15.1 The Problem of Global Governance
3 min read•june 18, 2024
tackles worldwide issues through collaboration between nations, organizations, and other groups. It sets rules and creates institutions to address challenges like climate change and human rights, aiming to foster cooperation in a world without a central authority.
Collective goods, like clean air, benefit everyone but can lead to overuse. The occurs when individuals exploit shared resources for personal gain, depleting them. tries to manage these issues and provide public goods that benefit all countries.
Global Governance and International Relations
Concept of global governance
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- Refers to the collective management of common problems at the international level
- Involves a range of actors including states, international organizations (), and non-state actors (NGOs)
- Aims to establish rules, norms, and institutions to address global challenges (climate change, human rights)
- Facilitates cooperation among states to tackle transnational issues
- Provides a framework for collective action and decision-making
- Helps to mitigate the effects of in the international system
Collective goods and commons tragedy
- Collective goods are resources or services that are and
- Non-excludable means difficult or impossible to prevent others from using the good (public parks)
- Non-rivalrous means consumption by one actor does not reduce the availability for others (clean air)
- occurs when individual actors exploit a shared resource for personal gain, leading to its depletion or degradation
- Actors prioritize short-term self-interest over long-term collective benefits
- Overfishing in international waters depletes fish populations
- Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest reduces biodiversity and carbon sequestration
- Greenhouse gas emissions (carbon dioxide) contribute to climate change
- are collective goods that benefit all countries and populations (e.g., climate stability, disease control)
Challenges and Actors in Global Governance
Global governance in anarchic systems
- in the international system refers to the absence of a central authority to enforce rules and norms
- States are sovereign and pursue their own interests, leading to potential conflicts
- Global governance mechanisms help address challenges arising from anarchy:
- International organizations (United Nations) provide forums for dialogue and cooperation
- Treaties and agreements establish shared rules and standards for state behavior
- Dispute resolution mechanisms () help settle conflicts peacefully
- Limitations of global governance in an anarchic system:
- Enforcement of rules and norms relies on states' voluntary compliance
- Power imbalances among states can undermine the effectiveness of global governance
- of global governance institutions affects their ability to influence state behavior and address global challenges
Key actors of global governance
- States are the primary actors in global governance
- Negotiate and ratify international treaties and agreements
- Participate in international organizations and forums
- Implement global policies at the national level
- International organizations facilitate cooperation and coordination among states
- United Nations promotes international peace, security, and development
- regulates international trade and resolves trade disputes
- promotes global financial stability and provides financial assistance (loans)
- Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) advocate for specific causes and influence policy-making
- advocates for human rights
- focuses on environmental protection
- provides humanitarian aid in crisis situations
- Multinational corporations shape global economic policies and practices
- Influence international trade, investment, and labor standards
- Can contribute to or undermine global governance efforts depending on their actions (corporate social responsibility vs. exploitation)
Emerging Dynamics in Global Governance
- among states increases the need for cooperation on global issues
- plays a growing role in shaping international norms and policies
- facilitate information sharing and collective action across borders
- , or the ability to influence through attraction rather than coercion, becomes increasingly important in global governance
Key Terms to Review (41)
Amnesty International: Amnesty International is a global non-governmental organization that focuses on human rights advocacy and protection. It works to document and campaign against human rights abuses around the world, with the goal of preventing and ending such violations.
Anarchy: Anarchy in the context of international relations describes a condition where there is no central authority that governs the actions of states globally. It underscores a system where sovereign states operate independently and are primarily self-regulating without overarching control.
Anarchy: Anarchy refers to a state of disorder or absence of governmental authority in a society. It is a concept that is often associated with the international system, where there is no central governing body or authority that can enforce rules and regulations among sovereign states.
Bretton Woods Conference: The Bretton Woods Conference was a landmark event held in 1944 that established a new international monetary system and laid the foundations for global economic governance in the post-World War II era. It addressed the problem of global governance by creating institutions and frameworks to regulate international financial and economic relations.
Complex interdependence: Complex interdependence describes a situation in international relations where states and their fortunes are interconnected through various non-military issues and economic exchanges, making cooperation an essential strategy for resolving conflicts. This paradigm shifts focus from solely military might to the multiple channels of interaction in global affairs, including trade, environmental policies, and cultural exchanges.
