Week 4 – Evolution of International Society Name: Insueng Jung ID Number: I43010
Week 4 – Evolution of International Society The Idea of International Society Ancient Worlds The Christian and Islamic Orders The emergence of the modern International Society The Globalization of International Society Case Study & Conclusion: Problems of global International Society
What is International Society? The Idea of International Society What is International Society?
The Idea of International Society International society exists when a group of states, conscious of certain common interests and values, forms a society in the sense that they conceive themselves to be bound by a common set of rules in their relations with one another, and share in the working of common institutions. – (Bull, 1977:13)
The Idea of International Society Any association of distinct political societies that accepts common rules, values, institutions Central concept of the “English School” Originally referred to European States
The Idea of International Society Founded on these Principles: 1. Sovereign Equality 2. Non-Intervention 3. Rules of International Law
The Idea of International Society Three key Institutions 1. Diplomacy 2. International law 3. Balance of Power
The Idea of International Society States accept no higher power than themselves – therefore exist in a condition of international anarchy Order in world politics – derived from existence of international society
Ancient Worlds Lacked emphasis on sovereign equality Meaning: one powerful state would deal with others only on the basis of an acknowledgement of its own superior standing.
Ancient Worlds Forms of Supranational Religious Authority: 1. caliphate 2. papacy Both co-exist in an uneasy relationship with Medieval Europe counterpart
Ancient Worlds Medieval Europe - marked by a complex mosaic of subnational and transnational entities Possessed independent military capacity
Ancient Worlds Elements of international society may be found from the time of the first organized human communities
Ancient Worlds Still regulated by treaty, diplomacy and some norms of conduct Example: Greece: City-state relations (arbitration, Melian dialogue {common language})
Ancient Worlds Ancient China, India, Rome had all distinctive forms of political organization As Rome's power grew from the first century BCE, its need to deal with other states on a basis of equality declined.
Christian and Islamic Order Medieval Europe’s international society had complex mix: Supranational, transnational, subnational, national
Christian and Islamic Order Catholic Church was an important unifying element in medieval Europe's international society. Catholic Church helped elaborate normative basis of society (Canon law, just war)
Islam: Community of believers (umma) and treaty law with others Christian and Islamic Order Islam: Community of believers (umma) and treaty law with others
Christian and Islamic Order Islamic world had to accept the necessity of peaceful coexistence with unbelievers for rather longer than the ten year truce. Close commercial links between the two 'abodes' developed, and in some cases Christian rulers were allowed to set up settlements with some extraterritorial privileges in Muslim countries. Head of settlements were called ‘consuls’
Emergence of Modern International Society Contemporary international society is based on a conception of the state as an independent actor that enjoys legal supremacy over all non-state actors (or that is sovereign).
Emergence of Modern International Society Which include: 1. Legal equality of all states 2. Principle of non-intervention by outside forces in the domestic affairs of states
Emergence of Modern International Society Three key developments from the end of 15th century played a crucial role in shaping the post-medieval European international society
Emergence of Modern International Society 1. The larger, more powerful states, such as France and the Habsburg Empire, were increasingly dominating some of the smaller states 2. The Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century dealt a devastating blow to the Catholic Church's claim to supreme authority
Emergence of Modern International Society 3. Columbus's voyage to the New World in 1492, followed by Vasco da Gama's discovery of a sea route to India in 1498 (thus enabling the dangerous and Muslim-controlled land route to be bypassed), had enormous consequences for European international relations.
Emergence of Modern International Society The Peace of Westphalia (1648), which ended the Thirty Years' War, is regarded by many as the key event ushering in the contemporary international system. Established the right of the German states that constituted the Holy Roman Empire to conduct their own diplomatic relations.
Emergence of Modern International Society Key elements to remember: 1. Domination of Europe by larger states 2. Protestant Reformation diminished Church authority Strengthened sovereign equality 3. Exploration of New World (Columbus + vasco de Gama) 4. Attempt to develop ordering mechanisms
Emergence of Modern International Society The main ingredients of contemporary international society are: 1. The principles of sovereignty and non intervention 2. The Institutions of Diplomacy 3. The Balance of Power 4. International Law.
Emergence of Modern International Society These took centuries to develop, although the Peace of Westphalia (1648) Was a key event in their establishment throughout Europe
Emergence of Modern International Society The American and French revolutions as well as Napoleonic wars had profound consequences for international society. Led to emergence of new nations and nationalism
Emergence of Modern International Society League of nations was an IGO formed in 1920 after the first world war. It attempted to place international society on a more secure organizational foundation.
