal and external threat (e.g. military) Every existence of independent states affect the value of security Live in a world of many states can both defend and threaten people’s security Refer to “security dilemma”, states present problems as well as provide solutions Most of states want to be friendly, non-threatening and peace-loving Security is obviously one of the most fundamental values of IR (Armed states are competing rivals and periodically go to war with each other)

Values of Freedom Usually advocate is freedom Freedom, both personal freedom & national freedom/ independence Fundamental reason for having states and putting up burdens –governments place on citizens (taxes or obligations of military services) Be free unless our country is free too War threatens and sometimes destroys freedom, but peace promotes freedom Peace makes progressive international change possible Peace and progressive change are among the most fundamental values of IR (study liberal theories of IR)

Value of Order and Justice Advocate order and justice States have a common interest to establish and maintain international order States coexist and interact on a basic stability and certainty and predictability Endorse international laws (keep their treaty commitments and observe the rule) Advocate human rights—international legal framework of human rights

Global State System and World Economy Rest of the world were dominated by Europe, both politically and economically (colony) Outward control of the non-European world by European began in the early modern era 16C Western imperial expansion made possible for the first time of formation and operation of a global economy and global polity (mine of silver, precious metals, trade in furs and agri. Commodities) EU states expanded their power far beyond EU

EU built alliance with non-EU political systems—alliances arranged by the British and French with different Indian ‘tribes’ EU states conquered and colonized those political systems and made them a subordinate part of their empires Far-flung empires became a basic source of the wealth and power of the EU states for several centuries First stage of globalization of state system was via the incorporation of non-Western states that could not be colonized by the West Second stage, anti-colonialism by the colonial subjects of Western empires