US and World Politics “It’s the end of the world as we know it...”

Overview The International Political System Aims of US Foreign Policy Evolution of US Foreign Policy

World Politics Recap domestic politics –Why is government necessary? –What role does government play? International environment is anarchic –No government –Implications?

World Politics Global Political System is a “self help” system Participants –States –Non-State Actors IGOs NGOs

World Politics States: –Basic unit of world politics since 1648 (Treaty of Westphalia) –Features: Defined Geography Population Sovereign Government

World Politics States (continued) –Note that the first and third points (geography and sovereign government) mean that the idea of “statehood” rests in part on the agreement of other states. –States “recognize” other states by respecting the borders and the sovereignty of other states –Wars and violence result when that recognition breaks down (e.g., Iraq/Kuwait in 1990; Serbia/Croatia 1993)

World Politics States (continued) –Distinct from “nations” by which we mean: a people with a shared language inhabiting a fixed territory sharing common customs that take on sense of shared identity/commonality recognition of common unity

World Politics Keeping the two ideas distinct means that we can have: –states with a single nation (e.g., Italy) –states with multiple nations (UK, Russia) –nations with multiple states (Arabs, Koreans) –nations with no state (Kurds)

World Politics Non-state actors in world politics include: –International Government Organizations e.g, UN, NATO, EU, ASEAN, OAS, OAU –These organizations are comprised of a variety of states –But they lack sovereignty

World Politics United Nations: –General Assembly (each state equal) Security Council 15 states, each with one vote, but 5 permanent members (US, UK, France, China, Russia) have “veto power” –Secretariat –International Court of Justice

World Politics NGOs (Non Government Organizations) –Organizations that have a political impact or focus but which are unconnected to any government e.g., Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, Amnesty International, Greenpeace but also Al Qaeda, Hezbollah, ETA, FARC, Sendero Luminoso

US and World Politics Aims of US Foreign Policy: –National Security –Territorial Integrity –Political Ideology How do we achieve them?

US Foreign Policy 2 main themes have driven US policy: Isolationism –avoid “entangling alliances” and stay out of European and world politics

US Foreign Policy Idealism –Promote democracy, freedom, and liberty abroad –Monroe Doctrine: protect western hemisphere from European encroachments –Truman Doctrine: protect all “free” nations from communist expansion –Bush Doctrine: use preemptive force to protect all free nations from terrorist threats

US Foreign Policy Impact of these two strands has led the US to get involved in wars beyond national security or strategic interests Use warfare to promote ideals –Democracy, freedom, capitalism Expansion of US

US Foreign Policy Factors/Players shaping foreign policy –President State, DoD, Homeland Security, NSC, CIA –Congress –Corporations –Foreign Policy “elite” think tanks, academics

US Foreign Policy Resources for navigating in anarchy: –Diplomacy Negotiation to work out differences/disagreements –Economics Rewards: tax breaks, trade concessions, grants, loans Punishments: tariffs, quotas, embargoes –Military

US Foreign Policy Post WW2 the aim of US foreign policy was to contain communist expansion –Korean War –Vietnam War –Nuclear Arms Race with USSR (now Russia) –Regional Military Alliances (e.g., NATO, OAS, SEATO, etc.)

Defense Spending & the Budget Defense related expenses receive the largest share of federal appropriations: –See Table 8.9 for detailsTable 8.9 for details

Global Military Spending Latest figures (2005) show that total global spending on military is $1.118 trillion, or about $173 per capita 34% increase from 2004 US is responsible for 80% of that increase

Global Military Spending US spent $420.7 billion in 2005 (not including the money appropriated for Iraq/Afghanistan) war US military spending was almost two-fifths of the total; more than the combined spending of the next 14 nations. US military spending was almost 7 times larger than the Chinese budget, the second largest spender.

Military Spending The US military budget was almost 29 times as large as the combined spending of the six “rogue” states (Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Sudan and Syria) who spent $14.65 billion. These six potential “enemies,” plus Russia, and China together spent $139 billion, or just 30% of the U.S. military budget.

Military Spending Nuclear proliferation issuesNuclear proliferation issues Nukes and “rogue” states Nukes and terrorist groups

Global Poverty Currently 6.6 billion people in the world Human population growthHuman population growth Of that number, approximately 3 billion survive on less than $2.00/day

Global Poverty Global economic data –GDP per capita –Divide between north and south The GDP of the poorest 48 nations (i.e. a quarter of the world’s countries) is less than the wealth of the world’s 3 richest people (Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Carlos Slim Helu) combined.

Conclusions US and the world –population growth and immigration –energyenergy –healthhealth –AIDSAIDS

1919 flu pandemic 1/4th of US population afflicted, 1/5th of global population Estimated death from pandemic: 21,500,000