Harrison Sylvester
Politics
COMPONENT 3: Global Politics
Chapter 1: The state and Globalisation
Evaluate the extent to which the impact of globalisation on Evaluate the validity of the view that “the nation state
the state system has been exaggerated (30) remains a key player in global politics (30)
Point 1: States have arguably been fundamentally Point 1: Nation states are not key players due problems
changed by new institutions such as the EU and UN. being faced today needing global action
Evidence: The UN’s sustainable development goals,
Evidence: There are 28 countries who are part of the EU,
including environmental protections and ending global
and 193 who are part of the UN. The huge size of these
poverty. Furthermore, the Paris Agreement to prevent
institutions represents states pooling their sovereignty. climate change also has 195 signatories, showing that
The EU advocates free trade and movement, leading to these problems require global cooperation, which Liberals
increased migration and levels of interconnectedness argue should be facilitated by IGOs such as the EU and
never seen before. Countries also sign up to the EU and UN.
UN’s human rights laws, which shows that the
fundamental legal systems of states are changing, Point 2: Nation states are not key players in global politics
prioritising the law of the EU and UN rather than individual due to other political entities that challenge the
sovereignty of nation states
nation states.
Evidence: South and North Korea had relatively industrial
output in the 1970s, however since then South Korea has
Point 2: Globalisation’s influence on the state system has opened its borders to investment from TNC’s, and now its
also not been exaggerated due to the massive strides in industrial output is 17 times larger. TNC’s therefore
technology that have impacted the state system in recent challenge the sovereignty of states as they integral to a
years. Evidence: People now think nothing of ordering states industrial development in the free market.
products from across the world online, and states now Furthermore, non-governmental organisations such as
depend on each other for important goods such as food, ISIS have clashed heads and threatened western ideals,
for example in Britain 50% of food is imported, with 25% and thus also proves that nation states can be challenged
by terrorist groups and organisations. Smauel Huntington
coming from the EU. Mass production and easy
would argue that it is not nation states who are key
transportation explains the huge Chinese economic
players anymore, but different civilisations, who all conflict
growth that has occurred within the last two decades. with each other in their own interests.
Approximately 90% of clothes worn in the UK are also
imported. Point 3: However, nation states remain key players due to
the rejection of encroachment upon sovereignty.
Point 3: However, states are arguably still the most Evidence: Rise of nationalism in the last decade. Shown
powerful actors. Evidence: The UK’s decision to leave the by the election of Donald Trump in the US and his recent
EU after their Brexit referendum, the rise of nationalism in speech to the UN in September 2018 where he said “we
reject the idea of globalism and fully subscribe to the
France, Hungary and even America show that states are
doctrine of patriotism”. Trump's speech was symbolic of
in fact rejecting globalisation in favour of their own
states refusing to sacrifice their own sovereignty for the
sovereignty, thus remaining the key players in global international community, showing that nation states thus
politics. This was emphasised in Donald Trump's speech remain key players. Furthermore, huge states such as the
to the UN in September 2018, where he said “we reject UK have also shown a desire to maintain their
the idea of globalism and fully adopt the doctrine of sovereignty, with their decision to leave the EU in 2016.
patriotism”. Another example is that states can still pursue Nation states such as Hungary and Italy have also shown
their own interests in global politics, such as Russia’s a notable rise in nationalism and push back against
Novichok assassination attempt on Sergei Skripal, was migrants and refugees coming into their country. As
recently as October 2018, Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil won
well as their annexation of Crimea in 2014.
the first round of elections, with potential of a hostile
border policy.
, Harrison Sylvester
Politics
Point 4: Furthermore, regional and local economies could Point 4: Since the 2008 global financial crisis, nation
still be more important than global economies. Evidence: states have also shown their intention to protect their own
China arguably rode the 2008 financial crisis well due to economy rather than rely on economic interdependence.
the tariffs they place on imports coming into the country Evidence: The Washington Post estimates that the G20
countries have placed over 1,200 tariffs on restricting free
and also the fact that they had extremely cheap labour
trade in the economy since 2008. States have chosen to
and could continue mass producing - two local economic
protect and distance themselves from the global
factors. Many also argue that economic globalisation is economy, and some statistics also suggest that global
not new, and that period came in the late 19th and early trade has also overall decreased since 2008. Many
20th century. However, the massive amount of countries suggest that local and regional economies are more
that were deeply affected by the 2008 financial crisis important than the global economy, such as Kenneth
shows how deep economic interconnectedness is. The Waltz.
Washington post also estimated that since 2008, the G20
countries have introduced over 1,200 tariffs that prevent
free trade.
