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Politics Component 3 > Global governance: political > Flashcards

Global governance: political Flashcards

1
Q

Why was the UN created?

A

The UN was created in 1945 after WW2 to encourage peace and cooperation between states so that the horrors that occurred during the war never happened again.

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2
Q

What are the main goals of the UN and how does the UN ensure these?

A
  • Maintain peace and security and prevent any future wars.

How:

  • Mediating disputes
  • Economic Sanctions (done by the security council)
  • Peacekeepers (member states offer up troops)
  • Protect human rights

How:

  • Setting a common standard through the UDHR
  • Monitoring and enforcing (e.g. Libya)
  • Using R2P
  • Social and economic development

How:
Providing aid and assistance e.g. UNICEF
Research

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3
Q 
UNSC resolutions
how are they passed?
what are they meant to protect?
is this the reality?
when wont they be drafted?
Can you give an example?
A

Security Council resolutions are supranational and binding on member states.

A resolution takes a 2/3 majority to pass, however, if even 1 of the p5 members’ veto’s it the resolution is done.

They are meant to be there to protect human interests (liberalism), but they tend to protect their own national interests (realism)

Resolutions won’t be drafted if they think that the resolutions will be vetoed, this is happening with the crisis in Myanmar, resolutions aren’t really being drafted because they fear China will just veto any resolution.

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4
Q

What are the roles of the UNSC?

A

Roles of the UN security council:

  • Investigate threats to international peace
  • Recommend a resolution process
  • Impose and lift sanctions
  • Enforce military intervention
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5
Q

Why does the UNSC resolution sometimes not even try to draft resolutions?

A

Resolutions won’t be drafted if they think that the resolutions will be vetoed, this is happening with the crisis in Myanmar, resolutions aren’t really being drafted because they fear China will just veto any resolution

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6
Q

What are the strengths of the UNSC?

A

Decisions require unanimous agreement from p5 members and a 2/3 majority to pass, giving them authority and legitimacy.

The small membership (15 members) allows the UNSC to be convened quickly at times of international crisis.

Unlike most other UN institutions the Council is able to enforce its decisions on all member states, thus making them more effective.

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7
Q

What are the weaknesses of the UNSC

A

There are only 5 permanent members of the UNSC no longer represent the balance of world powers as they exclude states such as China and India.

The fact that any resolutions passed in the UNSC need unanimous support from p5 members can lead to gridlock.

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8
Q

Should the UNSC be reformed?

A

Yes because the members of the p5 no longer represent the balance of world power today

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9
Q

How could the UNSC be reformed?

A
  • Emerging powers, e.g. the BRICS countries could be given the veto power.
  • The veto power should be more geographically representative.
  • Veto power could be completely abandoned and decisions could be made based off of a majority
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10
Q

Can you explain the purpose, strengths and weaknesses of the UNGA?

A

The UNGA is made up of all 193 member states, the UNGA can debate any issue within the sovereignty of the UN charter.

Strengths:
-Provides a global forum for debate on international issues.

  • Each state’s vote is of equal value.

Negatives:
- UNGA resolutions are not binding

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11
Q

Can you explain the purpose of the ICJ?

A

Purpose: To solve disputes between member states of the UN on issues including sovereignty and border issues. E.g. Temple of Preah Vihear.

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12
Q

Strengths of the ICJ

A

Pros:
- Upholds the idea of international rule of law.

  • Upholds the idea that conflicts should be resolved peacefully.
  • It is neutral in its decision making.
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13
Q

Weaknesses of the ICJ

A
  • Both states involved in a dispute must agree to the ICJ’s ruling
  • Jurisdiction only includes states and not other state actors.
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14
Q

Can you explain the purpose, strengths and weaknesses of ECOSOC?

A

Purpose: To promote higher standards of living and identify solutions to economic, social and health problems.

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15
Q

Example of peacekeeping success from the UN

A

Sierra Leone

Peacekeepers in Sierra Leone from 1999 to 2005 successfully prevented the country from relapsing into conflict while a peace agreement was being put in place. Sierra Leone now provides peacekeeping troops in Somalia.

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16
Q

UN peacemaking Example.

A

Kuwait

In 1990 the UN-mandated military action to evict Iraqi forces from Kuwait and then authorised the establishment of UN safe havens within Iraq in 2001 to limit Sadam Hussein’s aggression towards his own people.

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17
Q

Can you evaluate how far the UN is effective at resolving conflict?

A

The organisation from the security council can often resolve in gridlock, e.g. Syria and Russia vetoing.

The UN has struggled to respond to security threats from non-state actors.

UN peacekeepers have seen immense failures in places like Rwanda.

HOWEVER:

The UN has mandated effective peacekeeping missions in East Timor and the Ivory Coast.

