You are on page 1of 31

International Relations

By

Zahid Mehmood Zahid


zmzahid30@gmail.com
National Officers Academy (NOA),
Islamabad
Recommended Books

(1) Globalization of World Politics: An introduction to


international relations
John Baylis, Steve Smith, Patricia Owens

(2) International Relations 10th edition


Joshua S. Goldstein & John C. Pevehouse
I. Introduction
The definition and Scope of IR
The Nation State System
Evolution of International society
Making sense of IR

Always think in terms of IR before you start


interpretation of an event of int. politics.

Like all other disciplines, it also has its own rules and
language.

It is an atheist discipline.
Making sense of IR

Stay impartial while analysing Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Iran


Vs. Saudia, and US-Pak relations etc.

It has certain levels of analysis;


Individual, State, & Int. System. (Pak-Saudi
relations)

IR connects the Past with present and predicts the


future.
History of IR and what is it all about?
IR is a new field of study whose origins are usually
traced to post-WWI era.

IR became an academic discipline in 1919 when


university of Aberystwyth established department of
Int. Politics.

IR is the branch of Political Science.


Cont
It is about concepts and methods for understanding
the world.

Wars are the bread and butter of IR.

IR also analyses inter and intra - state conflicts,


militancy, terrorism, violence, separatist movements
etc.
Restricted Definition of IR

Official relations among states,


Jeremy Bentham
Comprehensive Definition:

IR encompasses much more than relations among


nation states and International organizations and
groups. It includes variety of transnational relationships,
at various level, above and below the state level,
which is the main actor in the international system

Palmer and Perkins


Ingredients of IR;
Political & social issues - terrorism & militancy.
Economic organizations (World Bank, IMF, BRICS,
ASEAN)
National power & National Interest,
Balance of Power,
War and Diplomacy,
Nuclear Proliferation & WMDs,
Foreign policies,
and many more..
Scope of IR
Few say, IR is about official relations among states that
deals with the issues of war and peace.

Others see IR as about cross-border relations of all kinds,


political, economic and social through int. institutions
like UNO, SCO, ASEAN, ECO, EU etc.

In the 21st century, few focus on global communication,


transport and financial systems, and MNCs.
Scope of IR
Politics, economics, Law, history, criminology,
diplomacy, security, globalization, nuclear
proliferation, terrorism, and human rights etc.

Utility of studying IR?

First, It expands your horizon to beyond domestic


politics.
Secondly, very few other subjects cover such a broad
range of topics.
Evolution of Modern Nation State System
Cave era Individual society 2.5 million years ago,
few says 10,000 years.

Groups life started near water concentrations

Tribes Social & physical needs grew


marriages and children etc.

Feudalism agrarian industry gave way to feudal


Nobility etc.
Evolution of Modern Nation State System

Nation A large body of people united by common


history, culture, identity, or language, inhabiting a
particular state or territory.

State a sovereign political entity with a


governance system, territory, and its inhabitants.
Nation State
A nation state has defined territory with a sovereign
government, with population sharing a common
culture, history, and language.

Nation State System

A pattern of political life in which people are


separately organized into sovereign states and interact
with one another.
Rise of Nation State System.

The nation-state is a recent phenomenon.

Contemporary nation state system is widely


understood - Ali is a Pakistani, joseph is an
American, etc.

Prior to the 1600s, the nation-states did not exist in


Europe.
People used to identify themselves with their region or
feudal lord.

The medieval Europe (5th to the 15th century) was


entrenched in feudalism.

Feudalism was a not only an economic system but also


was a political system.

The allegiance of masses was to landlord, not to a


country.
Crusade wars and rise of monarchy
After Crusades wars European soldiers returned home
with tales of the wealthy Muslims.

This led to the development of trade routes b/w East &


West - towns and cities began to develop along these
routes.

Over time, these towns started demanding


independence from local lords, realizing they could
stand on their own.
Towns became symbols of freedom for poor workers.

The poor class become free merchants.

In short, as towns grew, feudalism's grip began to


fracture.
Catholic Church and the Rise of the Nation-State

During 16th and 17th centuries Holy Catholic Church


was ruling the West.

But, few kings wanted control over their national


churches in order to get absolute power.

In England, Henry VIII broke away from the Pope and


established an independent Protestant church in the
1530s.
Thirty Years War 1618-1648, (Catho. Vs. Prote.)

The war involved almost entire Europe, including


Germany, Austria, Sweden, France, and Spain.

Catholics could not defeat Protestants.

The treaty that ended the war called the Treaty of


Westphalia 1648.
Treaty of Westphalia stated;

sovereign ruler of a state has power over nation and


state, including religion.

Thus, the idea of a sovereign nation state was born.


Treaty of Westphalia (1648)
Treaty was meant to settle the conflicts, especially
conflicts over religion, that was the source of war in
Europe.

Treaty, in other words, established the constitution of


modern world politics.

Pope referred to the Westphalian treaty as Null, Sin.


Cont

European rulers recognized each others right to rule


their own territories free from outside interference.

Westphalian treaty is also known as peace of


exhaustion Because war had bankrupted and
fatigued the fighting parties.
Elements of Westphalian Peace
Territorial Sovereignty: The notion that every state
has the right of self-rule over its people and territory.

Equality of states: All states are equal as sovereign


member of the International community.
(Bhutan = USA)

Non-intervention: no interference was permitted in


the affairs of other state.
The UN Charter
Chapter 1: Purposes and principles

Article: 2 (1) The organization is based on the


principle of the sovereign equality of all its member
states.

Article: 2 (4) All members shall refrain in their relations


from the threat or use of force against the territorial
integrity or political independence of any state ...
Outcomes of the Westphalian Nation State System
1- Balance of Power; was maintained to prevent the
rise of a dominant power and future wars.

2- Religion; Treaty Favoured secularism and ensured


religious freedom.

Since the empire was catholic and protestant


reformation had begun in 1517-1521 under Martin
Luther King Sr. with two objectives;
Cont
I - Discovering Jesus and salvation by faith.
II - Identifying papacy as anti-Christ.

3- Nationalism
Nationalism entered into Europe after the
Westphalian Treaty.

Prior to that feudals and kings used to think in terms of


religion.
Significance of Nation State System
Each state can decide the best for its people with
out external pressures.

Other states, no matter how powerful, do not have


the right to intervene in other sovereign countries.

The principle of autonomy does not allow exploitation


of the weaker by major states.
Relevance of NSS in contemporary World

Today, it faces the challenges from;


Change in the nature of Int. conflicts, Drone strikes,
Yemen, Syria, Non-state-actors like ISIS, Boko Haram.

Intra-state conflicts: Syria & Afghanistan.

Humanitarian intervention: in Libya.

Globalization: WTO, IMF, World Bank, MNCs


Questions to attempt;
Explain significance and scope of IR.

Explain the salient features of modern nation state


system.

How do you see the role of state in the future, given


that that globalization and MNCs are undermining
state authority?

You might also like