Constructivist: Constructivism is a theoretical perspective in the social sciences that emphasizes the active role of individuals and groups in constructing their understanding of the world. It posits that knowledge is not simply transmitted, but actively built through interactions, experiences, and interpretations.
Free riding: Free riding in the context of international law and organizations refers to a situation where one or more countries benefit from the efforts or resources provided by other countries without contributing or sharing the cost themselves. It often poses a challenge to global governance as it can lead to underprovision of public goods and collective action problems.
Global Civil Society: Global civil society refers to the network of interconnected, non-governmental organizations and individuals that operate across national borders to address issues of global concern. It represents the collective efforts of citizens worldwide to influence and shape the global agenda beyond the traditional realm of state-centric international relations.
Global governance: Global governance encompasses the various cooperative and regulatory mechanisms, policies, and institutions that help manage and solve worldwide issues. It involves international actors such as states, international organizations, and civil society working together to address global challenges like climate change, poverty, and peacekeeping.
Global Governance: Global governance refers to the complex web of formal and informal institutions, mechanisms, and processes that shape and regulate activities that transcend national boundaries. It encompasses the collective efforts of the international community to address global issues and challenges that no single country can solve alone.
Global Public Goods: Global public goods are resources or systems that benefit the global community as a whole, transcending national borders. They are non-excludable and non-rivalrous, meaning they are accessible to all and their use by one individual does not diminish their availability to others.
Globalism: Globalism refers to the interconnectedness and interdependence of the world's economies, societies, and cultures, driven by the increased flow of goods, services, capital, people, and information across national borders. It is a concept that emphasizes the global scale of economic, political, and social interactions, challenging traditional notions of state sovereignty and national self-sufficiency.
Greenpeace: Greenpeace is a prominent international non-governmental organization (NGO) that is dedicated to environmental protection and promoting sustainability through non-violent direct action and public awareness campaigns. It operates globally to address a wide range of ecological issues, from climate change to ocean conservation and deforestation.
Greenpeace International: Greenpeace International is a global environmental organization that promotes environmental activism to address issues like deforestation, overfishing, climate change, and pollution. It uses direct action, lobbying, and research to achieve its goals.
Interdependence: Interdependence refers to the state of being mutually dependent on one another, where the actions and decisions of various entities, whether individuals, organizations, or nations, have significant impacts on each other. This concept is central to understanding the complexities of the international system, the liberal and social worldview, and the challenges of global governance.
Intergovernmental: Intergovernmental refers to the coordination, cooperation, and interactions between different national governments or government agencies in addressing issues that transcend national borders. It involves the joint efforts of multiple sovereign states to tackle global problems and achieve common goals.
International Court of Justice: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, responsible for settling disputes between states and providing advisory opinions on questions of international law. It serves as a critical component in the global governance framework and the application of international law.
International Court of Justice (ICJ): The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, tasked with settling legal disputes submitted by states and providing advisory opinions on international legal questions referred to it by authorized UN organs and specialized agencies. It aims to ensure that international law is applied in a consistent and impartial manner.
International Monetary Fund: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an international organization that works to promote global monetary cooperation, financial stability, and economic growth. It serves as a lender of last resort, providing loans and financial assistance to countries in economic distress, while also monitoring and advising on economic policies worldwide.
International Monetary Fund (IMF): The International Monetary Fund is an international organization that aims to promote global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world. It provides financial assistance and advice to its member countries, often in times of economic crisis.
Judgments about legitimacy: Judgments about legitimacy involve assessments of the rightfulness or acceptability of a governing regime's authority by its populace or the international community. These judgments are crucial for the stability and effectiveness of governance, as they reflect the perceived justification of political power and authority.
Legislative sovereignty system: A legislative sovereignty system is a political structure where the legislature holds supreme power over the creation, amendment, and repeal of laws, often with limited checks from other branches of government. In this context, it contrasts with systems where courts (judicial review) or executives have comparable or superior influence over legal matters.
Legitimacy: Legitimacy refers to the justification and acceptance of political authority and power. It is the foundation upon which a government or political system derives its right to govern and the willingness of the people to accept and comply with its decisions and actions.
Liberal Institutionalist: Liberal institutionalists believe that international institutions, such as the United Nations, World Trade Organization, and various treaties and agreements, can help promote cooperation and mitigate conflicts between states in the global arena. They argue that these institutions provide a framework for countries to work together, establish rules and norms, and address shared challenges more effectively than they could on their own.
