GPO. Power, sovereignity, and international relations

• ability to influence people and effect change and control

• an aspect of relations of people within a social organization

• a state's independence and its ability to govern itself

• eroded by aspects of globalization (global communication, trade) that cannot be controlled

• theories that argue that sovereign states exercise a great deal of power when acting in their national interest

• political actors and actions are considered acceptable

• varies between countries : the rule of law, the constitution, and the balance of power

• democracy or constitutionalism: the most accepted form of legitimacy

• Mutual reliance between states, groups, political organizations, and geographic areas to access the resources

• Political interdependence : political decisions of a state have repercussions on other states/ ex: war in a country -> asylum seekers/refugees or political

• Economic interdependence: countries are linked together by economic trades/ their success or failure depends on each other/ empowers the state -> combination of forces but makes them also vulnerable to recessions/crisis

- power
- Army
US over China
But China has improved a lot in a short amount of time
- Economy
The US leads in GDP
Global exports of goods (trade) 14.7% (china) > 8.1% (USA)
Technology : China mainly leads
- Diplomacy
China leads more diplomatic missions but the USA has more diplomatic relations
- Academic
Shanghai ranking (US>China)
but China is developping its science field + number of international students

- c bases its studies on social studies
- s bases its studies on history
- nothing is natural: no "human nature"
- decisions: guided by our sense of identity and shaped by our interactions with other
- understand human behavior: studying their political discourse (what they say)
- Michel Foucault

- fight against gender differences between men and women
- fight against patriarchy
(think women<men physically and mentally, women are "naturally" predisposed to caring and domestic labor rather than business or politics, women are confined to the private sphere of home and family)
- reject the view of only two genders
-S. de Beauvoir/ Judith Butler

-the world is ruled by a Eurocentric pov
- Western societies determine the horizons of humanity
- for colonialists, there are "sub-humans", an inferior race who did not fit in (ex: Native Americans)

-sovereignity
Should the state be sovereign to better solve refugee issues?
↑refugees (ukraine, syria)
EU coordinations
unified response, coordinated policies
State sovereignity
-resources allocation, specific answer

- legitimacy
- British monarchy
Support of the people
Ancient monarchy
No hard power but head of the armed forces
Good relation with other countries (commonwealth)
BUT
Diana and Meghan scandals
Monarchy has no hard power and is considered useless

- humans are selfish and competitive
- humans have a biological conflictive behavior (instinct>intellect)
- we need a sovereign state to control human behavior
- power/war >>
- international arena: dangerous and lacks stability
- international politics: competition and rivalry
- states pursue security using military
- Sun Tzu: The art of war
Hobbes: State of Nature

- humans are self-reliant, governed by reason, and capable of self-development
- diplomacy: solving problems through discussion, debate, and negotiation
- use of force in international relationships
- go to war: after reason has failed, in the name of "humanitarian goals" (last resort)

- Karl Marx
- social > individual
- the state should provide for the community
- concept of "collective welfare"
- do not agree with capitalism

- interdependence
economic alliance between south americans countries
It has its pros (freedom of movement, free-trade zone, more impact)
And cons (inequal repartition of power, individualits thinking)