Are we moving into a multipolar world? Flashcards
What happened to global order after 1945?
- After 1945, global order shifted from multipolarity to bipolarity
- With Soviet Union + the US emerging as overarching global powers
What is multipolarity?
Multiple states vying for regional hegemony
What has happened to global order since the end of the Cold War?
- Since the end of Cold War in 1991, US has been seen as unipolar hegemony
- But this may be changing with the rise of China + other powers
What has damaged US’ standing globally?
The US has had multiple foreign policy failures which have damaged its global standing + image
How did Bush’s ‘War on Terror’ damage the US’ standing?
- Bush’s War on Terror violated international law
- US soldier’s human rights abuses in Afghanistan
- Lack of mandate to invade Iraq
- Subsequent failure to create long-lasting peace after removal of Hussein
What happened after Trump officially recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel?
128 countries backed UN resolution calling on Trump to retract recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel
What does neo-marxist thinker Chomsky think about US?
Neo-marxist thinker Chomsky thinks that the US is a malign hegemony who seeks to control strategic assets rather than work for peace
Unipolar: Does US still have a monopoly on violence?
- Bush was never tried for decreeing he would not follow Geneva Convention regarding Taliban in Afghanistan
- US invaded Iraq on bogus evidence
- US has monopoly on violence + is still global hegemony
Unipolar: Why does US have immense voting power in the World Bank + IMF
- US has immense voting power in World Bank + IMF due to large contributions to the budgets
- Still world’s largest economy
Unipolar: What do realists believe about the US’ hegemony?
- Regardless of US’ image, its ability to exert military and economic power makes it the global superpower
- As ethical considerations shouldn’t take place in global politics
Bipolar: which country is emerging as a competing superpower?
- China is emerging as competing superpower
- World’s 2nd largest economy
Bipolar: Why is China a desirable trading partner with mature economies?
- China’s large workforce means its can produce labour intensive goods
- Large middle-class means high consumption
- Making China desirable trading partner with mature economies
Bipolar: How did China recently assert itself militarily?
- China recently asserted itself militarily
- Building 7 new naval bases in South China Sea
Bipolar: What is the Thucydides Trap?
- Thucydides Trap
- Ruling power (US) threatened by rising power (China)
- Thus engages in conflict
- eg. recent arrest of Huawei finance chief Meng Wanzhou by US
- The arrest comes at a sensitive time for Us-China relations
- The nations are engaged in a trade war that has seen both impose duties of billions of dollars on one another’s goods
Bipolar: What are China’s internal issues that could stop its rise as global superpower?
- Growth has slowed in recent years
- Decreasing workforce (effects of One Child policy)
- Deepening inequality + civil unrest
- Capitalist economy + communist government
Multipolar: name some rising emerging powers
India, Russia, EU
Multipolar: What did Trump say about US-India relations?
- Trump said US-India relations had ‘never looked brighter’
- Showing vested interest in promoting India as regional power to compete with China
Multipolar: How has Russia’s show of military strength given it considerable influence over foreign affairs?
- Russia’s show of military strength has given it considerable influence over foreign affairs
- Due to Putin’s support of Assad, Syrian conflict cannot be resolved
- Has split UNSC
- Recent display of vertical nuclear proliferation
Multipolar: How has EU exhibited considerable soft power?
- EU has exhibited considerable soft power
- Representing itself as a reasonable + compassionate US
- Germany’s acceptance of 1 million refugees
Multipolar: Why might the emerging powers not be able to compete effectively with US + create a multipolar world order?
- None have control over global affairs as US does
- All have internal issues + divisions
- That mean they are not able to compete effectively with US + create multipolar world order
Multipolar: Internal issues within India
- High levels of corruption
- Huge poverty
- Little say in IVOs (not a permanent member of UNSC + not member of G7/8)
Multipolar: Internal issues with Russia
- Russia does not have stable economy to sustain itself
- After sanctions imposed because of its annexation of Crimea
Multipolar: EU’s internal issues
- EU’s Eurozone means EU is only ever as strong as its weakest states
- Also affected by recent move to nationalism + populism
- Brexit + rise of far right in Germany + France