The UNSC has been extremely active in approving military interventions, peacekeeping operations and sanctions across the world

18
Q

Can you evaluate how far the UN is effective at combatting poverty and advancing development?

A

“Levels of extreme poverty have never fallen as hard or as fast as they have in the last 30 years”

The MDG and SDG have provided Global targets, with the MDG being highly successful.

However, poverty in subsaharan africa continues.

Global inequality continues to increase.

Some have speculated that the rapid growth of China has been responsible for some of the impressive MDG figures.

19
Q

Can you evaluate how far the UN is effective at protecting human rights.

A

The UN published the UNDHR which set out a goal for other states to aspire to, however, it is not binding.

A number of UN tribunals were set up which were able to prosecute war criminals.

In 2005 the UN issued responsibility to protect, however, this has been ignored in regards to Syria.

20
Q

Can you explain why NATO was created?

A

NATO was created in 1949 in order to protect the West from the spread of communist and the USSR by providing the members of NATO with collective security on the principle that an attack on one member state is an attack on all.

21
Q

Examples of NATO peace-making missions

A

Bosnia:

1995 NATO intervened in Bosnia by bombing the bosnian serb positions, however, too little was done too late.

Kosovo:

In 1999 NATO bombed Serbia to stop the government military offensives in Kosovo.

22
Q

How has NATOs role changed pose cold war?

A

NATO now acts as a deterrent and promotes Western values. Its membership has expanded to some eastern European countries, deterring Russia from expanding further.

NATO’s role had adp[ted into leading humanitarian interventions e.g. Kosovo.

Refugee crisis- Sine Feb 2016 NATO has been helping with the refugee crisis, stopping illegal trafficking and migration in the Aegean.

War on Terror- NATO has also assisted on the war on terror 2003-2014. NATO-led a UN-mandated International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan.

  • Intervention in Libya
  • -> Clearly NATO’s role has adapted
  • -> NATOs role has developed into leading humanitarian interventions
23
Q

Strengths of NATO

A
  • NATO has maintained a strong strong military relationship between the US and Western Europe.
  • NATO encourages peace and security by acting as a deterrent.
  • NATO had expanded into Eastern Europe, providing greater security to their new democracies.
24
Q

Weaknesses of NATO

A
  • In 2016 only 5 members reached their 2% defence spending commitment. –> Angered the US
  • DIsagreement within NATO –> US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 split NATO alliance.
  • Turkey: Members of NATO are expected to uphold democracy and the rule of law, But Turkeys President is leading an increasingly authoritarian regime.
25
Q

Global governance

A

Attempts to provide collective solutions to collective governance through institutions.

26
Q

Functions and Powers of the UNGA

A
  • They can elect 10 states to sit on the UNSC every 2 years.
  • They appoint the secretary general (Currently António Guterres)
  • Approve the UNs budget
  • Consider debating reports from ECOSOC and the ICJ
  • Elect judges to the ICJ
27
Q

Successes of the UNGA

A
  • Universal Declaration on Human Rights
  • Millennium Development Goals
  • -> Sustainable development goals (follow up)
  • Palestine was granted non-member observer status to the UNGA, it became part of the Rome statute meaning it was protected by the ICC who could then investigate Israeli soldiers in Palestine.
28
Q

UNGA 2018 5 key issues

A
  1. Chinas internment camps
    - -> China is reportedly imprisoning Muslims in secret internment camps.
  2. Rohingya crisis
    - -> Rohingya Muslims have been driven from their homes in Myanmar and roughly 700,000 have fled to Bangladesh. The state is accused of committing genocide against the Rohingyas.
  3. South Sudan Civil War
    - -> The World’s youngest country continues its civil war which has killed over 50,000 people and created Africa’s worst refugee crisis, almost 2 million people have fled.
  4. Conflict in Yemen
    - -> Saudi led airstrikes on Yemen as there was an uprising amongst Houthi Yemen rebels, so Saudi Arabia is helping the Yemen government bomb these rebels to maintain Sunni influence in the area as both the Saudi and Yemen government are Sunni. Over 6,000 people have died and 8.4 million are on the brink of starvation. Iran has been funding the rebels and so Saudi Arabia and Iran are fighting a “proxy war” in Yemen.
  5. US Family Separation policies
    - -> Its actions have separated asylum seekers and their families at the Mexican border. It has resulted in some babies and toddlers being held in “cages”. Some experts have said that some families will never be able to be reunited.
29
Q

ICJ

  • Job?
  • Example
A
  • Part of the UN
  • Found in The Hague

Its job is to solve disputes between member states of the UN, including, sovereignty and border issues.

