Chapter 4: The Global Interstate System

CHAPTER 4: THE GLOBAL

INTERSTATE SYSTEM
Introduction
The state has traditionally been the subject of most
interest to scholars of global politics because it is viewed as
“the institution that creates warfare and sets economic
policies for a country.” Furthermore, the state is a political
unit that has authority over its own affairs. In other
words, its borders are recognized by other countries. It is
assumed that whoever is in charge of those borders has
the right to determine exactly what is going to happen in
their country.
With globalization, some scholars
suggest a decrease in the power of
nation-state.
Global Governance
it is a movement towards political
cooperation among transnational
actors, aimed at negotiating responses
to problems that affect more than one
state or region
Global Governance in the 21st century

There is a series of specific factors behind the emergence

of global governance. The first on the list must be the
declining power of nation-states. It states themselves
were “highly contingent and in flux”, it would open the
possibility of the emergence of some form of global
governance to fill the void.
A second factor is the vast flows of all sorts of things that run into
and often right through the borders of nation-states.
Then, there is mass migration of people and their entry, often

illegally, into various nation-states.
Another set of issues that has led to calls for global governance involves
horrendous events within nation-states that the states themselves either
foment and carry out, or are unable to control.
Then, there are global problems that single nation-state cannot hope to tackle on
their own. One is the global financial crisis and panic that sweep the world
periodically, which nations are often unable to deal with on their own.
Indeed, some nations have often been, and are being, victimized by such
crises. Unable to help themselves, such nations are in need of assistance from
some type of global governance.
Nation-states have long struggled to deal with problems like these through
various interstate systems, but the more recent trend is toward the
development of more truly global structures and methods of dealing with
various sorts of issues and problems.
Effects of Globalization to Governments
One of the key aspects of state sovereignty is the government. It is a group of
people who have the ultimate authority to act on behalf of a state. Each state
has its own right to self-determination and that other country should not
intervene in the affairs of that state unless there are extraordinary reasons to
do so. Other countries must recognize sovereignty or the right to govern one’s
own territorial borders.
Each state is autonomous unto itself and responsible within its own system of
government to those who are governed. The decisions, the conflict, and the
resolution of that conflict are done through the institutions of government
established and codified in that particular state, whether or not through
elections.
Elections, especially in democratic society, provide the leadership of
the state. In addition, the policy is developed and implemented in the
internet of the people of a state by a specific government.
A civil society within a state can also act as a counterweight or as a
supplement to government. Civil society includes the private
economy, educational institutions, churches, hospitals, fraternal
organizations, and other non-profit organizations.
There have been several challenges to the government and

ultimately, to state autonomy.
• TRADITIONAL CHALLENGES – Internal and external

• CHALLENGES FROM NATIONAL/IDENTITY MOVEMENTS
• GLOBAL ECONOMICS
• GLOBAL SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
Traditional Challenges
External intervention can generally be described as

invasion by other countries.
Internal – Conflict inside
Challenges from National/Identity Movements
It is important to know that a nation has cultural identity

that people attached to, while a state is a definite entity
due to its specific boundaries. However, different people
with different identities can live in different states.
Global Economics
Global economy demands the states to conform to the rules of free-
market capitalism. Government austerity comes from developments of
organizations that cooperate across countries, such as WTO and
regional agreements, such as NAFTA, the EU, and ASEAN.
Neoliberal economics or neoliberal capitalism started in the 1980s. It

focuses on free trade and dismantling trade barriers. It made sure that
governments did not impose restrictive regulations on corporate
presence, as well as on the free flow of capital and jobs.
Global Social Movements
Most of the time, they are not seen as a threat but they definitely challenge
state sovereignty. Social movements are movements of people that are
spontaneous or that emerge through enormous grassroots organization.
These social movements are transnational movements which means they
occur across countries and across borders. Therefore, states have less control
over them.
The Relevance of the State amid Globalization
The state is a distinctive political community with its own set of rules and
practices and that is more or less separate from other communities. It has four
elements: people, territory, government, and sovereignty.
The first element of a state is a permanent population. This
population does not refer to a nomadic people that move from one
place to another in an indefinite time. This permanent presence in
one location is strengthened by the second element of a state, a
defined territory. A territory has clear boundaries. A territory is
effectively controlled by the third element, government. The
government regulates relations among its own people and with other
states. This means that the state is a formally constituted sovereign
political structure encompassing people, territory, and its institutions
on the one hand, and maintaining its autonomy from other states on
the other hand.
Nation refers to a people rather than any kind of formal
territorial boundaries or institutions. It is a collective identity
grounded on a notion of shared history and culture.
If we talk about the Philippines as a state, we may refer to the

