levels of analysis somu

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International SystemLevels of Analysis


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Objectives

Structural characteristics of international

system;

Power relationships and its effect on BOP Foreign Policy of States

Individual in world politics


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Levels of analysis

SYSTEM

STATE

INDIVIDUAL

Studying world politicsby examining the social-economic-political-geographic

Characteristics of the system & how they influence the actions of countries and other

actors


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Three Levels of analysis

Three levels of analysis provides clues

about causality in world politics;

System -Level Analysis State-Level Analysis

Individual-Level analysis


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Gulf War - 1991


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Iraq v US -2003


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System-Level Analysis

It is an approach to the study of world

politics that argues that countries are often

compelled to take certain courses of actionby the realities of the world in which they

exist.


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Factors affecting - System

Structural characteristics

Power relationship

Economic patterns Norms ofbehaviour


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Structural Characteristics


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Organization of Authority

International system is horizontal, based

on state sovereignty & hence anarchical

Vertical Authority Structure Horizontal

Authority

Structure


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Organization of Authority

However, relatively new centralizing forces

that are changing the system toward a

more vertical structure; Many analysts believe that sovereignty is

declining and that even the most powerful

states are subject to an increasing number

of authoritative rules made by internationalorganization and by international law.


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The Actors

Sovereign states are the dominant actors;

Intergovernmental actors and

transnational actors are becoming morenumerous and important;


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Intergovernmental organizations

30 in 1900, now over

300 IGO


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Intergovernmental organizations

Organization Mission Members

Arab League Political, cultural &

economic cooperation

22

European Union Multipurpose 25

International Atomic

Energy Agency

Peaceful use of

nuclear energy

134

International Monetary

Fund

Currency cooperation

and stability

184

North Atlantic Treaty

Organization

Military security 19

United Nations Multipurpose 191

World Bank Economic

Development

184


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Transnational organizations

NGOs

Multinational corporations

Terrorist groups


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NGOs

69 NGOs in 1900,

now over 2000;

Greenpeace;

International Alliance

of Women

Muslim World League

International union ofStudents


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Multinational Corporation

With production

facilities, sales outlet

& other operations in

more than onecountry are a second

important type of

transnational actors;


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GNP of Wal-Mart Compared to

selected countries

$0.00

$50.00

$100.00

$150.00

$200.00

$250.00

Wal-

Mart

Greece Vietnam Latvia

East


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Terrorist Groups

Private individualswho attack civilians &use force to inflict

physical &psychological pain;

Capable of usingbiological, chemical,nuclear or radiologicalweapons;

Around 130 (IAEA)


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Scope, Level & Intensity of

Interactions Scope, frequency and level of interaction

among the actors is fr qu t d h gh;

Countries heavily depend on others assources of products that it needs & as

markets for products that it sells.


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Scope, Level & Intensity of

Interactions The current system is becoming

increasingly interdependent, with a rising

number of interactions across an

expanding range of issues.

Economic interdependence is especially

significant.


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Power relationshipDistribution of Power in

International System

When analyzing power relationships, an

important factor is the number ofpoles in

a system.


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Distribution of Power in

International System


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Number of System Poles

Historically, international systems have

been defined in part by how many

powerful actors each has.

PowerPole

(1) a single country

(2) an alliance

(3) global IGO such as UN

(4) regional IGO such as EU


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Unipolar system


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Unipolar system

Central power establishes and enforces rules

and dominates military and economic

instruments

Central power settles disputes betweensubordinate units

Central power resists attempts by subordinate

units to achieve independence or greater

autonomy and may gradually attempt to lessen

or eliminate autonomy of subordinate units


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Ch ed t g between Ind ndPakistan?

Why do think US

President said so?


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Bipolar system

P1 P2


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Bipolar System

Acute hostility between the two poles is the

central feature of a bipolar system;

Try to eliminate the otherbloc by undermining it

if possible & by fighting it if necessary & if risksare acceptable

Increase power relative to the otherbloc by such

techniques as attempting to bring new members

into yourbloc & by attempting to prevent othersfrom joining rival bloc


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NATO v Warsaw


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Cuban Missile crisis

In 1962, US and

USSR almost went to

Nuclear War


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Tripolar system

P1

P3 P2


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Tripolar System

Optimally, try to have good relations with

both other players or minimally, try to

avoid having hostile relations with both

other player;

Try to prevent close cooperation between

the other 2 players


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Multipolar System


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Concentration of Power

All animals are equal ,

but some animals are

more equal than

others.

George Orwell


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System stability

System stability varies in part according to

the degree to which there is relative

powerequality orpowerinequalitybetween poles;


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Two Views

War is more likely when antagonistic poles have

relative power equality, creating a situation in

which every power can perceive the potential for

successful use of force; Conflict is more likely between countries of

relative power inequality because the more

dominant power will confront the weaker power,

which, because of emotion and pride, maychoose to fight rather than submit;


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Power changes & their causes

Power equation is always in flux

Humble beginning and rise of US

Demise of USSR Reemergence of China


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Cycle Theories

Provides insight into how power changes

in the international system;

Power cycles occur over a period of a fewdecades or even as much as a century;

These demarcated by great-power wars,

such as two world wars that reflect the

power shift


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Changes in Power

Several factors account for the rise or fall

of a countrys power

1) Sources of power 2) Domestic conditions

3) Balance of Power politics


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Sources of Power

When a country develops nuclearweapons capability, its relative powerincreases;

Potential proliferation of WMD fromhandful of countries to a wide array ofother countries threatens not only tounleash horrific new levels of death &

destruction but also upset the balance ofpower.


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Domestic conditions

Conditions within major actors also affect

their power.

Soviet Union collapsed because it nolonger commanded the loyalty of its

people.


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After Iraq war

In order to have a

balance, we have to

have a Strong

Europe, as well as astrong US

Jacques Chirac


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System instability

Great powers are likedivas. They enter and exitthe stage with greattumult

Rules of change duringcold war, the devastationthat each superpowercould wreak on otherchanged the rule & kept 2

powers from attackingeach otherbecausemutual annihilation waspredictable.


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Economic Patterns

Economic interdependence promotes

peace as countries become more familiar

with one another and need each other for

their mutual prosperity;

The pattern of vital natural resources-

where they are produced and where they

are consumed-influences the operation ofthe international system.


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Economic pattern

Although Bushadministration deniedit, some Americansand many people inother countriesbelieved that desire todominate the Iraqi oilfields was at least one

motivation behind USled attack on Iraq in2003


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Economic pattern

The economic

lifeline of the

industrial world runs

from Gulf, and wecannot permit a

dictator to sit

astride that economic

lifeline


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Uneven Distribution of Wealth

Less developed Countries v EDC

Poor economic conditions in LDC is due to

political instability, population growth &environmental degradation;


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International Norms


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