Examine the view that “cultural globalisation is creating a Evaluate the extent to which cultural globalisation has had
monoculture (12) a greater impact on the world than any other form of
Point 1: Humans have become concerned with global globalisation (30)
commodities and thus undermined their own culture. Point 1: Cultural globalisation has created a consumerist
Evidence: Naomi Klein calls this “commodity fetishism”. monoculture. Evidence: Branded as ‘commodity fetishism’
E.g. the most attractive area for Chinese tourists in the UK by Naomi Klein, much of the worlds consumers are now
is the Bicester shopping village, showing the global interested in the same commercial products. Companies
materialism. 50% of internet traffic is also in English, such as McDonalds, Apple and Samsung now have
showing that there is growing cultural homogenisation. global reach, and TNC’s have been able to benefit from
This has also arguably led to cheaper prices, according to this, selling their goods across the globe. Therefore, it
neoliberals such as Joseph Nye, and Kant would argue could be argued that cultural globalisation has reinforced
that this also serves to create peace through economic economic globalisation. People are also becoming
interdependence. interested in the same thing, such as football, with over 1
billion people watching at least some of the 2014 World
Point 2: However, nations have responded to globalisation Cup final. There is little doubt that culture has been
imposing upon their individual culture. Evidence: Rise of homogenised across the world, and an example of this is
nationalism in France and Hungary, Brexit vote in UK and the most popular location among Chinese tourists in the
election of Trump, where he recently said at his speech to UK being the bicester shopping centre. This has also
the UN in September 2018 “we reject the idea of been categorised as western imperialism and
globalism and fully adopt the doctrine of patriotism”. neo-colonialism, and has arguably led to backlash with
Furthermore, the Leave campaign acted under the slogan organisations such as ISIS violently rejecting western
of “taking our country back” and Le Pen argues she encroachment on their traditional culture.
represents the national interest of France. Nation states
are choosing to preserve their sovereignty, and rejecting Point 2: Cultural globalisation has also arguably led to
forms of globalisation such as migration, as Theresa May increased migration and vice versa. Evidence: Countries
argued in the Conservative 2018 Conference that there such as Switzerland have a 30% migrant population, and
“would be an end to free movement”. As recently as with travel being faster and cheaper than ever, people are
October 2018, Brazil have also taken a sharp turn to the able to move freely across the world, which is reinforced
right, with Jair Bolsonaro winning the first round of by institutions such as the EU advocating free movement
elections, with potential of a hostile border policy. and work across Europe. However, migration has also
received a backlash from countries such as the UK, who
voted to leave the European Union in 2016, with Prime
Minister Theresa May saying that this was ‘the end of free
movement’ in the Conservative Party Conference of
, Harrison Sylvester
Politics
October 2018. Furthermore, deportations of migrants is
now commonplace in countries such as Hungary and
Italy, where hostile borders have been set up, as well as
rejection of middle eastern refugees. Therefore, it could
be said that cultural globalisation through migration has
been influential in the spreading of culture across the
globe, yet its impact has been limited due to its recent
rejection on a global scale.
Point 3: Economic globalisation has brought millions out
of poverty. Evidence: Economic globalisation has also
been massively influential on countries, raising millions
out of poverty and allowing people to find work in
countries such as Taiwan and Vietnam. The direct impact
of economic globalisation is seen between North and
South Korea, as both had similar industrial output in the
1970s. Since then, South Korea has opened its borders to
TNC’s, and thus has a far stronger economy than North
Korea, with 17 times larger industrial output. However,
many have also argued that economic globalisation is
also responsible for poverty, with larger states such as
the US setting up systems such as the IMF, leaving
countries such as Congo heavily indebted to them, and
thus dependent on them and never able to truly develop
their economy.
Point 4: Political globalisation has created institutions
such as the UN and EU. Evidence: Political globalisation
is also massively significant, and has changed the nature
in which states work together. An example of this is the
EU, which helps to prevent peace by placing sanctions on
countries for violating international law (for example
Russia’s Rouble decreased by 65% in value following the
EU’s economic sanctions after their invasion of Crimea),
with 28 countries signed up, providing a platform for
diplomacy and international tackling of issues such as
climate change. This is similar in the UN, with 193
signatories, the UN seeks to protect human rights and
help developing economies to grow through institutions
such as the IMF and World Bank. IGOs have arguably
changed the way states work, as they now surrender
some of their sovereignty in order to join and influence,
and benefit from these huge organisations.
To what extent has globalisation transformed the world? Evaluate why and in what ways there has been growing
(30) opposition to globalisation. (30)
Point 1: Commodity fetishism and people becoming Point 1: Increasing economic interdependence and global
increasingly similar through consumer culture. Evidence: financial crisis 2008. Evidence: After the global 2008
TNC’s such as McDonalds and Apple hold global financial crisis, many working class people started believe
influence and popularity. Free movement is advocated by that increasing economic interdependence was not for
