LESSON

III
Global Interstate
System
 |THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM|
State has long been recognized as fundamental actor in global politics.
Within its borders, there is no doubt that each State is expected to
maintain its unchallengeable power because of its possessed
'sovereignty.' Eventually, states begun to interact with other states and
institutions beyond its territorial boundaries as motivated by certain
factors and events that demands cooperation and interdependence. The
attempt to explain this decisions, interactions and behavior that occur
across boundaries of states are what scholars refer as international
relations, international studies or international politics. While the relations
of states (which traditionally understood in military, diplomatic and
strategic terms) have been the center of this discipline, its nature and
focus has been significantly changing over time particularly under the
realm of globalization.
 |THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM|
Globalization is defined as a 'widening, intensifying, speeding up
and growing impact of world- wide interconnected' (Held and
McGrew, 1999). Thus, it expectedly results to intensification of
relationships among nation-states which may either increase,
decrease or transform states than its usual position. However, not
all processes of globalization occurs on the level of states as this
extends to the politics and political patterns of international
institutions and organizations which are equally important to what
states and other political actors do. This chapter explains how
globalization affectes the states and its interactions in the global
politics. In the same way, an understanding of the interstate system
would lead the students to know how the world is organized the
way it is-of what is termed as contemporary world politics.
 STATE AND
SOVEREIGNTY
• The state emerged in 15th and 16th century Europe centralized rule that succeer and
16th century Europe as a system of groups, temporal and spiritual lewood. 2011). The
concept of statehood succeeded in subordinating all other institutions and the 30-year
war (1618-1648), where Burtope's rulers would recognize each others of Westphalia
(1648), a package of treaties that ended territories and free from outside interference.
In turn, the guarantees stability and unification for the nations of Europe which was
expressed by Giuseppe Mazzini (1805-72) sed by Giuseppe Mazzini (1805-72), an
Italian nationalist. The characteristic theme of this classical nationalism reflected in
Europe is with the idea of the nation based on the belief in popular sovereignty. mostly
signified in US president Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points in 1910, a blueprint which
proposed for the reconstruction of Europe after WWII
 STATE AND
SOVEREIGNTY
Nations in Europe, according to Wilson, should achieve statehood that is anchored from
principle of national-determination. Its goal eventually led to the construction of a nation-
state (Heywood, 2011 ). During the French revolution, the Westhalian system, was
challenged by Napoleon Bonaparte, a French leader who implemented the Napoleonic
Code, with his principles of liberty, equality and fraternity against the power of kings,
nobility and religion in Europe. But after his defeat in the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, the
royal powers founded an alliance of great powers or the Concert of Europe-Austria,
Russia, Prussia and United Kingdom, and created a new system, which in effect revived
the Westphalian system and restored the sovereignty of states. Therefore, these
historical events established that the doctrine of sovereign statehood was significant not
only as the legal basis of modern statehood but also the constitution of modern world
order.
STATE AND
SOVEREIGNTY
• In fact, it was stated in 1933 Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties
of States as one of the four qualifying elements: (a.) a defined territory, (b.) a
permanent population, (c.) an effective government and the (d.) capacity to
enter into relations with other states (Heywood, 2011). While internal
sovereignty refers to the state's authority within, external sovereignty defines
the relationship of states to other states and international actors as it
establishes state's capacity to act as an independent and autonomous entity
in world affairs (Heywood, 2011). It is the same principle of how international
law was created. Thus, United Nation, as the principal framework and venue
for convening member state's leaders, guarantee equal participation in
international relations that is according to the principle of sovereign equality.
STATE GLOBALIZATION

• In the advent globalization, debates about the power and significan state in world system have been found. Two
contrasting positions argue the impact of the widening and speeding interconnectedness brought abou the process
of globalization. Some believed that it bring about the dem the sovereign states as global forces weaken the power
of the state to co their own economies and societies (Ohmae, 1995 Scholte, 2000; Baylis el 2011). Oppositely, some
assumed that state remains as primary agent which even shape the world order (Krasner, 1999; Baylis et al., 2011).
STATE GLOBALIZATION

