Keywords Flashcards
Great Power
A nation that cannot exert hard power or strict economic sanctions without ramifications for their own state
Strong military and economy but not a world leader
Super Power
A nation that exerts considerable hard and soft power effectively and quickly nearly everywhere in the world. Without many negative consequences for themselves.
Emerging power
A nation that is gaining prominence and increased ability to influence other nations due to improved economic or military conditions.
Regional power
A body that exerts power over a particular geographic region, such as a continent, but little influence beyond that.
E.G Council of Europe
Soft Power
Ability to influence another body without direct force.
E.g diplomacy and economic persuasion.
Hard Power
Ability to influence another body with the use of direct force
E.g. Military or Economic sanctions
Smart power
Clever mix of both hard and soft power
Sharp power
Power exerted through technology
Structural power
Influence over non state IGOs
E.G UN, IMF, NGOs
Globalisation
The process by which the world has become so interconnected that a variety of non-state actors, global trends and events challenge territorial borders and state sovereignty
Polarity
Ways in which power is distributed in the international system
E.g Unipolar, Bipolar, Multipolar
International relations
Relations between states and non states, involving diplomacy, negotiations and treaties/agreements
Realism
Theory of global politics that regards nation-states as the central actors in international relations.
Nation states pursue self-interest and there is no authority greater than the nation state that can enforce stability.
International relations tend towards conflict
Liberalism
Theory of global politics that is based on an optimistic interpretation of human being’s capacity for cooperation.
Nation states are not simply power maximisers.
Instead they can work together and with IGOs and NGOs, can resolve collective dilemmas and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes
International Anarchy
According to Realism, there is no authority greater than the nation-state that can compel obedience, global relations are anarchic.
As a result nation states must protect themselves from other nation-states rather than relying on any superior law-enforcing body to do this for them
5 S’s in realism
State
Security
Self-help
Sovereignty
Survival
Security Dilemma
States in trying to make themselves more secure, provoke other states to do the same, spiraling into arms races, mutual fear and suspicion resulting in less security
Global Governance
Way in which nation-states cooperate in IGOs such as the UN or WTO.
While nation-states don’t surrender sovereignty, they accept there are advantages to be had from negotiating mutually beneficial outcomes to collective problems
Complex interdependence
Liberal theory suggesting the interests of nation states are closely connected through a multitude of interactions.
States are connected based on mutually beneficial outcomes, challenging state egoism in international relations
World Government
A government which possesses legitimate executive and legislative sovereignty, establishing a supranational authority to which all nation states would be accountable
Interconnectedness
A result of globalisation, nation-states have become so interlinked that it has led to a cobweb state of mutual dependence.
Anarchical society of states
Hedley Bull - Nation states are the central actors in global politics.
However he argues that they can choose to cooperate with each other in order to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
This creates a global society in spite of the anarchical nature of the international system.
Nation-state
An autonomous political organisation defined by the common ties of shared nationality and citizenship
Sovereignty
Principle of absolute and unlimited power and the defining characteristic of a state
Economic Globalisation
Process by which states across the world become more closely connected and interdependent according to the principles of free trade, leading to greater transnational flow of goods, services and capital.
Political Globalisation
Process by which states across the world become more closely connected and interdependent through political measures, leading to more closely politically linked international relations
Non-state actors
Entities such as NGOs and IGOs which can hold influence on a global scale over global affairs
