Final paper

December 8, 2021

 

This class has been one of the most enlightening classes this semester. Through the different lenses of theories, we were introduced to I am able to expand my arsenal of tools to use in hopes of understanding how the world at large interacts with each other. 

 

One of the most interesting subjects we covered in class was perhaps liberalism and how the world gave it an opportunity to govern the world and failed miserably. I have always been one to advocate for peace and understanding, for negotiation and understanding among countries which is why the liberalist ideology resonated with me the most, in practice although it seems to have yielded and different result. In contrast, there is Realism, which seems to explain the world simply as how it is and not how it should be. Having the world governed on a first-come basis does not sound even mildly appealing to me but through this class, I have come to understand why it seems to be the most viable approach to follow, for now at least.

 

Following the deaths of 40 million people in World War I, countries understood that working in an unregulated international system jeopardizes everyone’s safety. The League of Nations was formed in order to prevent another pointless war from breaking out. Multiple crises failed, and significant superpowers either refused to join or abused the organization, thus it didn’t exist long.

 

Liberalism is a political ideology system that holds that nations should adhere to a common set of norms and laws in order to avoid chaos. All nations are encouraged to act equitably and to respect their right to self-determination. Collective security, collective defense, self-determination, and sovereignty are among the values emphasized by International Liberalism. Though it appears to be a notion worth appreciating and accepting, it ignores the international order’s many shortcomings. 

 

Promoting liberalism is a difficult question to answer since, in today’s world, the liberalism we’re talking about will almost certainly come from the western world, particularly the United States, which has utilized this philosophy to further its empire. Because the United States controls the conversation, we are unable to have it. A developing country may embrace liberal ideas in its political realm, but if it does not line with what the United States desires, it will be disrupted. Not to mention what the globe would look like if we attempted to embrace international liberalism. The fact that World War II occurred is sufficient proof that international liberalism is unlikely to succeed, which is why the League of Nations was re-established as the United Nations. According to some analysts, the emergence of other nations such as China could be a concern because no other country is taking the duty for international security as seriously as the United States. No other country is prepared to take the reins of the international system. Other professors, on the other hand, are adamant about expanding liberalism to the rest of the globe in an imperialist manner. Though these ideas were conceived in the past, they can be seen in how countries such as the United States and other Western superpowers use liberalism as a means to achieve their goals.

 

International liberalism is on the rise, particularly in the western world, where 9/11 occurred. This act spurred a call for collective security, as well as provided the US with an excuse to attack Iraq and Afghanistan. Certain liberal ideals have gained popularity as a result of the war on terror. Perhaps we can change the way things are, but from my perspective, not much has changed. 

 

Classical Realism believes that human greed and the need to have power are at the root of all the issues we face in this world and these desires are what drive a country in this maniacal world. This was further developed and there is now neo-realism which attributes these more towards structural issues more than anything. All realist theories have Statism, Self-help, and survival as their core elements.

In some aspects, it appears that this philosophy is a mechanism for big governments to rationalize their atrocities towards lesser countries. However, I respectfully disagree. Many theories explain why governments make the decisions they do, and I believe the ideal solution is a centralized government. An institution that is simply unbiased and offers all nations equal resources. Perhaps yearning for this makes me an idealist at heart, but after reading the neorealist explanation for our current world order, it seems to me that having a centralized government would be the best method to police the current state of pure anarchy.  

 

In many ways, it still feels like we should be aiming towards a global order that limits the powers of superpower nations like the US and Russia, and China, and I sometimes wonder if perhaps we had a global Marxist ideology where all resources do not belong to countries but belong to everyone and thus all nations are obligated to share their resources. If we had a world structured in that manner many of our issues could be solved. Perhaps I am still a liberalist at heart but this is something I truly believe could offer a solution to the many global issues plaguing us. 

 

References

 

 

Baylis. J (2021, September).The Globalization of World Politics. Oup.com. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-globalization-of-world-politics-9780198825548?cc=qa&lang=en&

Blanton, S. L., & Kegley, C. W. (2020). World Politics: Trend and Transformation: Edition 17. Google.com. https://play.google.com/store/books/details/World_Politics_Trend_and_Transformation_Edition_17?id=xSfKDwAAQBAJ&hl=en&gl=US