• Between the two views, lies another perspective which recognizes that globalization would transform the role,
significance and nature of the sovereignty of the state. Globalization as a process is more than simply growing
connections interconnectedness between states. Rosenau (1997) suggests that globalization implies a cumulative
scale, scope, velocity and depth of contemporary interconnectedness is dissolving the significance of the borders
and boundaries that separate the world into its many constituent states or national economic and political spaces
(Baylis et al., 2011).
STATE GLOBALIZATION

• Instead of looking at the interdependence or internationalization between

nation-states, the concept of globalization presents a dramatic shift
leading to the organization of human affairs-from the world of discreet but
interdependent nation-states to the world as a shared social space. In
sense, concerns about economics and security transcend the world's
major regions and continents.
STATE GLOBALIZATION
• Similarly, globalization represents the process of deterritorialization-
when social, political and economic activities are increasingly
'stretched across the globe and making geography and distance
posing relative significance. For instance, terrorist and criminal
networks operate both locally and globally. Same is true for national
economic space which is no longer equivalent with national territorial
space, under the condition of globalization since UK's largest
companies have overseas headquarters. In this sense, globalization
can be defined as (Baylis et. al. 2011):
STATE GLOBALIZATION

• "a historical process involving a fundamental shift or

transformation in the spatial scale of human social
organization that links distant communities and
expands the reach of power across regions and
continents."
STATE GLOBALIZATION

• As the definition enables us to differentiate globalizat delimited processes such

as internationalization and regionalization, the us to differentiate globalization
from spatially state may no longer have the monopol of power resource. This is
because of relative denationalization of new brot globalization where power is
organized and exercised on a transregional, transnational, or transco basis
while many actors, from international organization to criminal net exercise
power from within, across. and against states in an increasing interconnected
global system (Baylis et. al. 2011),
SHIFTING FROM INTERNATIONAL
POLITICS TO GLOBAL POLITICS
The politics in the world stage has been conventionally understood in
international terms. But the term international relations has no used
despite of the conflict and co-operation between and among territorially
ECM al units had been existed. Not until Jeremy Bentham, a British
philosopher and legal reformer, coined the term 'international relations
that was introduced in his Principles of Morals and Legislation (1789). In
the late 18th century, the said term eventually was recognized as 'inter-
national as the territorially-based political units have gained clearer and
genuine 'national character.
SHIFTING FROM INTERNATIONAL
POLITICS TO GLOBAL POLITICS
Based on this shifting concept from nationbood to statehood why most
modern states could effectively act and interact with one another on the
global (world) system or also described as 'inter-state system. The origins
of this view are drawn from the aforementioned Peace of Westphalia
which center on the principle of sovereignty. Thus, state sovereignty
became the fundamental organizing principle of international politics.
However, internationalization should be differentiated from globalization.
The former refers to growing interdependence between states; its very
idea presumes that state remain discrete national units with clearly
demarcated borders while the latter refers to a process in which the very
distinction between the domestic and the external breaks down.
SHIFTING FROM INTERNATIONAL
POLITICS TO GLOBAL POLITICS

