Global powers and regionalism

Question 1

Describe the transition to power

Answer 1

• part of realist/neo-realist understanding of the world
• source: question of upward mobility – weak states that acquire greater military capability change rank
• impact: unsettles system and creates conflict and war
• economic shifts also can cause this transition by increasing status of country (not necessarily military) e.g. Japan after WWII in the 1990s with greater economic capacity
• perceptual shifts: see countries as different in status to what they were before (perceptual status)
• positive and negative impacts: agenda setting/re-setting in constructivism, growth in country’s power to a different status gives them a greater ability to bring in new ideas, insights and values – either positively or negatively

Question 2

Describe India’s historical identity

Answer 2

• historical legacy of Empires
  
  • civilizational contributions
  • Maurya Empire (322-185BC): made civilizational contributions including from Buddhism, Hinduism, yoga
  • Mughal Empire (1526-1857AD):
    
    • Arthshastra – Kautily: role of King and how a King can rule a Kingdom and under what principles
    • unified sub-continent
    • set up administrative structures that many use now
  • the Raj: struggles against discrimination and for secularism – independence of India from British Empire must be done separate of religious influence (Nehru)
    
    • impact of British colonialism
• 15 August 1947: Indian Independence
  
  • Nehru: secularist, decided his India needed a say in the international stage
  • Kashmir Issue: negative conflicting relationship between India and Pakistan, Pakistan argued that Kashmir should be part of it as largely Muslim area – constrained India in conflict (as well as having less territory than before British rule)
  • foreign policy: current bipolarity (US and Soviets), wanted to remain independent so joined non-aligned movement – look at issues in regards to India’s interests and its merits
  • Indian leadership: stressed independence despite reduced power following British colonisation
• 1950s: close friendship with China
• 1962: Sino-Indian Border War between China and India

Question 3

Cold War relations and India

Answer 3

• 1971: Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation with USSR, moved from non-alignment to semi-alignment with Soviet Union, relationship with western powers but from a distance
• 1974: Peaceful Nuclear Explosion (PNE) following Chinese test (October 1964), India viewed itself as a country that could compete with China and not be dominated by them anymore (Pakistan followed soon after)
• 1979-1980s: Soviet invasion of Afghanistan – rest of world condemned this act but Indian remained neutral to retain Soviet relationship and surpass China
• August 1990: Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, oil embargo implemented raising oil prices and profitability in Gulf countries
  
  • profits from oil sales led to greater development – Indian and Pakistani workers employed, strengthened Soviet-India relationship
• 1991: breakup of Soviet Union
  
  • Indian economic vulnerability, remittances from the Gulf stopped with concern Indian economy may collapse
  • Manmohan Singh: PM, encouraged reorientation to open economy from closed, state-controlled economy

Question 4

Post CW emergence of India

Answer 4

• shifting views of world system: unipolar or multipolar and transitioning of powers
• India’s attraction to West increased, economic performance well beyond historical records and stronger
• 1998: Indian nuclear tests (followed by one upmanship by Pakistan)
• foreign investment and relations with Southeast Asia, Gulf countries, Africa and the US

Question 5

India as a transitioning power

Answer 5

• economic development:
  
  • March 2015 quarter: economy grew faster than China
  • third-largest economy in Asia grew 7.5% year-on-year in the second quarter 2015, according to the data, outstripping China’s 7 percent growth in the same quarter
• military power:
  
  • 4^th largest power
  • significant links with US, Australia and other states
• cultural/soft power: Bollywood, International Yoga Day (2015)
• issues and constraints:
  
  • Kashmir issue not resolved, UN asks both sides to find solution, US sticks to its position (promote collaboration)
  • regional power in South Asian landscape but arguably not yet global power
  • global power: have influence at an international level (less than a superpower)

Question 6

Origin and evolution of EU

Answer 6

• geopolitical context:
  
  • WWII
  • crisis of capitalism: uncertain future of capitalism, loss of standing of Western model
  • beginning of US hegemony with emerging from WWII relatively unscathed
• part of wider response/attempt to institutionalise open liberal order
• European Coal and Steel Community: to encourage greater economic integration

European Economic Community

• 1957: Treaty of Rome signed between West Germany, Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg
• 1967: Merger Treaty, creation of ‘European communities’
• 1973: expansion – UK, Ireland, Denmark, widening and deepening of organisation
• 1979: direct elections to European parliament addressing concerns that it is a non-representative, illegitimate and undemocratic institution
• 1992: Maastricht Treaty, formally establishes EU, process of ‘widening and deepening’ continues especially to Eastern Europe, criticisms;
  
  • overambitious – too quickly and too epic of a scale in a way that it could never become sustainable
  • convergence criteria not adequately enforced e.g. acceptance of Greece
  • creators of monetary union didn’t consider difficulty of creating an integrated monetary system with countries who are at different stages of development and crises

Question 7

Key institutions of EU

Answer 7

• European Council: general policy/objectives
• Council of EU: budget, coordination, foreign policy – a disappointment for many supporters of the EU
• European Parliament: democratic oversight
• European Commission: executive – implements policies/administers budget/negotiates agreements
• European Court of Justice: ensures uniform application, implementation of EU law
• European Central Bank: monetary policy/stability
• EU Court of Auditors: monitors budget
• Schengen Agreement: not formal organisation, but (most) important symbol of EU project

Question 8

Crises and opinions on EU

Answer 8

• bicycle theory: too much politics not enough economics?
• failure to monitor implementation of policy e.g. monitoring Greek economy and inability to cope with common monetary system
• euro seemed like a good idea with political gains from an integrated currency but overlooked issues with establishing a common currency system
• crisis of democracy/legitimacy? – question of competence and ability of ‘technocrats’ with large amounts of power, undermining confidence in system

Opinions

• popular support declining
• perception that EU is ineffective/unrepresentative/not in control – heightens resentment about sovereignty
• Brexit potential disaster for UK, but may encourage others to stay

Question 9

Can Europe cope with EU?

Answer 9

• economic crisis in Greece not resolved and potentially Italy next
  
  • reasons why EU was so popular was due to economic, industrial and social development achieved
  • issue may be structural problems
• highlighting of economic (and other) divisions between north and south
• new crisis around migration – highlights gulf between good intentions and capabilities?
  
  • fuels fears about security
• if the EU can’t live up to the principles it was founded on what is the point of the organisation?

What’s at stake?

• past 1000s years: Western Europe was not violent place on earth