GLOBAL DIVIDES: THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, you are expected:
1. to define the word ‘Global South’ and ‘Global North’;
2. to differentiate global south from global north;
3. to familiarize with the basic concepts of global relations;
3. to discuss the major lenses of international relations.

DEFINITION
The North-South Divide (or Rich-Poor Divide) is the socio-economic and political division that
exists between the wealthy developed countries, known collectively as “the North,” and the
poorer developing countries (least developed countries), or “the South.”
Generally, definitions of the Global North include the United States, Canada,
Europe, developed parts of Asia (the Four Asian Tigers, Japan, Macau, Brunei and
Israel) as well as Australia and New Zealand. The Global South is made up of Africa,
Latin America, and developing Asia including the Middle East. The North is home to all
the members of the G8 and to four of the five permanent members of the United
Nations Security Council.

Differences between the Global North and the Global South

The North mostly covers the West and the First World, along with much of the
Second World, while the South largely corresponds with the Third World. While the
North may be defined as the richer, more developed region and the South as the
poorer, less developed region, many more factors differentiate between the two global
areas. 95% of the North has enough food and shelter. The Global South "lacks
appropriate technology, it has no political stability, the economies are disarticulated, and
their foreign exchange earnings depend on primary product exports
In economic terms, the North—with one quarter of the world population—controls
four-fifths of the income earned anywhere in the world. 90% of the manufacturing
industries are owned by and located in the North. Inversely, the South—with three
quarters of the world populations—has access to one-fifth of the world income. As
nations become economically developed, they may become part of the "North",
regardless of geographical location; similarly, any nations that do not qualify for
"developed" status are in effect deemed to be part of the "South".
Challenges of the North and the South Divide
The division between the global North and South is the greatest challenge to global
governance. The contrast in economic welfare, political stability, and culture among
states creates many dilemmas for the international community.
The economic differences between highly developed economies and the rest of the
world deter cooperation. In addition, social differences between North and South create
cultural clashes that breed violence, and add difficulty to forming international norms.
Moreover, the political weakness of some states in the global South creates security
dilemmas and keeps global governance initiatives away from success. The international
order is skewed in favor of the global North and serves to empower them. However,
international leaders can solve these issues by promoting global equity. In order for
global governance to achieve its fullest potential, the world must first address the
inequality of states.

BASIC CONCEPTS FOR GLOBAL RELATIONS

Nation-state, the primary or fundamental unit in IR; a political entity within a defined
territorial area possessing legal and political authority over that area
National interest, those elements constituting a nation's most vital needs and
objectives, including such factors of self-preservation, independence, sovereignty,
territorial integrity, military security, and economic well-being
Sovereignty, considered to be the enabling concept of world politics, whereby nation-
states possess authority not only within their own territorial entities but possess
membership in the international community
Balance of power, a term used in various ways, but the traditional concept involves
creating/maintaining an equilibrium in the international order so that one nation/alliance
does not become preponderant over others
Bipolar, a world political system in which power is concentrated in two power centers
Unilateral, a national acting on its own, independently, in the pursuit of its foreign policy
objectives, as opposed to a bilateral or multilateral approach
Multilateral, relationships among more than two states of other international actors for
the purpose of collective action
Hegemony, preponderant influence or dominance of one nation (or group) over other
Interdependence, the increasing interrelationship and mutual dependence among
nations, especially in an economic sense
Geopolitics, the use of geography as an element of power; theories and concepts
emphasizing location, size, and geographic factors as primary influences in IR.
Imperialism, a policy or course of action that through which a state imposes control
over others; identified with the acquisition of colonies or colonial authority
Diplomacy, the range of actions taken by a nation to represent and pursue its interests
Weapons of mass destruction, generally deemed to be nuclear weapons with
massive destructive capabilities, but may also include exceptionally devastating
conventional arms as weak as certain biological and chemical weapons.
International political economy, study of the politics/policies of trade, monetary and
other economic relations among nations and their connection to transnational forces
Just war doctrine, moral criteria identifying when a 'just war' may be undertaken and
how it should be fought
Free trade, the flow of goods and services across national boundaries unimpeded by
tariffs or other restrictions
Cartel, an association of producers or consumers (or both) of a certain product, formed
for the purpose of manipulating the price on the world market
Mercantilism, the economic theory and political ideology opposed to free trade; it
shares with the realism belief that each state must protect its own interests without
seeking mutual gains through international organizations and agreement
Fascism, an authoritarian and/or totalitarian political system, often based on a
corporate state and centering around a powerful supreme leader; usually emphasizing
militarism and nationalism and characterized by regimentation, propaganda, and
prejudice.
Clash of civilizations, thesis put forward by Samuel Huntington that argues that past
and future global conflicts can be traced along the fault lines between the nine major
world civilizations
Intellectual property rights, rights of creators of books, films, computer software, and
similar product to receive royalties when their products are sold
Sustainable development, economic development approaches based in long-term
considerations; meeting current needs without destroying resources that will be needed
in the future

LENSES/THEORIES OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS:

International relations theories can help us understand the way the international
systems work, as well as how nations engage with each other and view the world. By
studying the following key international theories, professionals in the field can better
discern the motivations and goals driving policy decisions worldwide.
Realism
This theory states that a nation’s foremost interest should be self-preservation and
that continually gaining power should always be a social, economic, and political
imperative.

Liberalism
Also called “liberal internationalism,” liberalism is based on the belief that the current
global system is capable of engendering a peaceful world order. Rather than relying on
direct force, such as military action, liberalism places an emphasis on international
cooperation as a means of furthering each nation’s respective interests

Constructivism
Constructivism rests on the notion that rather than the outright pursuit of material
interests, it is a nation’s belief systems—historical, cultural and social —that explain its
foreign policy efforts and behavior.

Marxism
A theory that closely analyzes social classes, aims to dismantle the capitalist
structure of the international system, as it states that capitalism is no longer practically
sustainable in the modern world. Marx believed that private property should be replaced
by cooperative ownership, with the emphasis placed entirely on satisfying human needs
for consumption, rather than creating private profit. Under an ideal socialist international
regime, societies would work together to ensure that basic human needs were met on a
global scale

Feminism
Gender issues are a significant concern within global politics, and feminism as an
international relations theory seeks to regulate the power derived from (or denied on the
basis of) an individual’s gender. The significance of feminism in international relations is
evidenced by the role women play in promoting more just and fair international relations
policies.

POSTMODERNISM
The postmodernism paradigm believes in the arbitrary nature of modernity. It
subscribes to the notion that the existing arrangements were merely created by human
beings and that what is conceived to be the truth is in the actual sense a “choice” made
by a predecessor (Burchill & Linklater, 2009). That is, it denies the notion of objective
truth..

CHALLENGES to THE GLOBAL ORDER:

Lenin
Capitalism’s strength is premised on the creation of new markets via imperialism
Sukarno
Colonialism has also its modern dress, in the form of economic control, intellectual
control, and actual physical control by a small but alien community within a nation. It is a
skillful and determined enemy, it appears in many guises.
Realized CONCLUSIONS:
1. The south continues to be globalized
2. The global south has provided models of resistance for the world
3. As global problems intensify, it becomes more and more necessary for people in the
north to support alternatives from the south
4. Emphasis on the state and interstate politics remains politically and analytically
relevant most especially in addressing global inequalities

References:
Steger, Manfred b., Battersy, Paul, and Siracusa, Joseph (2014). The sage handbook of
globalization. Thousand oaks: sage publication. pp. 187-199.

https://online.norwich.edu/academic-programs/masters/international-
relations/resources/articles/key-theories-of-international-relations

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