The distance and time are irrelevant in the sense that local events and
impacts may be diffused rapidly around the globe (Baylis et al., 2011).
The growing number of complex political issues has eventually acquired
a global character which in that effect, extend actually or potentially to all
parts of the world. For instance, the issue of terrorism and climate change
are two of the most important events that had been affecting all states
because of increasing impact and expansion of various terrorist groups
and that the nature operates as an interconnected whole.
SHIFTING FROM INTERNATIONAL
POLITICS TO GLOBAL POLITICS
• New actors on the world stage. Because of globalization, it is
impos to regard state as the only significant actors in world
stage. New key ple have come to exert influence and
identified as transnational corporation (TNC non-government
organizations (NGOs) and a range of non-state institutio
Similarly, groups and organizations like terrorist group of Al
Qaeda, a capitalist movement and Amnesty International to
Google and HP also contri in shaping the world politics.
SHIFTING FROM INTERNATIONAL
POLITICS TO GLOBAL POLITICS
• Increased interdependence and interconnected. As globalization results to a
substantial growth in cross-border or transnational, flows and transaction -
movements of people, good, money, information and ideas the phenomenon
also increased the relations among states with growing interdependence and
interconnectedness. Problems and issues that are global in nature like global
warming, terrorism, and pandemic diseases are impossible to resolve hy any
states alone, except for powerful states. Thus, states generally resort on
collective effort as they work together to address the global issues. However,
this may be asymmetrical rather than symmetrical where interdependence can
lead to domination and conflict rather than peace and harmony (Heywood,
2011)
SHIFTING FROM INTERNATIONAL
POLITICS TO GLOBAL POLITICS
• The trend towards global governance. Since 1945, a new
framework of global governance (and regional governance) has
been recognized. This is attributed to established international
organizations such as IMF, the World Trade Organization
(WTO), the European Union and most significantly, the United
Nations. As member of UN, for instance, states observe
accountability to international norm and principles set for. Most
importantly, the increasing number of member states reflects a
growth of states who profess commitments to human rights and
the rule of law.
SHIFTING FROM INTERNATIONAL
POLITICS TO GLOBAL POLITICS
• Conclusion The idea about international system was explained in
this lesson. Starting with the recognition of state and the principle
of sovereignty; identifying a range of new actors; significant
factors and events that resulted to interstate relations; and the
relative impact of globalization paved the way for a creation of
global governance or what others identified as the 'new
international order as reflected by the operating international
organization particularly, the United Nation.
LESSON

VI
CONTEMPORARY GLOBAL
GOVERNANCE
• When people travel in multiple states; goods and services delivered to ad from different countries by air, land, se
and cyberspace: Filipinos working as OFW (overseas Filipino workers); and a different range of cross-border
transactions, are quite puzzling for some since there is no government or 'world government that regulatos. Even
though, these activities still expect to be reliable, safer and secure for the people, groups, firms and governments
involved. While these are evidently effective within domestic sphere because of the government which controls,
how could exchanges among states beyond their borders become possibly in order, inevitable and stable? For
instance, as the world trade continuously expands and global mobility increases, the borders of states expectedly
are to be flooded of goods, services, persons, and information.
• This became possible when the Universal Postal Union, the first modern international organization, was
established in 1863 Similarly, the growing number of worldwide problems like terrorist mate change, threat of
maritime conflict, nuclear proliferation and amons stbers which are beyond the capacity of individual states to
solve on their own has heen receiving attention with the aim of securing international order recognition of
sovereignty of every states. Analysis of these global activities an international problems are taken up in a complex
phenomenon called governance
Understanding the Idea of Global Governance
• With the absence of world government, the order, stability, and predictability of various international transactions are still
possible because of the idea of global governance. Global governance is the sum of laws, norms, policies, and institutions
that define, constitute and mediate trans-border relations between states, cultures, citizens, intergovernmental and non-
governmental organizations and the market--the wielders and the object of the exercise of international public order (Weiss
and Thakur, 2010). As such, it infers that engagements and relations between states in the global system are regulated as
everyone is expected to observe. With the same idea, Karns and Mingst (2009)described global governance as the collection
of governance-related activities, rules, and mechanisms, formal and informal, existing at a variety of levels in the world
today (cited by Heywood, 2011). Thus, it also refers to collective and cooperative arrangements involving international
institutions and states as common features who are believed to facilitate governance i.e coordination of social life--ordered
rule operating through a system of enforceable decisions--rather than the government (Heywood, 2011). Being so, global
governance is an order based on set rules even without government. Moreover, as a dynamic and complex process of
interactive decision-making at the global level also emphasizes different international actors who are involved in formal and
informal mechanisms.
• Global governances not only limited to states and governments, as the fundamental institutions for
articulating public interest that is extended to the global community but also involves intergovernmental and
non-state agencies. The growth and importance of non-state actors like civil society (activists,
environmentalists, feminists, scientists, etc.) and the market are undeniably observed. They, too, play an active
role in shaping norms, laws and policies in the global system. Thus, the states and state-centered structures
(i.e. IGOs and particularly of the UN system) share the governance stage with the pool of other actors to
ensure international order. The horizontal and vertical interactions of these global players, create a system
that made up the global politics. To simplify, the term global governance, according to Heywood (2011), is
used more to refer to the institutions through which these interactions take place.
In global system, the following are the following are commonly identified categories of political actors who are interacting with
a range of non-state actors (Baylis et al., 2011):

