THE GLOBAL INTERSTATE SYSTEM

LESSON 4

ZITA M. CORPUZ
LESSON OBJECTIVES:

To define Interstate
systems
Explain the structural
characteristics of the
systems
Underscore the
development of the
interstate system
Differentiate Identify the
internationalism from institutions that
globalism govern international
relations.
 The Global Interstate System

 It is the whole system of human

interactions. The modern world system
is structured politically as an interstate
system – a system of competing and
allying states.

 Political scientists commonly call this the

international system and this is the focal
point of the field of international
relations (Bull, 1977)
 The Interstate system has been
emerging in East Asia since the early
1990s.
 The Development of an Interstate System
 developed within the world-systems theory to describe the system of state
relationships that arose either as a related process or as a consequence of the
development of the capitalist world-system in the 16th century.

o Capitalist world-system – a modern nation

state system created in Europe to serve and
protect the interests of the capitalists which
was the establishment of a world-economy
based on an extremely unequal division of
labor between European states and the rest
of the system.
 The Development of an Interstate System
 all states are defined through their relationship to
other states or through participation in the world
economy, and that divisions between states help to
divide the world into core, periphery and semi-
periphery.
o World economy/global economy –
the economy of all humans in the
world, referring to the global
economic system which includes all
economic activities including
production, consumption, economic
management, etc.
 Immanuel Wallerstein claimed
that the development of a
capitalist world-economy
created all of the major
institutions of the modern world,
including social classes,
households, and nations. These
institutions also created each
other, and were subsequently
able to shape the state.
Structural Characteristics of the Global Interstate
System
 States/governments
o Are the key drivers of global processes.
o are seen as unitary actors and their actions are
explained in terms of structural characteristics of the
system.

 Statehood and sovereignty of states - states could only

gain conscious recognition when other states were able to
define and relate to them.
 Structural Characteristics of the Global Interstate
System
 A very crucial aspect of the global
interstate system since global interactions
are heightened by the increased
interdependence of states.
 Implies that in the era of globalization, a
state cannot work in isolation and fulfill
its needs independently.
 Each state must limit sovereignty in the
 international relations are also interest of world-peace, collective security
facilitated by world organizations that and observance of international law.
promote global norms and policies
Most prominent example is the UN.
 Features of the Global Interstate System
Sovereign equality Balance of power

 In this system, all states  states constantly face actual or potential threats,
are now equal. their main goal is security.
 Security can only be achieved by maintaining
 Among the member
power.
states, the economic  Balance-of-power theories (Morgenthau, 1967)
stratification is suggest that an equal distribution of power in
collapsing rapidly. the system facilitates peace and that unequal
distribution of power lead to war.
 Not only do strong states impose their will
on weak states, strong states also impose
limitations upon other strong states.
 Tracing the origins of sovereignty from Europe’s
Westphalian system
 Sovereignty
Is one of the fundamental principles of modern state politics.

 The Treaty of Westphalia – a set of

agreements signed in1648 to end the 30
yrs. war between the major continental
powers of Europe. (like the religious
war between Catholics and Protestants)
o Spain, France, Sweden
and the Dutch Republic
designed a system that
would avert wars by
recognizing that the treaty
signers exercise complete
control over their
domestic affairs and
swear not to meddle in
each other’s affairs.

o This was known to be the

Westphalian system.
 The Westphalian System and the French

Revolution
The Westphalian System faced a major challenge by Napoleon Bonaparte (a French
emperor) who believed in spreading the principles of the French Revolution –
liberty, equality and fraternity to the rest of Europe – It challenged the power of
kings, nobility and religion in Europe.

 Anglo and Prussian armies

finally defeated Napoleon
in the Battle of Waterloo
in 1815.
 The Concert of Europe
 To prevent another war and to keep the systems of privilege, the royal powers
restored the Westphalian system through the creation of the Concert of
Europe – an alliance of great powers – UK, Austria, Russia and Prussia.

o It sought to restore the world of

monarchial, hereditary and religious
privileges of the time before the French
Revolution/Napoleonic Wars.
o It was an alliance that sought to restore
the sovereignty of states.
 The advent of World War I led
to the eventual collapse of the
Concert of Europe, but the
present-day international system
still has traces of this history.