Phil. Gov’t., the Phil. Territory, and its internal and external
sovereignty. If we talk about the Philippines as a nation, we refer
to our shared collective notion of democracy, our history, and
our collective identity.
NATION-STATE – It is a territorially bounded sovereign institution that

governs individuals sharing a collective history, identity, and culture. In reality,
it is difficult to think of any nation as having any shared national identity.
Beland (2008) said the role of the state is enduring and

even increasing in advance industries.
PEACE TREATIES AND MILITARY ALLIANCES: UN AND NATO
SECURITY COUNCIL. 5 permanent
members (US, CHINA, RUSSIA, FRANCE,
BRITAIN) and 10 non-permanent
members serving for 2 years.
When it comes to economic issues the
main focus of UN is the reduction of
Global Inequality.
Globalization and Globalism
Globalism – refers to the network of connections that

transcends distances of different countries in the world.
We can also differentiate globalism and globalization in

terms of its “thickness”. Globalism is thin. As it becomes
thicker, globalization happens. This means that being able
to connect countries in the world through a more dynamic
and faster way is globalization.
Although globalism and globalization are often

understood in terms of the economy, Nye (2002) gave
“four distinct dimensions of globalism: economic,
military, environmental and social.”
Military globalism – the enormous speed of potential conflict and threat of

nuclear war.
Environmental globalism – global warming continues to accelerate.
Social and Cultural globalism – it involves movement of ideas, information,

images, and of people who carry ideas and information with them
Informationalism
It is associated with computer science and modern telecommunication that replaces

industrialism.
The internet is a mark of the contemporary world.
The internet and other technologies are limited by certain barriers. These barriers include
lack of electricity, illiteracy, weak financial systems, and government regulations.
Global Citizenship
Citizenship is associated with rights and

obligations. Both rights and obligations link the the
individual of the state. It also has to do with our
attitudes
Global Citizenship
There are three approaches to global economic resistance. Trade

protectionism involves the systematic government intervention in
foreign trade through tariffs and non-tariff barriers in order to
encourage domestic producers and deter their foreign
competitors.
Global Citizenship
Fair trade aims at a more moral and equitable global

economic system in which, for instance, price is not set by
the market; instead, it is negotiated transparently by both
producers and consumers.
Global Citizenship
The third form of resistance to economic globalization relates to

helping the bottom billion. Increasing aid is only one of the many
measures that are required. International norms and standards can
be adapted to the needs of the bottom billion. The reduction of
trade barriers would also reduce the economic marginalization of
these people and their nations.

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CHAPTER 4: THE GLOBAL

There is a series of specific factors behind the emergence

Then, there is mass migration of people and their entry, often

There have been several challenges to the government and

• TRADITIONAL CHALLENGES – Internal and external

External intervention can generally be described as

It is important to know that a nation has cultural identity

Neoliberal economics or neoliberal capitalism started in the 1980s. It

If we talk about the Philippines as a state, we may refer to the

NATION-STATE – It is a territorially bounded sovereign institution that

Beland (2008) said the role of the state is enduring and

Globalism – refers to the network of connections that

We can also differentiate globalism and globalization in

Although globalism and globalization are often

Military globalism – the enormous speed of potential conflict and threat of

Environmental globalism – global warming continues to accelerate.

Social and Cultural globalism – it involves movement of ideas, information,

It is associated with computer science and modern telecommunication that replaces

The internet is a mark of the contemporary world.

Citizenship is associated with rights and

There are three approaches to global economic resistance. Trade

Fair trade aims at a more moral and equitable global

The third form of resistance to economic globalization relates to

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