• Nearly 200 governments , including 193 members of the UN (with the inclusion of Sudan in 2011); 82,100 transnational
companies (TNCs) such as Wal-Mart,
• Mitsubishi, Volkswagen General Electric, Microsoft, Nestle, Hewlett-Packard, with these parent companies having 807, 400
foreign affiliates;
• Around 9,500 single-country non-governmental organizations, like Population Concern (UK) or the Sierra Club (USA), which
engage in significant international activities;
• 240 intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) such as UN, NATO,
the European Union, plus 2,500 regular autonomous conferences
and treaty review bodies; and

• 7,600 international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) like

Amnesty International, the International Chamber of Shipping,
Red Cross, plus a similar number of less-established international
caucuses and networks of NGOs.
The Rise of International Organizations in Global Politics
The ASEAN, IMF, WTO, WB and UN are some of the high profile international organizations which the Philippines
and most of sovereign states are members of. As a well-observed phenomenon. international organizations foster
cooperation among states particularly on global issues.
Sometimes called international governmental organization (IGOs, as opposite of international non-government
organizations (INGOs), international organization is an institution with formal procedure and a membership
comprising three or more states. They are characterized by rules that seek to regulate the relations amongst
member states and by a formal structure that implements and enforces these rules (Heywood, 2011).
International organization, according to Rittberger and Zangl (2006), may be viewed as instruments, arenas or
actors. As instruments, they are mechanisms through which states pursue their own interest. As they facilitate
debate and information exchange, it also serves as permanent institution of conference diplomacy thus, regarded
as arenas. And when states are enable by IOs to take concerted action, they are acting as actors.
The United Nations
The United Nations is considered as the world's leading international organization that has an indispensable part of the
global political arena. According to Thakur (2011), it is both global governance actor and site. Composed of universal state
membership and mechanisms for involving non-state actors, the UN is also regarded as a central clearing house for
information and actions. UN was founded on October 24, 1945 (since known as UN Day) by 51 countries of which Philippines
was one of the founding members. It has, to date, a total of 193 members, nearly every state in the world, and counting. As a
result of initiatives moved by the governments of states that had led the war against Germany and Japan in World War II, the
UN Charter clearly spelled out the following basic
principles of international relations:
1. To maintain international peace and security;
2. To develop friendly relations among nations;
3. To cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights; and
4. To be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations.
The UN structure was intended to prevent some of the problems encountered by the League of Nations, It has
main six organs (Bailey et al.,
2011);
1. The Security Council principally responsible for maintaining international peace and security. Composed of 15
states including five permanent members, namely the USA, Britain, France, Russia (former Soviet Union), and
China and ten non-permanent members. Its decisions are binding and must only be passed by a majority of
nine out of 15 members, as well as each of the five permanent members, which also were seen as major
powers as they hold veto power over Security Council decisions.
2. The General Assembly regarded as parliament of nations as this is represented by all UN members. The
Assembly meets to consider the world's pressing problems while each has one vote. Decisions on key issues
like international peace and security, UN budget and admission of new members must acquire the two thirds
majority vote of the General Assembly. But, the decisions which are reached have only the status of
recommendations.
3. The Secretariat - this carries the administrative and substantive work of the UN as directed by the General
Assembly, the Security Council, and the other organs. It is headed by the Secretary- General, who provides
administrative guidance. The Secretariat consists of departments and offices with a total staff pf 40,000 around
the world. As primarily bureaucratic, the Secretariat lacks the political power and the right of initiative.
4. The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) - under the overall authority of the General Assembly, the ECOSOC
is mandated to coordinate the economic and social work of UN and the UN family organizations. It serves as a
link between UN and civil society, thus consultations with non-governmental organizations is maintained.
5. The Trusteeship Council - as UN was created, this provides international supervision for 11 Trust Territories
administered by seven member states and to ensure that adequate steps were followed to prepare the
territories for self-government or independence. In 1994, all Trust Territories had attained independence. As
works was completed, the Council now consists of five permanent members of Security Council and has
amended its rules of procedure.
6. International Court of Justice – serves as the main judicial organ of UN. It consists of 15 judges elected jointly
by General Assembly and the Security Council. The Court not only decides disputes between countries but also
provides advisory opinions to other UN organs and Specialized Agencies upon request.
 GLOBALIZATION AND THE UN
SYSTEM
• While globalization understood as a term that refers to the expansion and intensification of social relations and
conciousness across world time and world space (Steger,2003)which is not only concern with expansion of
economic activities across state,borders;increasing value of finance,investment,goods and services
flows;ideas,infoemation,organization, and people and cultural exchanges,but also reflects the rapidity and
intensity of the interactions in real time.

