Chapter 2: The Rise of Modern International Order
Introduction
● International orders- practices of exchange among political units that recognize each
other as independent
○ distribution of power and authority among the political actors on the global stage
○ Political actor - individuals who aspire through organizational and institutional
means to influence the decision making process through attaining political power
in government
● West is impt. to global political institutions
○ Possibly due to its liberal ideas, democratic practices, and free markets
○ Rise of the West has occurred recently
○ International processes gave rise to the west
Historical International Orders
● International orders trace back to nomadic groups
● Peace of Westphalia important too for it marked the end of the of the wars of religion in
Europe
○ Also instituted the principle of cuius regio, eius religio (‘whose realm, their
religion’)
■ Acted as a brake on the reasons by which states could go to war
○ Established sovereign territoriality
○ Yet it wasn’t all that it seemed
● Many other things gave rise to international order, like the exchange of goods from the
New World
○ The many examples help to illustrate the ways in which over time, regularized
political units generate forms of interdependence (events in one place have a
major effect on others)
■ Interdependence bounds international orders
● Used to limited in scope; lightly connected
● Pace of change is dif. And much faster
● Global transformation- shift from a world of multiple regional international systems to
one characterized by a global international order
○ Now have peoples in contact among far-flung peoples intense
● The 19th century saw the transformation of the daily condition of peoples nearly
everywhere on the planet
How did the Modern International Order Emerge?
● Has been a major shift in global power
○ GDP (gross domestic product) level changed
● What caused this major shift?
○ Constitutions
○ European inter-state wars
■ Led to technological and tactical advances, standing armies, & expansion
, of bureaucracies,,, led to taxation
○ Scientific advancements (european enlightenment)
○ Geographical and demographic advantages (temperate climate… lower
population densities)
○ Capitalism, imperialism
■ Control of trade
● Led to unequal patterns of growth
○ Technologies (carried thru migration)
● Great divergence thus fuelled by global intensification in the circulation of people, ideas,
and resources
● Interdependence linked to industrialization, rational states, and imperialism
Industrialization
● Took place in 2 main waves
○ Cotton, iron, coal… steam power
○ Engineering to blockages in production (machinery to pump water efficiently out
of mineshafts)
○ Advances in chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electronics
○ New sources of energy available (oil, electricity, coal, internal combustion
engines)
■ Produced a dramatic expansion of the world market
Rational States
● States assumed greater control over the use of force within their territory
○ Some states made war, conclude treaties, acquired territory, & build fortresses
○ Armies and navies became more national, under the direct control of the state
○ States staffed by permanent bureaucracies
○ Imperial wars increased capacities of European states
● Rational state- ways in which states become organized less thru interpersonal
relations/family and more by abstract bureaucracies (like a civil service & a nationally
organized military)
Imperialism
● Imperialism took many forms
● (British) Imperial web: direct-rule colonies, protectorates, bases, treaty ports, & spheres
of influence
● Relied on establishing partnerships with local power brokers (ex: the Straits Chinese)
● Imp. also was deeply destructive
○ In form of ecocide (destruction of the natural environment, especially when
willfully done)
■ Lands taken over and genocide
● Casuality list of imperialism numbered tens of millions
The Consequences of the Global Transformation
● Shrinking of the planet, emergence of international organizations and non-governmental
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