Nationalism: Nationalism is a political, social, and economic ideology that emphasizes the interests, culture, or identity of a nation or group of people, often advocating for self-governance and sovereignty. It can unite people through shared language, history, and values but also lead to exclusion or conflict with others deemed outside the national group.
Nationalism: Nationalism is a political ideology and a social movement that promotes the interests of a particular nation or ethnic group, often with the goal of achieving or maintaining self-governance, sovereignty, and a distinct cultural identity. It is a complex and multifaceted concept that has had a significant impact on the shaping of modern nation-states and international relations.
Non-excludable: Non-excludable refers to a good or resource that is available to everyone, regardless of whether they have paid for it or not. It is a characteristic of public goods, where the consumption of the good by one individual does not reduce its availability for others, and it is not feasible to exclude people from accessing or using the good.
Non-Rivalrous: Non-rivalrous refers to a good or service that can be consumed by one individual without diminishing the ability of another individual to consume it. In other words, the consumption of a non-rivalrous good or service by one person does not reduce the availability of that good or service for others.
Post-Cold War Era: The post-Cold War era refers to the period following the end of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, which dominated global politics for much of the 20th century. This era is characterized by significant shifts in the international system, including the rise of non-state actors and challenges to traditional models of global governance.
Realist: Realism is a theoretical approach in political science that emphasizes the role of power, self-interest, and the anarchic nature of the international system in shaping the behavior of states and other actors on the global stage. Realists view the world as a competitive arena where states pursue their own interests and seek to maximize their power and security.
Red Cross: The Red Cross is a humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and education to communities in need around the world. It is known for its distinctive red cross emblem and its mission to alleviate human suffering and promote the principles of international humanitarian law.
Soft power: Soft power is the ability of a country to persuade or attract others to do what it wants without force or coercion, primarily through cultural or ideological means. It contrasts with hard power, which relies on military and economic means to influence others.
Soft Power: Soft power is the ability to influence others through attraction and persuasion rather than coercion or force. It is the power to shape the preferences of others and get them to want what you want, as opposed to hard power which relies on threats and inducements. Soft power is an important concept in the context of international relations, global governance, and the role of non-state actors.
Sovereignty: Sovereignty refers to the supreme and independent authority of a state or political entity to govern itself and its territory without external interference or control. It is a fundamental concept in political science that underpins the power and legitimacy of governments and their ability to make decisions and enforce laws within their borders.
Supranational: Supranational refers to a political entity or organization that transcends national boundaries and exercises authority over its member states. It represents a level of governance that operates above the nation-state, with the ability to make decisions and enforce policies that supersede the sovereignty of individual countries.
Tragedy of the commons: The tragedy of the commons occurs when individuals act in their own self-interest and overuse a shared resource, leading to its depletion or degradation, despite understanding that this is against everyone's long-term interest. It highlights a conflict between individual interests and the common good in managing public resources.
Tragedy of the Commons: The tragedy of the commons refers to a situation where individuals, acting independently and rationally according to their own self-interest, will ultimately deplete or destroy a shared resource, even when it is not in anyone's long-term interest for this to happen. This concept is central to understanding collective dilemmas, collective action problems, and the challenges of global governance.
Transnational Networks: Transnational networks refer to the interconnected relationships and collaborations that transcend national borders, involving a diverse range of actors such as non-governmental organizations, social movements, multinational corporations, and international organizations. These networks facilitate the exchange of information, resources, and ideas across geographical boundaries, shaping global governance and addressing transnational issues.
United Nations: The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization that aims to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, and promote social progress, better living standards, and human rights. It serves as a platform for countries to address global issues and cooperate on a wide range of matters, including political, economic, social, and environmental concerns.
United Nations Charter: The United Nations Charter is the foundational treaty of the United Nations (UN), an international organization dedicated to maintaining peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations, and promoting social progress, better living standards, and human rights. It was signed on 26 June 1945 in San Francisco, at the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on International Organization, and came into force on 24 October 1945.
World Trade Organization: The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the international organization that oversees and facilitates global trade. It was established in 1995 to replace the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and serves as a forum for governments to negotiate trade agreements and resolve trade disputes.