• From these occurences,there are opposing views when analyzing the effect of globalization.
Weiss and Thakur(2010)raised points for
clarifications:

• That even in globalization ere,people’s movements remain restricted and strictly regulated,more so,after 9/11 attack.
• Economic interdependence is highly assymmetrical;industrialized,developing countries are either interdependent in their relations wiyh
another and developing countries are highly dependent on industrialized countries.
• Growing divergence ,not convergence,in income levels between countriess and people,with widening inequality among and within the
nations.
• It has unleashed many ’uncivil society’ forces like international terrorism,drugs,people and gun trafficking and illicit money flows (Heine and
Thakur,2011)
Role of UN in Global Politics
• Among the operating international ,UN has more comparative advantage in identifying and resolving global concerns.And as world
organization, it will continue to play four eddential roles according to Weise and Thakur (2011),to wit:
• 1.Managing Knowledge-from arange of issues such as atomic bombing to HIV/AIDS and climate change, and to various kind of services like
regulations of the skies and seas, internet traffic and mail,all had successfully reached attention of every states that prompted them
eventually to be involved and act towards resolution.
• 2.Developing Norms-key actors in international arena are institutions operated by human beings or social actors ,thus,norms or standards of
behaviors are necessary to the society function and existence.As data has been collected and knowledge gained that a problem is serious to
warrant attention by the international policy community,new norms are thereby developed.This in turn,was articulated,disseminated and
institutionalized.
• 3.Formulating Recommendations-As norms are developed,a myriad of possibilities must be formulated on how key actors i.e. Government
and IGOs can alter the behaviour.However,by the 21st century,the growth and presence of civil societies has led them to warrant attention as
they become louder and bolder in voicing their positions in various issues.Civil societies orNGOs have been recognized as they were present
in signing of the Charter-Article 71 which provides for their participation.However,formulated recommendations and proposals may wither
as the next step would be given to the member states,who shall take the responsibility.
• 4.Institutionalizing Ideas-once the knowledge has been acquired,norms articulated and polocies formulated,and existing institutions can
oversee their implementation and monitoring (Weiss and Thakur,2011.)Based on UN’s history,every problems identified has several global
institutions whicha re working on important solutions.Once created,institutions can facilitate problem solving despite of non-coercive
power.In some cases,when the problem is distinctive,parrticularly interms of gravity and scale,from other problems ,international community
of state would create a new IGO which focus on addressing such problems.For instances,the joinst UN programme on HIV/AIDS
(UNAIDS),established in 1996 following resolution of WHOs World Health Assenbly,was created serving as principal instrument for global
action on HIV/AIDS and provides action to the epidemic.
UN Challenges and Responses to Issues

• For more than seventy years of operation,UN has been continously challenged of different controversy and critism.given the ‘ideational
rolr’iot is ineveitable that expectations do not meet Uns actual performances as the primcipal global governance actor.
• While uN ws assumed to be active area such as refugge protection,environment,counter terrorism,human rights,disarmanent,economic
and social development,UN mainrole that is widely accepted is that maintenance of peace and security that is carried out Security
Councilas its the main organ.Though it gain successes in peacekeeping (such as in Mozambique and El Salvador)and peace building(East
Timor),in mid 1990s,UN failed to present the large scale slaughter in Rwanda and Bosnia which damage its reputation
(Heywood,2011).These and other issues continue to challenge uN to take on a stronger role in maintaining global order.