E.g. The Temple of Preah Vihear: The temple is found on the border between Thailand and Cambodia and the 2 countries fought over the sovereignty of it. The ICJ ruled in 1962 and again in 2013 that the temple belonged to Cambodia.

30
Q

Pros of the ICJ

A

Pros:
• It upholds the idea of international rule of law. (something liberals strongly support) (realists would say this is very hard to enforce)

  • It upholds the idea that conflicts should be resolved peacefully.
  • It is neutral in its decision making, making its decisions legitimate.
  • There is a genuine need for the ICJ as there are so any disputes in the world.
31
Q

ICJ

cons

A

Cons:

  • Both states must agree to the ICJ having jurisdiction.
  • There is no way to enforce their rulings.
  • Its jurisdiction only includes states, which are not the only significant actors in global politics. It does not have the authority to rule on issues arising from non-state actors e.g. NGOs, terrorists…etc.  Maybe this was why the ICC was set up?
32
Q

What is NATO

A
  • North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.
  • It is an intergovernmental military alliance of 29-member states, if you attack one country you attack them all  Collective security.
  • Each member is expected to spend 2% of their GDP on defence, though few do.
33
Q

Why is the veto arguably necessary?

A

Because beforehand decisions had to be made unanimously amongst a much larger group of states (The League of Nations).

Furthermore, the P5 members might have just left the UN if they didn’t have the veto.

The UN has arguably retained its current strength and membership due to the membership of the P5. It is possible that if the veto power was diluted, they would leave the institution altogether, for example the League of Nations failed as the USA would not join.

34
Q

When is the UNSC arguably most effective?

A

Its effectiveness is contingent on the state of world order.

It is most effective when there is unipolarity, e.g. When America was most powerful it was easier for it to advance its interests as smaller powers were less likely to oppose them.

Less effective under multipolarity.

  • -> when there are multiple powerful states at one time
  • -> e.g. during the cold war with the USA and Russia.
35
Q

Why was there no vote on military intervention in Iraq in 2003?

A

France and Russia said they would veto any US/UK resolution for the military intervention in Iraq. Since the USA and UK knew their resolution would be vetoed they instead just took military intervention unilaterally without a UNSC resolution.

36
Q

Why has there been no intervention in Syria?

A

Continuous Russia veto of proposed interventions.

37
Q

UN

Sovereign Equality of states and non-intervention principle

A
  • Established in the peace of Westphalia
  • Reaffirmed by the UN:
  • -> The UN should not intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state.
  • The only way the UN can force a state to do something is with a UN security council resolution.
  • Security council resolutions are supranational and binding on member states
  • Thus, the UN can ignore sovereignty, but this is rare as it was founded recognising it.
  • However, the UN gave additional powers to the 5 permanent members P5 who are able to veto legislation
38
Q

UNICEF

A
  • UNICEF (The United Nations Children’s Fund) is a programme which is directly administered by ECOSOC.
  • UNICEF provides humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries.
  • They were set up on the 11th of December 1946 to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been destroyed by WW2.
  • In 1950, UNICEFs mandate was extended to address the long term needs of children and women in all developing countries.
  • UNICEF relies on contributions from governments and private donors. In 2015 their total income came to $5,009,557,471.
  • It is estimated that 92% of their income is distributed to program services.
  • UNICEF provides 80% of the world’s life-saving food.
  • The basis of all UNICEF work comes from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
39
Q

What do UNICEF do?

A
  • promote policies and expand access to services that protect all children.
  • reduce child mortality all over the world by working to reach the most vulnerable children, everywhere.
  • support quality learning for children, especially those in the greatest danger of being left behind.
  • UNICEF works to reach children and families with lifesaving aid and long-term assistance after humanitarian emergencies.
  • empower girls and women, and ensure their full participation in political, social, and economic systems.
40
Q

UNICEF and Syria case study

A

In 2017, UNICEF and its partners reached a total of 17.5 million people in Syria with lifesaving help and critical services, including:

  • 14.6 million people were reached with safe drinking water and sanitation.
  • 2.2 million children (5-17 years) were reached with school supplies such as: textbooks, stationery and school bags.
  • 2.7 million children under 5 years old were vaccinated against polio.
  • 1.8 million children and pregnant women were screened for acute malnutrition.
  • 2 million people were reached with information about the risk of mines and explosive remnants of war.
  • Nearly 500,000 children received warm clothing for winter.
41
Q

MDG

2000–> 2015

A

eradicate extreme poverty

increase complete equality of education

eradicate child mortality

eradicate maternal mortality

increase access to safe drinking water

ensure environmental sustainability

–> helped lift more than 1 billion people out of extreme poverty

42
Q

SDG

after MDG

A

advanced the MDG

–> stuff that isn’t achieved needs to be achieved.

Politics Component 3 (8 decks)

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