week 7 - reading 1 (the cold war and third world alternatives, Bull)

Question 1

international society until WW2

Answer 1

• covered all the world
• position of dominance was occupied by European/Western powers

turn of C20: western powers (mainly Britain and France)

• superior military and economic power
• commanding intellectual and cultural authority
• determined rules of international society (laws made for them: to facilitate the maintenance of European/western ascendancy)

!it is said that Western dominance of universal international society reached its apogee in 1900, BUT Western world now (post-colonial) has further-reaching impact STILL, spiritual/psychological supremacy was at its highest point

!!!western values/norms weren’t unchanging (e.g. standing for equal rights of non-white races) + not everyone was faithful to them

Question 2

the revolt against the west - 5 phases

Answer 2

after WW2: revolt against western dominance

Phase 1: struggle for equal sovereignty (of states that retained formal independence, but had subordinate/inferior status, e.g. Japan)

Phase 2: anti-colonial revolution (struggle for formal political independence, mostly post-1945)

Phase 3: struggle for racial equality (international society of states was at first exclusively of white states), this struggle spans centuries, but decisive changes mainly post-1945
- solidarity of non-whites against whites = main element making for cohesion in the Third World

Phase 4: struggle for economic justice (first colonial exploitation, then fear for economic domination post-colonial world: gap in wealth was growing + consciousness of it also due to comm. techn)

Phase 5: struggle for cultural liberation
-> question if it is a revolt carried out in the name of western values (first 4 phases), or if it is against western values (last phase)

Question 3

US, Russia and Latin America - supporters and beneficiaries of Western dominance

Answer 3

United States: saw itself as anti-colonial power, but was product of European power + extended dominion across north American continent + racial exclusiveness

Russia: imperial Russia product of European expansion, subjugation of indigenous communities and immigration and settlement + unequal treaties -> also seen as supporter/beneficiary of western dominance (despite rendering assistance to forces struggling against Western dominance)

Latin American republics: anti-colonial and national liberationist tradition, saw themselves as victims of western dominance, but they are also the product of European expansion, found upon subjugation of aboriginal peoples

-> all become targets in revolts against the west later in C20

Question 4

the collapse of the old, Western-dominated international order has been brought about by:

5

Answer 4

1. psychological/spiritual awakening of suppressed people, beginning among small groups of Western-educated -> western dominance no longer seen as natural -> capturing control of states
2. weakening of the will of Western powers to maintain dominance: WW1 ended self-assurance, WW2 made them to weak + became doubtful if empire brought much gain
   !still: they were resistant to the end of the old order
3. impact of the Bolshevik revo. and the rise of the SU as major power: also rose against the west, became partner in a limited way (was also attacked / support for communism stood in way for nationalism)
4. general equilibrium of power: bigger divisions among advanced powers, multipolar order -> assists weaker members of the system (e.g. many diplomatic options)
5. transformation legal and moral climate of IR: brought about largely due to influence Third World (non-aligned movement, group of 77, Afro-Asian Movement)