Globalization of International Society A significant cause of the League's weakness had been the refusal of the American Senate to ratify the post war Versailles Peace Treaty And it was American determination not to make the same mistake in 1945 that led to a considerably stronger new version of the League in the shape of the United Nations (UN)
Globalization of International Society The United nations was intended as an improved league of nations but was largely blocked by Cold War and was not able to to function efficiently
Globalization of International Society Although Soviet-American competition affected all aspects of world politics, the rough balance of power between the two superpowers did help to secure a degree of order, especially in Europe, where the military confrontation was greatest
Globalization of International Society Decolonization led to the worldwide spread of the European model of international society. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 completed this process.
CASE STUDY: THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION, 1979 Background: Lasted from 7th January 1978 – 11th February 1979 Resulted in over 2700 killed in demonstrations. Since 1941 Iran had been governed by Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
CASE STUDY: THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION, 1979 Allied closely with US and pursued modernization but his regime came increasingly seen as corrupt, brutal and wasteful of huge oil wealth. US was associated with growing unpopularity
CASE STUDY: THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION, 1979 The Iranian Revolution of 1979 the country was increasingly dominated by conservative Muslim clerics, led by Ayatollah Khomeini, and declared itself an Islamic republic.
CASE STUDY: THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION, 1979 Khomeini challenged not just American power but the prevailing conceptions of international society. Believed that the problems of the Middle East and other Muslim countries were caused by their disregard of Islamic religious principles, and called for the overthrow of 'the illegitimate political powers that now rule the entire Islamic world' and their replacement by religious governments.
CASE STUDY: THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION, 1979 He insisted that the only important social identity for Muslims was their membership of the community of believers, or umma. For him, Islam was the correct approach for everything.
CASE STUDY: THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION, 1979 Relations with non-Muslim societies were also to be conducted according to traditional Islamic principles.
CASE STUDY: THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION, 1979 International institutions like the UN were merely part of the superpowers' structure of oppression, while international law should be observed only if it accorded with the Koran.
CASE STUDY: THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION, 1979 - Iranian Revolution resulted in Invasion of Iran By Iran by Saddam Hussain’s regime - Iraq Hostage crisis
Ayatolla Ruhollah Khomeini becomes new supreme leader of Iran CASE STUDY: THE IRANIAN REVOLUTION, 1979 Ayatolla Ruhollah Khomeini becomes new supreme leader of Iran
Conclusion: Problems of Global International Society International society after the cold war was the first occasion when sovereign equality was-in practice as well as in theory-the central legal norm for the whole world.
Conclusion: Problems of Global International Society From the start of the millennium all 192 UN members agreed to a “global covenant” enshrining the core values of independence & non-intervention
Conclusion: Problems of Global International Society Problems raised: 1. Globalization limits states' freedom to control their own economic policies – states become less sovereign As the world becomes integrated, so we move from a conception of int’l law as a minimum set of rules of coexistence to one enabling greater cooperation.
Conclusion: Problems of Global International Society 2. Post-cold war order has produced several collapsed, failed, or fragmenting states. Sovereign equality implies an ability not just to participate as an equal on the international stage but to maintain orderly government within the state.
Conclusion: Problems of Global International Society 3. After the cold war the world became a ‘Unipolar’ world. American military power is currently greater than that of the next ten most powerful states combined. - After 9/11 USA showed power to defend its national interests.
Conclusion: Problems of Global International Society However, its experiences in both Iraq and Afghanistan appeared to demonstrate serious limitations on the capacity of military power to achieve complex political objectives such as promoting democracy.
Conclusion: Problems of Global International Society The 2007 financial crisis indicated that the balance of economic power was shifting away from the USA as major holders of the dollar as a reserve currency, especially China, showed an increasing reluctance to continue, in effect, to underpin the American economy.
Conclusion: Problems of Global International Society A weakened USA has obvious implications for the future evolution of a globalized international society.
Conclusion: Problems of Global International Society 4. The environment and severe poverty are at the same time increasing in importance and are difficult to accommodate within a sovereignty-based international society.
Discussion Questions How might international society be affected by the rising power of China? Can an international society of sovereign states resolve problems such as poverty and Climate Change? Why has the concept of balance of power important in a society of sovereign states? Do you think in today’s contemporary society that Intergovernmental Organizations such as the UN have a huge impact on large sovereign states?
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