POLS 1600 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Global Governance, Gang Of Youths, Stanley Hoffmann
21 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
World of Politics – Trend and Transformation (Kegley)
CHAPTER 1– Exploring Twenty-First-century World Politics
The Investigative Challenge
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” – philosopher George
Santaya
“The farther backward you look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” – Winston Churchill
Global political system – the properties that describe the charismatic ways in which actors most
often behave in the global arena of any historical period
Every historic period is marked by change –today the pace seems more rapid and its
consequences more profound
- Possibly a revolutionary restructuring of world politics
- Countries drawing closer together – globalization is changing the way the world
works
- Disintegration of trends – restructuring the way the world operates
- Proliferation of conventional and unconventional weapons
- Global and environmental deterioration
- Resurgence of nationalism and ethnic conflict
- Nationalism – a mind-set of glorifying a particular state and the
nationality group living in it, which sees the state’s interests as a
supreme value
Major transformations in world politics – after wars, in 20th c.: after WW1, WW2, Cold War
- We often expect the future to automatically bring changes and later are surprised to discover
that certain patterns from the past have reappeared.
Given the rapid changes that are occurring alongside enduring continuities ! it is dangerous to
make firm predictions about the global future, and it is risky to assume or assert that a major
transformation in the world politics is under way.
Criteria to determine when an existing pattern of relationships becomes a completely new global
system (Stanley Hoffman – 1961):
1. What are the system’s basic units?
(ex. States or supranational institutions for global governance)
2. What are the predominant foreign policy goals that these units seek with respect to one
another?
(ex. territorial conquest or material gain through trade)
3. What can these units do to one another with their military and economic capabilities?
! we assume we have a new international system when we have an answer to one of
the questions
Global system – the predominant patterns of behaviours and beliefs that prevail internationally
to define the major worldwide conditions that heavily influence human and national activities
- primarily composed of states
Document Summary
World of politics trend and transformation (kegley) Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. philosopher george. The farther backward you look, the farther forward you are likely to see. winston churchill. Global political system the properties that describe the charismatic ways in which actors most often behave in the global arena of any historical period. Every historic period is marked by change today the pace seems more rapid and its consequences more profound. Possibly a revolutionary restructuring of world politics. Countries drawing closer together globalization is changing the way the world works. Disintegration of trends restructuring the way the world operates. Nationalism a mind-set of glorifying a particular state and the nationality group living in it, which sees the state"s interests as a supreme value. Major transformations in world politics after wars, in 20th c. : after ww1, ww2, cold war.
